 |
| TJ (l) and Tiger |
In 2005, we lost our family cat. She got out of the house one night and we hadn't noticed for hours. We searched for days around the neighborhood, posted "LOST CAT' flyers, and ran a note in the newspaper. I received some calls about found cats and went to check on one nearby.
Of course, the animal we saw was not a tortoise shell, but a beautiful Maine Coon mix a woman had been feeding on her porch. She couldn't keep it and we felt sorry for it. Still, that wasn't our cat. I thanked her and was about to leave, empty handed, when my oldest daughter (who had accompanied me inside), tugged my shirt and asked to hold the animal.
Need I say more? Can you guess what happened next?
.JPG) |
| Tiger posing |
We brought the 'new' cat home.
Looking back, he adopted us. He made us his family. For such a big, fluffy, boy he was so relaxed, so calm, and he loved to sit with us or on us or simply by us. He helped fill the void of my missing tortie girl.
We named him Tiger because of his markings. The vet guessed he was about a year and half. Accustomed to roaming outdoors, we retrained him to remain inside. When our senior cat passed weeks later, we grieved and he helped us through the process. Three months later, we adopted another cat from Columbia Greene County's SPCA during their February free cat adoption drive. Again, my same kid wanted a cat for her birthday.
 |
| Resting, Tiger's favorite pastime |
Luckily, the two boys bonded weeks later and became as close as siblings.
Over time, I considered Tiger more of my cat. He slept behind my head, came to me for whatever he wanted, spent time with me or near me. I became accustomed to always having his head leaning against me or him curled up on my lap.
 |
| The two buddies |
When he became a senior, hyperthyroidism took over. In retrospect, I should have gone with the iodine therapy. Instead, he went on medication for the rest of his life, and we watched as his body fought the battle to retain weight. This past year he was extremely thin. At his last check-up it was suggested to let him go.
I declined. I didn't think he was ready. For seven months he remained with us. At times I spied the 'old' version of him, the loving, wanting to be with his family version. Yet, we knew it was a matter of time.
It might seem selfish and I guess it was, but I did look at him everyday and ask if it was time to go. Yesterday, on my birthday, he told us that it was.
Everything does seem to happen for a reason. A strange cat was brought into a home dealing with sadness and he helped fill it again with his love and constant companionship for over nineteen years.
Bye Tiger. We will miss you my boy.
