Not quite! It has been very fun, but very busy. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I got word that my little cat Larry was sinking, and sinking fast. I had been watching him for months, taking note that he hadn't been grooming himself very well. Last Wednesday found me flying back to NM to be with him during his last days.
It was beyond special. I wish I could have had time like that with my loved ones I've lost in years past. It made his leaving easier. We had said all we had to say, confident in our feelings about each other, and when he was finally out of pain, I found myself happy for him.
I decided he couldn't just leave without some official notification to friends and family, and sent out the following obituary:
It is with great sadness that I must inform you that Lorenzo de Valdez, aka Larry the cat, left this lifetime on Monday, July 30, after suffering quietly with an undiagnosed malady the last month. For those of you who knew him well, you will note that Larry was never quiet. (This, alone, was cause for concern.)
He is survived by his humans, two Rottweilers, and his sometime companion and frequent sparring partner, Roberto del Gato, or Bob, as he is known to those in his inner circle.
Larry came to us from the local animal shelter in the fall of 1997. He was a mere 1.3 lbs. and not in good health. He spent most of his life battling inflammatory bowel disease, so he never really knew good health. He was, as many chronically ill patients may be, loathe to see his doctors, and because of his behavior in their offices, he was not their favorite patient. (In fact, his file had a notation that he was fractious.)
He will be remembered as quite a conversationalist. While his favorite topics were issues relating to his existential angst, he was also able to hold his own when it came time to register complaints about household issues. I imagine he might go on to be a great orator in his next life.
There will be a private service for immediate family members only on a future date.
14 comments:
So sorry Martie. But I'm glad you travelled to him for the end. He sounds like he had quite a personality and blessed when you adopted him.
Kim
Oh Martie,
My sincere condolences on your loss. What a sweet boy he must have been. I know he was happier when you came home to be with him. Blessed you are to have had that special connection to a most wonderful creature!
Hugs! xxooo
Cathy G
So sorry to hear about Larry, Martie! I remember him fondly, even if he was a bit of an oddball. You are a dedicated cat mom to return home to him at his final moment. XOX
Martie,
Sorry to hear of Larry's passing, he looks like he was a sweet soul. I will be doling out extra heapings of love to my dogs tonight, especially my Cleopatra, who is still not doing well after her bladder surgery.
Hi Martie,
Larry was lucky to have you, and you were lucky to have him. Losing a friend is such a difficult thing, but you were fortunate that you got to spend some of his last moments together. My thoughts are with you.
Sara
Martie,
So glad to know that a soul needing a good home found yours. It is never easy when these small friends of ours move on, but I agree, having time to be with them and ease their journies changes the tone of the aftermath. You and yours are in my thoughts.
Hugs,
Chris
PS...Best Furry Obit Ever!
I cried when I Read your blog! I am so glad you were able to be with him. They are such a wonderful part of our lives!
Sad news but a wonderful obit. Any cat or human would like to be so remembered. Even the fractious part.
Oh honey I am so sorry for your loss. I came by here to say hello and I read this about your precious friend and companion.
My heart aches for you but I am so glad you flew home to be with him.
Take care. I miss you
Love
Maggie
What a precious, precious story. I am so very sorry to hear about Larry. The Obit was a beaut. I hope Larry and Lucy Poosey meet up and run free together!!!!
You are a wonderful Cat Mama. But then, I knew that about you.
Love,
Ter'e
Oh Martie, I'm so sorry for your loss. He sure had a good life at his "forever home" for many years though. I'm glad he was able to be surrounded by his loving family as he crossed the Rainbow Bridge. (I'm afraid we'll be having the same situation at our house soon with Penny.... :-(
Just wanted to come by and say hello and to say I have been so excited to see comment from you. I love hearing from you.
I did so love Maine as you can see by my non stop posting of it. lol
My only regret is the leaves were not changing but thats okay maybe God will give me a chance to go back another time.
I just reread your post again about your sweet baby. My heart aches for you. My oldest son Chad is going through this with his cat. I don't know what to say to him to ease the pain.
We are so blessed to have them in our lives.
Take care dear friend. I think of you often
Love
Maggie
I've been cruising through blogs this am and came across your post regarding Larry the Cat.... I'm sorry for your loss but must tell you that I enjoyed very much your writing about this.
I hope you don't mind but I sent a copy to my sister as she loves kitties and has about 25 or so adopted strays that found their way to her home. They are of course all spayed, neutered and well cared for on her 30+ acres...
Thanks for letting us read your blog.. I am a quilter and don't blog but enjoy reading others..Karen
Dear Karen:
Thank you for taking the time to post such a nice comment on this very old posting. It means a lot.
If I didn't have a husband, I could easily be the lady with lots of cats. I really admire what your sister is doing. The most I ever had at once was five, and it was so much fun.
I wish I knew how you found my blog! It put a smile on my face that someone might still be reading it. I fear I abandoned it a few years ago when things in my life changed. Perhaps it's time to reconsider.
Best wishes, Martie
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