There is a certain and special gift enjoying 16 years with a senior pet, in this scenario, a tuxedo cat named Sparky. I’m dedicating this post to him and the amazing life he had with our family.
I moved down to Connecticut in 2006 to be with the love of my life, Gary, along with my cats Gizmo and Willow, while having joint custody of my daughter. Blended families have certain challenges, and we weren’t exempt from them. However, our neighbor was working for a vet was bottle-feeding a litter of kittens, and we visited one day, and I immediately fell in love with a certain special tuxedo cat. Out of respect for Gary, and understanding I had enough “cat baggage”, I said I love him but don’t want to impose any more.
However, two weeks before our surprise wedding at his Dad’s house, Gary surprised me! For the love of me, I can remember looking out the kitchen window and seeing his eyes looking at me with a certain little tuxedo cat peering out of his shirt. I felt like a winner on the Price is Right! It is amazing what love will do even if it doesn’t seem rational at the time.
Now, Sparky was never a lap cat, but in his first weeks in our home, he would sleep on Gary’s neck and shoulder. He however proved to be the alpha cat of all, ruling the roost. He grew to be almost 20 pounds with the attitude to match.
Enter 2011: After watching the movie “Marley & Me”, Gary and I decided that we too should get a family dog, ironically enough. As Gary had a collie as a child (Dolly), he said yes but it has to be a collie. I didn’t care about the breed - I’ve just wanted a dog my whole life. After trying for six months with trying to rescue a female collie with no success, we went with a recommended breeder.
I mention this because this is a key part of the connection. Although Sparky didn’t participate equally with the cats, he was a surprise choice to be best friends with Gem.
After the passing of Gizmo in 2015 and Willow in 2018, the dynamics changed from a square relationship to a linear one between Gem and Sparky. They were the odd couple, the Abbott & Costello, the yin to the yang. Never clingy, but always close in proximity.
As Sparky aged, I found him to be more affectionate, vocal, and silly. Sparky and Gem never fought, and blood was never drawn, but he would always make a conscious decision to piss her off by sitting by the shared water bowl daily. Even if I presented one, two, or three bowls of chilled water, he would sit next to the one that Gem wanted to drink from. The ultimate in sibling rivalry.
Although Sparky was not a lap cat or overly affectionate, he touched my heart when he would always be in close proximity to me and place his paw on my hand. He understood me and I cherished him.
There are parts of his demise that I could elaborate on, however, that would just diminish the incredible daily gift that I had for years.
I am so grateful for our companionship during COVID. We bonded even more so as dynamics changed. In tribute to Sparky, I entered the following pictures and paintings into contests this year.
After a vet visit last month, we got the diagnosis that he had hyperthyroidism and pending kidney failure. It was hospice time. We tried everything: food, medication, and doctor’s orders. Last week he decided to stop eating, and we knew it was a matter of time. Gary’s intuition woke him up an hour before his passing, and he was able to hold him as he took his last breath. He didn’t have to wake me up; my intuition woke me up and we had a conversation before he went to work.
We have been taking care of kids and pets for over two decades. We have had a lot transpire over the past six years, so we need to focus on each other before incorporating another creature into our lives. In the meantime, we are going to be partaking in some long-awaited family time together for the rest of the week.
We are so grateful for the kindness, support, and understanding as we have lost two senior pets within the past two months. I am grateful that Sparky and Gem lived great lives of love and nourishment since their arrival in our home.