Abby... wrong place, wrong time.

"Hey... where's those Friskies, this box is empty!"

People that know me well, know I am a cat guy.  Ever since my first encounter with 'Smokey' as a child, I have rarely been without a cat or cats.  There have been many, some only for a short time, others like Einstein, living with me for nearly 20 years.

Willy sitting with Abby

It's hard to explain why we take to such animals and I'm certain that other cat people would have their own reasons for living with cats.  I was going to say 'possessing' but as we all know we don't possess a cat, the cats possess us:)

For me growing up a cat represented company and friendship at a time I didn't have much of that elsewhere.

Caring, loving and dependable.  Not judgemental.

Smokey used to run to me from our yard and jump up into my arms as a boy coming home from elementary school.

Snoopy used to wait by the driveway at my Silver Springs home and she would jump into my arms and perch herself right on my shoulders.  Willy the little cuddle bug, whom we refer to as our "boy in the bubble" for all his ailments and who now sits atop my TV within reach, toothless but undoubtedly happy.  He'll purr away all day in my arms.

 Little Phoenix I brought back with me to Canada in early January 2011.  He'd found his way into my home and heart and when I could find no one to take him and provide a home for him, I sat him in my Blazer and drove the 2500 kms home to Calgary.


The following year when it came time to move east, in those last few hectic and depressing weeks, he was my constant companion, making me laugh when I wanted to cry, keeping me warm on the last few cold evenings after everything but the blow up but rapidly deflating mattress had been packed.



Once on the Island we quickly found ourselves two more pussy cats.  Willy came from the humane society and almost didn't even make the trip home.  He has peculiar problems that perhaps will ultimately shorten his life and were a deterrent to adoption. Yet here he sits, within reach and has provided such joy to us all as to be almost beyond belief.

Liked being close to us

Then there was Abby.  I spotted her online, a private owner needing to move and not having a suitable place to take her to.  I know it was very hard for Tammy to let her go but I felt that she could be secure in knowing that I especially, loved the 'underdog' or more appropriately, the under cat!  People don't want older cats generally.  Kittens are cute cuddly funny and adorable.

"I'll get to you in a minute, after I soak up a few more rays."

Older cats like to lay in the sun and soak up the rays.  Which is pretty much what Abby has done with us.

These two spent much time together.

However, once we'd got her weight down substantially and not by starving her, oh no... Abby ate lots, but she also got lots of exercise.

She responded well to Brenda and I.  Less so to Anna but then again sometimes teenagers aren't well tolerated by an older soul that just would rather be left in peace.  (I may be referring to myself here!)

There have been many nights when we would hear the stampede as I described it, Abby running around our rather large house, tossing play mice or birds into the air.  Honing her not forgotten skills.

Close they were.

The odd time she would go outside, she often came home with a present to our door, surprising us with her amazing patience and huntress' ability.

The patient huntress, would sit for hours next to our house.

It's hard to say, "who's" cat Abby was, she seemed to enjoy cuddling with Brenda under the sheets on a cold winter night or sitting in her lap while TV watching.  With me she was happiest when I was brushing her fur and whispering sweet nothings into her ears, or applauding her latest prize.

You see I am referring to Abby in the past tense for last Friday, a week ago... while outside later than I would have liked, she was struck by a car just outside our driveway.

With flashlight in hand I was going around the house looking for her, but arrived a moment or two, too late. I had seen the headlights of the car coming down the hill thinking, 'people drive too fast coming off that hill'

I picked her up in my arms and brought her into the garage.  I thought, hoped she may have still been alive but it was obvious immediately that was not the case.  Normally never out of range of the house, I don't know what she was doing crossing our little country road which gets a hand full of cars an hour, I had never seen here venture even close to it before.  Perhaps the promise of mice in the newly cut hay field across the street, I don't know...

What a beautiful soul this kitty.

She was 10.

She'd lived several years with Tammy, after straying into her yard, and her final 4 years with us.

Abby was much loved and respected in our household's, she was beyond doubt an AMAZING friend.  A truly beautiful cat both inside and out.  She learned quickly to 'high five with me for treats' and to prove she knew what she was doing, she would change paws when I would say, to her... 'other paw please'

Abby now lies next to Einstein and Phoenix and little Georgie, a kitten I found hit on the highway shortly after our move and brought home to our yard.  She is in a hallowed place, right next to those others that went before her.

Abby... my loving caring friend, till we meet once again at the Rainbow Bridge.

Loved hanging about the deck laying in the Sun!  Never wandered.  R.I.P.  my girl.  Dad loves you.