Today Im mourning…my cat Twinkle passed away last night during his sleep. Somehow I knew its going to happened any day now. The vet said when I first got him was he was an older cat. About 12 years old. I guess one will never be prepared for the death of anyone you care for…even if its a cat.
I was diagnosed with diabetes last August of 2007. When I came home from the hospital I got really depressed of all the restrictions I had to take. I spent most of the time in my garden. Then a pale grey and white cat suddenly appeared. I ssshhhooshhed him away at first thinking it was a stray, but whats funny is that the more I shooed him…the more he followed me. One late night while my husband and I are in the garden, he appeared. Lightly purring, constantly rubbing his face on our legs…we placed him on the table and he just lay down there…looking at us, seemingly content. I got him a bowl of milk…he seemed to be happy. Started to play with my fingers…seems a very friendly cat. And amids the stars in the sky…I named him Twinkle.
I asked around the neighborhood if somebody is missing a cat. A neighbor said that Twinkle was once owned by a family who moved out. Aww…Twinkle was homeless. So I kept him. I brought him to the vet and cleaned him up. He never left.
Twinkle is amazing…he seems to know when Im tired…or depressed…or happy. When I broke my back from an accident…I was not able to walk for three long months. Twinkle was patiently there. Always happy to see me when I start my physical therapy walking around the garden every morning and night. He would follow me around. And when Im in pain…he will cry out meow…seemingly saying…get up! You can do it… And I did. Smiling at him…ok…ok…Twinkle. When I can take longer walks around the suburb…he will constatly follow me around. But aaahhh…when I started jogging…he will then stop and lay down on every street corner and just simply wait for me…Oh you lazy cat. A lazy fat cat. I will always draw stares and smiles from passers by since I am walking my dog…and my cat, together. But he never left. He is a family now.
Last month I noticed him eating less…I changed his food…and still he seems to be disinterested. The vet said…He is getting old. So I got him his favorite food. Most of the day he will just lay around and sleep. On April 13…My husband had to spoon feed him, so he can eat. I cried…I feel devastated… This morning he was gone. He seemed to be just sleeping. He had a very peaceful face. My husband and I were in tears… but we were also happy. That a once a homeless old cat with a big heart found his home…even for a short time.
Sorry to hear about your cat! I just had to put one of mine down about 6 months ago…he was so sweet and in so much pain, he was purring me when I said good-bye to him. I was so upset,but he was a treasure while I had him.
I am so sorry, Teena. What a precious story though that you guys found one another. It sounds like the last years of his life were extraordinary ones in a loving home.
Sorry for responding so late. I am a cat lover myself, and I understand how sad and painful it is to lose a little angel such as Twinkle. But I know, he is looking on to you from the skies, ever thankful for the love you gave him…
Its ok Jovanni. I still feel sad whenever I remember Twinkle...But he left me a wonderful gift. A kitten I named Twinkie. Twinkie was born one month after Twinkle passed away. His mate, Star (my Mom's cat 2 houses away from ours), have 4 kitties. They are a month old now and very cute. Twinkie and his father Twinkle looks almost exactly the same.
Thank you so much David. The site was very inspiring and touching. Indeed he already crossed over. But it is such a miracle that he left me a wonderful gift, his son. I named him Twinkie. a splitting image of his father. Twinkie was born exactly a month after Twinkle passed away.
In regards to Twinkle: I have “been there and done that” five times since I have been married.
My wife and I “take animals no one else wants.” First we lost our two cats, Spot and Baby (from old age); and then our three dogs, Chris, Eve, and Muffin. The dogs died three years ago, all within 6 months of each other (again from old age). We now have three more dogs, Candi, Penny, and Dixie. I have a real soft spot for dogs. I found that I lke dogs more than I like most people. It’s a shame that cats and dogs don’t live as long as people.
Thank you Travis. They say every goodbye makes the next hello closer…But it never gets any easier, right? I agree though with you, that most of the time I like animals more than some people. Animals gives unconditional love and gives it without requiring any in return. I now have one month old Twinkle’s son, Twinkie…two Skye Terriers named Snowy and Candy. And my grandma Pomeranian dog Bashia, now 19 years old. Slightly sight impaired now and deaf, but still strong and kicking.
