R.I.P

We lost this guy last night to a passing car going too fast for our residential street.
He was a sweet guy who found us last fall, & has been dining on our front porch.
We kept saying that we need to get him fixed & find a home for him, but never were able to find a place for him.

We'll miss you, bud.

US Humane Society to honor boy who died saving pets

NEW YORK (AFP) -

The Humane Society of the United States, the leading US animal welfare organization, is to honor a New York boy who died last year after going back into his blazing home to rescue his pets.
The organization was to present the Circle of Compassion award on Saturday to Thomas and Maria Monahan, whose nine-year-old son Tommy was overcome by smoke last December after trying to save his pet dog, lizard and fish.
The award recognizes and honors individuals who have performed an act of significant courage or compassion to assist an animal in need.
Tommy and his family initially escaped from the fire in their New York home. "But when Tommy realized that his beloved pets were still inside, he broke away from his mother and ran back into the flames," the society said.
"An avid lover of animals and nature, he did what was in his heart and tried to rescue the animals who were so dear to him," it added.
The organization did not say whether any of the animals survived the blaze.

How many of us would have acted quickly & selflessly for our companion animals?
I think that we all would want to, but as "grown ups" would have stopped to weigh the consequences of our actions, & perhaps thought twice, or thrice, about running into the danger.

Nursing home cat can sense death, ease passing

CHICAGO (Reuters) - When Oscar the Cat visits residents of the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Providence, Rhode Island, the staff jumps into action -- Oscar can sense within hours when someone is about to die.

And you just know that it makes the residents feel great when they see Oscar coming into their room, right?

Cyrano

As I've thought more about Cyrano over the last day or so, I realize that he was ready to go and had been letting us know in his own way. Over the last few weeks, we had been seeing less & less of him as he stayed by himself, usually in a nice warm spot in the closet.

J mentioned on Monday morning (just after he had died) that she had dreamed about him, & that he had seemed like his old self. I find that comforting, & I hope that he didn't feel that we were making him stay longer than he wanted by giving him special diets, fluids, etc. to keep his strength up.

The tag from his collar is on my key chain next to his best friend's Solomon's, & though I miss them both, I'm happy to know that they're able to cuddle & give each other baths again like they used to.
I'll have to find a picture of them together to post.

For Cyrano

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

My feline masseuse and good buddy Cyrano has been sick for a few months now with CRF (Chronic Renal Failure), and we lost him Sunday night.
The part that hurts is that we didn't find him until this morning. Apparently, on Sunday when the weather was nice, he got into my wife's car through the sunroof, and I didn't see him when the weather turned and I closed it!
As cold as it got on Sunday night, I'm sure he just fell asleep and didn't wake up. At least I hope so -- it would break my heart to think that he was trying to get out and couldn't!
We started looking for him Sunday evening, & by last night had pretty well figured out that he had gone off somewhere to die.
Then this morning as she was getting into her car, I could see him underneath and behind the passenger seat; J's very upset, because that means he was in there yesterday when she went to work! But he's always been hard to find because of his dark coat, & we used to call him the stealth kitty :)
But I know he's getting a nice bath from his buddy Solomon again at the rainbow bridge after being apart from him for too long.

Hard Times

I realized last night how concerned I am becoming about Cyrano as he continues to lose weight. He's almost 10 now - as old as Solomon was when he left us...
But I'm sure he will know what's best for him.