The Pluscarden community has been sad to mark the passing of Baxter, the monastery cat, on Saturday 19 December. Baxter has been resident with us since 2005. At the grand old age of 18 he finally succumbed to kidney failure, a common cause of death in aged cats. His final year was spent almost entirely inside the cloister, mostly for his protection against feral cats which occasionally attacked and seriously injured him.
Baxter (centre, back)
Baxter endeared himself to hundreds of visitors over the years and has been made known to many more through the medium of the little book in our shop, "Baxter, a Benedictine Cat", in which Baxter illustrates various chapters of the Holy Rule. A Latin version of the book was sent to Pope Benedict by the author, Eileen Grant. She was delighted by the response from the Vatican, which conveyed a papal blessing.
Although Baxter's practice of the virtue of obedience was very much accommodated to his feline nature, his desire to conform to custom was remarkable. He was often to be seen taking his place as the brethren processed into Vespers, and would rise from his bed to line up with the brethren coming out of Mass. On the occasion of the funeral of one of the monks, he appeared out of nowhere to lead the coffin all the way into the church, to its station in front of the altar. He will be greatly missed in the cloister.
The photograph was taken when Baxter managed to get into our Christmas crib, taking his place beside the donkey, contemplating the Christ child.