I just read about Twinkle - and I know how much my cat Beauduoin (who was a stray and lived with us for 12 years) meant to me. He also became diabetic later on in life - and lived a long healthy life. My penname of Fat Cat Anna is because of him - you can read about him at a blog I wrote when someone asked about my name - How I Became Fat Cat Anna
Oh Teena…I’m in tears as I’m reading this…Meeko heavy on my heart. When Meeko died (she was put to sleep, as she had a brain tumour, and was going downhill quickly), she too looked asleep…I kept whispering to her as she was slipping away, kissing the soft fur on her head…it was so…so hard! The whole family in the room with, my son and I sobbing away.
that is a sad story. It is so hard to lose ur pet. Kaylee is the 3rd Siamese we have had in our 36 yrs of marriage. Meiko, our first lived for 17 yrs and had a stroke and we had to put her down. The kids were devastated, so in a few months we bought Miya. We had her for 10 yrs and she died in my arms of a cerebral hemmorhage. My middle son who was closest to her was in college at the time. Had to call him and he drove home that day and held her( after she was already gone) for 3 hrs before we could bury her in the back yard next to Meiko. He was also the same child who held Meiko while they put her to sleep. He didn’t want her to be afraid. When he graduated college he got 2 Bengal kittens of his own and sadly Bella died at 18 months of some feline disease but Amber is now 4 and healthy and loved very much.
Kaylee is my son Pete’s cat. He goes to Penn State but is on an internship in Maryland working for the US Army Research Labs and is broken hearted that he can’t be here. He’ll be home in 2 1/2 weeks. So she needs to hang on. We haven’t gotten the biopsy results yet. I pray its not cancer. A guy I work with thinks we’re crazy to spend that much money on a cat. He said he would’t pay $100 for a sick cat. Well she is like one of my kids and you do what you have to.
Pets mean different things to different people. I know that when I was growing up, there was absolutely no way my parents would have forked out to take the cat/dog to the vet. If the pet became ill…it suddenly disappeared. More my dad’s view…and also different circumstances/times. Much later, long after I had gone to university and was on my own, mom (by now separated) had payed dearly to have her ■■■■■ cat Dandelo operated on after he was presumably hit by a car.
When my own children were little, we had gone through many a hamster’s short life…bidding cheeked soaked farewells. Then our 2 beloved cats…Jeremy (B.H…before hamsters)…then Meeko (A.H.). I had always warned the children that if ever the time came that caring for a pet would run into the thousands…well, I just couldn’t afford it. But it never came to that with any of our pets…and we did care for them very well. The cost of caring for Meeko when she was ill, was simply matter of fact…and when she couldn’t take it any more, we couldn’t bear the thought of not having her cremated (her alone that is, without any other cats), as I simply couldn’t get myself together enough to carry her little body home. I still have to pick up her ashes…I’ll have to go with Len (my husband), as I can’t do it alone…too heart wrenching…Timothy is just like me…tears, tears, tears, where as Danielle just can’t be there at all!! (She had to leave the room when it came time to give Meeko the injection).
I don’t think I’ll ever have another pet Joanne.
My wife and I have had 5 dogs and cats to live long lives and then pass away. In three of those cases they had to be “put down”, after spending lots of $$$. In May 2006 we put our last dog down, and for the first time in many years we were wothout a pet. We were emotionally drained. We lost our three dogs within six months of each other. My wife requested that we wait a while before getting another dog (my pet of choice). I said "sure’.
On july 24, 2006 (my birthday), I went to a local shelter and adopted Candi, our black lab. six days later we adopted Penny, a golden retriever mix, from the Humane Society. Penny is with me in my photo. We have had her three years today!. In February 2007 we adopted Dixie, a beagle, from the Humane Society. Each dog needed a home where they could be loved, and where they could love in return. Losing a pet is hard, but it is worth having them.
Awww That is such a sweet story. I am a cat person myself and rescued mine when she was but about 4-5 inches long. We named her Houdini which became Houdee when we found out she was a she not the he we thought her to be. She had been abandoned at the post office when we were living up in Oregon for a few years. She was so small she would not even take a bottle. She would only eat the drips of formula off the tips of my fingers. We call her Who Who now and she is definitely family! She is on my Face book profile Just look me up Laurie h green Hugs for now and sorry for your loss but also happy he had a loving family to take care of him in the end.
Teena its the hardest thing we have to do but im so glad someone gave you the link for the rainbow bridge. My Cocker Spaniel lived to be almost 17 years old and since I have no kids she was my baby girl. Four days later a former co-worker gave me a mixed breed and she sure helped my dealing with my lost. That was 5 years ago and I still miss my babygirl . Just know that one day we will see our companions again.
It sounds like the last years of his life were extraordinary ones in a loving home.