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Old acquaintance

Old acquaintance

new-year-catMay it never be forgotten. And “auld lang syne” and all that good stuff.

While we’re at it, let’s take a cup of kindness, too.

Pepper with her Jonathan.
Pepper with her Jonathan.

Whether you rang in the newborn year with “2011” glasses on your head and a tumbler of Tang, or kept your standing date with Anderson Cooper and CNN, I think we all have one heart-deep resolution in common this new year: love cats. Often, and deeply. Repeat.

Casa Tabby, 2011 is already teasing us with dreams. This new year is a competitive sort, and it’s already betting 2010 it can outdo the old year’s record for FIV+ cats adopted (eleven– never call 2011 unambitious). Yep, 2011 has swagger and sparkle already. Much more on that in the days to come.

But before we plunge whole-soul into the new year, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tip my fuzzy pink hat to the peaks and valleys of 2010. We’ve loved together this past year, Felis Catus family, and we’ve wept.

Little Bellis (as captured by Danielle), whose adoption was 2010's ultimate Thanksgiving treat
Little Bellis (as captured by Danielle), whose adoption was 2010's ultimate Thanksgiving treat

We’ve soared (while whooping cowabunga) on the high waves of super-adoptions: Luciano. Sonny. Charlotte. Tiny with Greta and Pause. Eloise. Monica & Chandler. Sarah. Caitlin. Little Dave. FIV+ mythbusters Fuzzy, and Jasper, and Michael, and Rosie, and Jose, and Princess Zara, and Prince Leopold, and Chopper, and Huckleberry, and then – on New Year’s Eve – Jimmy and Thomas together. Little love-bug Bellis the day before Thanksgiving.

We’ve had our hearts stamped into shards by the losses – each one an agony unto itself, simultaneously like and unlike all the ones before. Hillary, our elder statescat. The luminous, irreplaceable, irrepressible Pepper. (It still hurts to type her name among the loves lost…) Pirate’s devoted friend Midnight. Our elegant Pitzel. Sweet and oh-so-serious Larry.  Gentle Ben. Darling Desi with the big owl eyes. Tony, who I miss every single day. Flyer, Tahini and Ripple, just days old. Angel-heart Esme. Lionhearted Milo (on New Year’s Eve – oh!).

Love bug Tony, one of 2010's hardest goodbyes. We will see you again, baby boy...
Love bug Tony, one of 2010's hardest goodbyes. We will see you again, baby boy...

Cherishing cats, we know the glory of love, then feel the sunshine sucked dry by death’s sting…only to have a head-bonk and a brush of whiskers pull us back like the sweetest of smelling salts.

Cats will do that to our hearts. Heaven knows they’ll do it again in this new year. But I don’t want to be part of any year – heck, any minute – in which we don’t choose the risk of loving. This is a journey we take with eyes wide open. Each cat we choose to love has an invisible sign over her ears: Warning: Do not adore me without knowing and swallowing the following. I will break your heart. My “goodbye” will knock the wind out of you and make you wonder if you should ever, ever love again. But you should – you must – if you are to have any sort of life at all. My love will change you, deepen you, grow your heart in ways you can’t imagine. I will love you asking nothing in return; I have no greater hope than that you will do the same for me. I am worth it. And, someday, you will see me – and all the loves who’ve owned and broken your heart before – again. Forever. So choose. The ache is so deep but so temporary – my love is forever. 

Thomas, 1/2 of one of 2010's awesomest adoptions
Thomas, 1/2 of one of 2010's awesomest adoptions

Forever.

In 2011’s sliver of “forever,” we’re going to meet and adore Tabby’s Place’s 1,000th cat and beyond. And where there’s love, we – feline and human – will thrive. I know there’s more than a little bit of love here. We are blessed beyond measure to have you – beautiful friends who “get it” – alongside us. So, 2011, bring it on.

8 thoughts on “Old acquaintance

  1. There really is no other way to express what Angela has already written here — loving our cats is worth every pain and heartbreak along the way — nothing can compare with the love we receive in return. I often say that Heaven is Tabby’s Place. I also know that Heaven is The Place Where All The Cats Who Ever Loved You Come To Greet You.

    Happy New Year, everyone and every-fuzzy!

  2. Beautifully written, Angela. I lost not one but two kitties this year so feel your losses right along with you. Thanks to you and everyone at Tabby’s for making our feline friends comfortable up until the very end (whether that be a sad forever goodbye or a to a happy forever home)!

  3. Happy new year to everyone at Tabby’s Place. Angela what you wrote is so true and I hope as you do that 2011 is even better than 2010. I must say that I always look at the adoptable cats and when I did not see Thomas I feared the worst. I think it is great that he was adopted along with Jimmy, may they have a long life together in their new home.

  4. I am sad to hear Milo passed away. He was a force of nature! I felt certain that beautiful boy would live to be 100 on sheer will alone. But he has many other lovely Tabby’s Place cats to play and snuggle with on the other side of the bridge now.

    With Jimmy and Thomas getting adopted together on New Year’s Eve, that can only bode well for 2011. I think it’s going to be a great year for kitties and forever families. 🙂

  5. I don’t call for one day and just look what happens: Two of my sweethearts get adopted!!! Jimmy & Thomas!!! And by the way Angela, thanks for forgetting to send me both of their adoption announcements!!!

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