Mike and I thank each and everyone one of you for your wonderful posts of support the last couple of days. It's been a very difficult time for us. Many of you have lit candles, posted poems, and you've all given us so much comfort with your words.
Even though Gussie is a civvie here, we know he was well loved by all and we thought it would be fine to post a tribute to him here in LL with our family. Please do not feel like you have to post another candle or verse if you already have. You honor him just by reading our tribute.
Earmark Caledonia's Gus is Gus was his fancy name but we called him Gus, Gussie, Gus-Gus, Guppits, and Ginger Kitten even to the moment of his last breath. He was born March 21, 1996 and started his new journey last night. From the first moment when we met him, he had that huge motor going. We already had our Teddi Bear and she was so amazing that we went back to the breeder to get another kitten. I was taken by a little gray kitten but Mike immediately was mesmerized by the little blond kitten that the breeder assured us would grow up to be a deep and rich ginger. For his entire life I told him the story that his mama always wanted him but his daddy wanted the little gray kitten and thankfully, I won. But Gus knew the truth because he was always and forever his daddy's boy and they have and always will have an unbreakable bond.
We had decided to adopt him when our other two kitties were healthy but Gus was too young to go home with us yet. In the ensuing weeks, our Nik got sick and was dx with liver cancer. As fate would have it, the day we were to pick Gus up and bring him home, Nik needed to cross the Bridge. I felt there was no way I could bring a new kitten home on the same day Nik crossed but the vet told me to get over there and get that kitten and so I did. He hollered his head off the ENTIRE hour from the breeder's house to ours and I wondered what we had gotten into. Weren't Scottish Folds supposed to be quiet? I am thankful every day that the vet was so insistent because even as we sobbed, he had us laughing with his kitten antics.
There are too many memories of Gussie to share in this tribute because he brought so much unfathomable joy to our home. Whenever the doorbell rang, he went to the door as if everyone was coming just to see him. He loved everyone and the number of those who love him is multitudinous. From the time he was 10 months old until he was 10 years old and started having arthritis, he and I did pet therapy at a local nursing home every week. I cannot even describe the joy and love he gave to the residents there and he was quite famous. There were stories published about him as a "therapist" in Cat Fancy, in the International Scottish Fold Association Newsletter, and in the Tucson newspaper.
He loved every kitten brought into our home and was a wonderful brother to our GA's Teddi and Max. He let Gracie climb all over him when she was just a 1 lb baby and even when she tried to chew on his little, tiny, folded ears, he was patient and loving. Hissing was not in his vocabulary. There could be no more loving and gentle soul than our Ginger Kitten.
He bravely existed with very degenerative arthritis and, in February, 2014, he would have been dx with CKD for four years. His kidneys did not fail him; it was some kind of intestinal issue and he could not get any nutrition absorbed so he was wasting away. Every day at noon, if we were not on our toes, he would remind us that it was time for his squids. He happily sat on his squids condo, looked out the window, and purred. He happily took his meds because he knew it would allow him a good QOL of more time with us.
In the last few days, it was harder and harder to get him to eat and he was always a good eater. He was extremely wobbly when he walked. He was drinking a ton of water. He was tired. We wanted to help him cross while he still had dignity and could make it to the LB on his own. It was the very least we could do for our Gentle Gus....our Ferdinand of cats. Dr. B told us there was nothing left to do that would not be intrusive and we did not want that for him as we knew he would not get better. We had a beautiful day together yesterday and we took him out in the yard, sat with him, and let him chew on any plant he wanted and stay out until he was tired.
One little guy (although not so little when he was healthy) and what an enormous hole in our home but our hearts are so full with the amazing love we all share. We know he will be with us through our grief and when it is time for him to move on, we know we will see him again. We will hear that huge purr and feel those incredible kisses he gave us every single time we picked him up.
Gussie.....we will love you always and forever and thank you for the gifts of love and joy you brought to us every single day.
Even though Gussie is a civvie here, we know he was well loved by all and we thought it would be fine to post a tribute to him here in LL with our family. Please do not feel like you have to post another candle or verse if you already have. You honor him just by reading our tribute.
Earmark Caledonia's Gus is Gus was his fancy name but we called him Gus, Gussie, Gus-Gus, Guppits, and Ginger Kitten even to the moment of his last breath. He was born March 21, 1996 and started his new journey last night. From the first moment when we met him, he had that huge motor going. We already had our Teddi Bear and she was so amazing that we went back to the breeder to get another kitten. I was taken by a little gray kitten but Mike immediately was mesmerized by the little blond kitten that the breeder assured us would grow up to be a deep and rich ginger. For his entire life I told him the story that his mama always wanted him but his daddy wanted the little gray kitten and thankfully, I won. But Gus knew the truth because he was always and forever his daddy's boy and they have and always will have an unbreakable bond.
We had decided to adopt him when our other two kitties were healthy but Gus was too young to go home with us yet. In the ensuing weeks, our Nik got sick and was dx with liver cancer. As fate would have it, the day we were to pick Gus up and bring him home, Nik needed to cross the Bridge. I felt there was no way I could bring a new kitten home on the same day Nik crossed but the vet told me to get over there and get that kitten and so I did. He hollered his head off the ENTIRE hour from the breeder's house to ours and I wondered what we had gotten into. Weren't Scottish Folds supposed to be quiet? I am thankful every day that the vet was so insistent because even as we sobbed, he had us laughing with his kitten antics.
There are too many memories of Gussie to share in this tribute because he brought so much unfathomable joy to our home. Whenever the doorbell rang, he went to the door as if everyone was coming just to see him. He loved everyone and the number of those who love him is multitudinous. From the time he was 10 months old until he was 10 years old and started having arthritis, he and I did pet therapy at a local nursing home every week. I cannot even describe the joy and love he gave to the residents there and he was quite famous. There were stories published about him as a "therapist" in Cat Fancy, in the International Scottish Fold Association Newsletter, and in the Tucson newspaper.
He loved every kitten brought into our home and was a wonderful brother to our GA's Teddi and Max. He let Gracie climb all over him when she was just a 1 lb baby and even when she tried to chew on his little, tiny, folded ears, he was patient and loving. Hissing was not in his vocabulary. There could be no more loving and gentle soul than our Ginger Kitten.
He bravely existed with very degenerative arthritis and, in February, 2014, he would have been dx with CKD for four years. His kidneys did not fail him; it was some kind of intestinal issue and he could not get any nutrition absorbed so he was wasting away. Every day at noon, if we were not on our toes, he would remind us that it was time for his squids. He happily sat on his squids condo, looked out the window, and purred. He happily took his meds because he knew it would allow him a good QOL of more time with us.
In the last few days, it was harder and harder to get him to eat and he was always a good eater. He was extremely wobbly when he walked. He was drinking a ton of water. He was tired. We wanted to help him cross while he still had dignity and could make it to the LB on his own. It was the very least we could do for our Gentle Gus....our Ferdinand of cats. Dr. B told us there was nothing left to do that would not be intrusive and we did not want that for him as we knew he would not get better. We had a beautiful day together yesterday and we took him out in the yard, sat with him, and let him chew on any plant he wanted and stay out until he was tired.
One little guy (although not so little when he was healthy) and what an enormous hole in our home but our hearts are so full with the amazing love we all share. We know he will be with us through our grief and when it is time for him to move on, we know we will see him again. We will hear that huge purr and feel those incredible kisses he gave us every single time we picked him up.
Gussie.....we will love you always and forever and thank you for the gifts of love and joy you brought to us every single day.
