Happy birthday, Chaz!

Our little Chazzie is 14 years old today. We brought him home in August 2009 to be a playmate for a young Riley. John found the ad for him on Craigs List. A young couple had just had a baby and 4 month old Chaz was given the boot. His original name was Tasmanian. He was a little happy active healthy kitten but those people thought he was a devil?

I had thought we would name him Charlie before we saw him but we compromised on his name and Tasmanian and Charlie were smushed together to make Chaz.

Funny story about our Chaz meetup: We had been looking for a while for a kitten to be a companion for Riley. But the right kitten wasn't appearing. We had already decided against 2 other cats. On the way to meet the man who was offering Chaz, John kept reminding me that we needed to not just accept any kitten. It had to be the "right" kitten. I agreed.We arrived at the apartment complex and phoned the man that we were in the parking lot. He said he would be right down. John and I paced in the lot. I remember John was a few yards away from me when all of a sudden I heard "Awwwww" and saw my husband - the one who was so skeptical and promised to be the careful one - reaching out to this little orange furball and cradling him. Chazzie had found his forever home. He and Riley became instant friends from that day forward.

Happy birthday, sweet boy!

Happy birthday, Riley!

Our boy is 15 years old today.

Happy birthday, Sweetie!

Animals mourn

 

Riley and Sean were very close. Riley babied Sean from the moment he joined our family.
And they stayed good buddies, even when Sean grew to be bigger than Riley. Riley groomed and cuddled with Sean. They slept together every night.

And when Sean passed, Riley took it hard and became ill. I thought I was going to lose Riley too.

He did the same thing when Casey passed. 

Casey mothered Riley when we adopted Riley back in 2008. She groomed him and taught him how to be a big boy kitty. He loved that. He had been orphaned and bottle fed and loved the attention and love Casey gave him.

And when she passed a few years later, Riley was ill for a month, in and out of the hospital with urinary problems.

It's been a month since Sean died and Riley seems to be getting better now. Medication and trips to the vet have been helping him. He's also getting lots of love and attention. I want him to know he's still got me and his brother Chaz and his sister Bella who love him very much.

But I know he misses his buddy.

I know animals mourn the loss of their friends, both human and animal. It's been documented across so many species - elephants, apes and chimps, dogs and horses. I've seen it firsthand in my boy.  I look forward to the day when we are all together again and loss is a thing of the past.

Namaste.

He's home now

I picked up Sean's ashes on Wednesday.

I decided to make a special place for him in the Meditation Room. He used to love to hang out in there.

Sean

Our sweet boy Sean went over the Rainbow Bridge yesterday morning.

He had not been feeling well since right before New Year's and we were working him up for probable liver cancer. He passed suddenly during the night.

He was the sweetest baby and gave such good cuddles. He will be missed by his brothers Riley and Chaz and his sister Bella. And of course by me. My heart is broken.

Rest easy, sweet boy. We will be together again. In the meantime, cuddle with Daddy on the Other Side.

Sean Patrick Collins 2012 - 2023

Presents!

 

O Chritsmas Tree

 So glad to see you back again.