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Goodbye Orange Roughy
March 3, 2018
We took Orange Roughy, our 16+ year old Rescue cat to our vets today…for the last time. We found him asleep on our living room floor late last night, peacefully stretched out with his left front paw playfully resting on the lower shelf of our coffee table. As I reached out to softly touch to wake him, to take him to bed, he did not respond. He had quietly left us, and headed out to that Rainbow Bridge…to be with all of our other dearly departed unique and special furry friends…and to frolic with all of yours as well.
As I write
this in our living room this afternoon, I am overwhelmed with so many wonderful
memories and feelings…so many flashbacks and visual images of him and the life
he shared with us. I’m sitting on our couch, which I often occupy while
working at home. I can “see” him looking up at me, patiently waiting for
my invitation to allow him to jump up and join me for some pets, hugs and
kisses, while he takes refuge to rest by my side or across my lap, as I complete
my self appointed tasks.
Orange
Roughy was very special and brought endless joy into our lives- every single
day. The fact that Roughy was a cat but acted like a dog, definitely
caused him to stand out. He loved to carry my white gym socks all around
our home. The dirtier and stinkier the better! You would know he was
bringing you a gift because he would continuously share long muffled meows and
moans as a smelly sock limply dangled from his mouth. He could hardly wait
for the Praise he was about to receive for being such a “Good Boy!” You
could see the smile and pride reflected in his eyes waiting to be acknowledged
by our verbal appreciation and unspoken delight!
The two
photos we are posting were just taken by Norma on Thursday, March 1, 2018.
She took these photos because she noticed that the “sockie” he had let go, was
proudly standing upright- on both ends! In all the years he had been doing
this, never had Orange Roughy been able to achieve such a hilarious
presentation. Norma couldn’t resist recording this special moment.
Little did we know at the time that it would be our last live photo op with our
big Orange “Rescue” cat.
Orange Roughy leaves us one last
special gift- a memory
He came to
us from out of the woods one day, after we had previously rescued his mate
Patches and their lone surviving kitten, Hootie. He was most likely the
father of many of our other “rescue” cats, Tear Drop, Sunny and Hissy for sure.
Why is it
that our small companions leave us with such a huge Void…when they go?
Isn’t it all so interesting that we refer to our homeless pets…as “rescues?”
The Truth is, when we took Orange Roughy in…He “rescued” us! And the
entire time I have been writing this tribute to him, his legacy to us…his
son…Sunny…has been resting by my side…Comforting me! What a Blessing…..Oh
what a gift!! Sunny is fully aware of the pain that is pouring out of us
with Orange Roughy’s unexpected passing.
Yes…we
took “Orangey” to the vet’s today. We wrapped him in his favorite colorful
beach towel. We placed two of his favorite “sockies” around his neck…and
we left him along with our note of thanks below, to his final earthly
caretakers.
We thank
God for His gift of Orange Roughy to us…And for all of God’s Infinite Blessings
and Gifts…past, present and future. And most importantly we thank God for
His most precious gift of all………………………………………………..For “Rescuing” us!!
God Bless us friends…Each and
everyone…both large and small!!
Love and Hugs
Norma and Ken
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| Roughy's Son....Sunny | Click to Enlarge Roughy's Goodbye Letter |