The vet is coming to our home tomorrow to put our Simba peacefully to sleep.
My Dear Simbalove,
You are beautiful, majestic, wise, sensitive, proud, territorial, a mamma’s boy, sweet, affectionate, jealous, grumpy. You love your mommy, your food, your sweet self, the radiator by the window at the back of our house. You are the cleanest cat I know, and you have the softest fur in the world. You are butterscotch. Your different eyes — one green and one green and brown — are a symbol of your uniqueness. There are no words to convey my feelings for you.
I will miss the way you flick your tail when you’re mad.
I will miss the way you walk — like a lion.
I will miss your pride.
I will miss your cuddles and nuzzles.
I will miss your sweet smell.
I will miss your terrible, “dead tuna,” breath.
I will miss your magnificent eyes.
I will miss your bites and growls.
I will miss your dainty paws.
I will miss your wet, pink nose.
I will miss your mew — so high and wimpy for such a tough, majestic guy….
I will miss how you made me feel you only had eyes for me….
Thank you for being my best friend.
Thank you for hugging me.
Thank you for massaging my back.
Thank you for purring in my ear.
Thank you for protecting me.
Thank you for playing with me.
Thank you for being my companion in my lonely and scary graduate-school years.
Thank you for comforting me in my difficult pregnancy.
Thank you for cuddling with me.
Thank you for understanding my need to be a mom to our baby.
Thank you for loving me.
Thank you for loving me.
Thank you for loving me.
I will never forget you.
Good night, sweet Ba. I love you, and I’ll see you in my dreams.
Emily said on May 19th, 2006 at 4:55 pm
I know you don’t know me (I discovered your blog through Jodi in Canada) but I’ve been reading about Simba’s declining health.
I just read this post and I started crying right here at my desk at work.
I have a 9 year old cat, J.D. (stands for James Dean) who is (second to my 6 year old daughter, Maggie) the love of my life. I rescued him from a shelter during those lonely “not quite adult but definately not a teenager” years and he literally kept me going. He had a rough life before I adopted him but has had the good life since then. He was born blind and about 5 months after I adopted him, the vet suggested I have his eyes removed due to their progressing growth that was leading to daily eye drops and other health issues. He had the surgery in 1997 and has been the happiest and healthiest cat since then.
When I read this post, all I could think was “what a beautiful love song to her cat”. The way you feel about Simba is in many ways how I feel about my J.D.
Just wanted you to know that there are those out there that have the same love for their cats that you do for yours.
Just keep all the good times you’ve had with him in your mind tomorrow when you say good-bye.
Emily
tomama said on May 19th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
I’m so sorry. I’ll be thinking about you.
Jen
Haley-O said on May 19th, 2006 at 9:47 pm
Thank you so much for your thoughts, Emily and Jen. I really appreciate it, and they’re definitely helping me get through these long, difficult hours.
Emily, thank you for sharing your story of J.D. How lucky you both are to have found each other. He’s a great love of your life–like my Ba. Give him a big hug. And, thank you for calling what I wrote a “love song.” I like that very much. Thank you so much again….
Jill said on May 20th, 2006 at 6:16 pm
Hey Hale,
I’m so very sorry to hear about this. I wish I could be there. Sending u a big cyber hug and all my love. Please call me if you’d like to talk. Love, Jilly.
Mich said on May 20th, 2006 at 6:55 pm
Haley - That’s so sad - my heart goes out to you - losing a pet sucks - we’re here if you need us!
Ms. Mysterioso said on May 20th, 2006 at 8:01 pm
My condolences! I am a cat-fan myself and understand how the furry little guys enrich our lives. I’m sure Simba knows he was loved and had a happy happy home! Hope the time is not too hard for you and the family…
Blondie said on May 20th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
My thoughts are with you as I can imagine what a difficult time this is
I have two cats of my own that mean the world to me…and the thought of having to deal with what you are dealing with someday breaks my heart. Some people truly don’t know how much animals can really touch our lives.
Haley-O said on May 21st, 2006 at 1:52 pm
Thank you all so much for your comforting words. This is so hard. I love him so much and miss him beyond words. For those of you who have cats, give them a big hug for me! They are truly such beautiful, amazing animals. It’s just so impossible to say good bye. Thanks so much again for thinking of me, and for stopping by to comfort me. I really really appreciate it.
AmyD said on May 22nd, 2006 at 2:58 pm
*sniff* I’m SO SAD reading this!!! So sorry for your loss. I don’t care what people say, losing a pet is like losing a child to some degree. Hang in there, and know you gave that lovely kitty a happy home while he was alive.
Haley-O said on May 22nd, 2006 at 8:26 pm
Thank you, amyd–your words are so comforting. Sorry I made you and everyone reading about this sad! But, it means so much that you’ve all given some of your time and thoughts to him. The little guy deserves to be remembered and recognized. So, thank you so much for helping me do this for him. He gave so much. Thanks again.
Anonymous said on May 22nd, 2006 at 10:24 pm
I,
We have always said that people/animals come into our lives when we need them the most. They care for us, make us laugh and in Ba’s case, give us back massages when they too are needed the most. But these angels only need to be with us for as long as we need to be comforted(like Drop Dead Fred!!). Now Josh and Jojo are here and you are finally happy and fulfilled; his job is done.
You spoiled him with a wonderful life–that’s all any of us can ask for..
Love you,
dbo
Haley-O said on May 22nd, 2006 at 10:37 pm
Thank you, DBO! Ba will always be my angel….I love the idea that he fulfilled his purpose (although it feels selfish to think that I was his only purpose…), that he knew “his job was done” when the Monkey arrived. This makes me think he’s at peace now…and that he’s fulfilled. I wish he could have stuck around much much longer, though, because I love him inexpressibly….I loved providing a happy home for him….Thank you, so much, again. xo
The Cheaty Monkey said on September 25th, 2006 at 12:02 am
[...] Look at me and my babies: my monkey and my kitty. I missed Minden terribly while I was away. Terribly. I missed MARGE!!! and Tigger, too. But, Minnow’s my baby. He needs his mommy, and I need him, especially since I lost my Simba — whom I’m thinking about a lot right now, in today’s gloomy torrential rain and as the 4-month anniversary of his death nears. Some of you may be thinking something like, “ugh, they’re just CATS.” But, if you know me, you know I love animals and that I connect deeply with them. They’re not “just” animals to me. They’re genuine beings with feelings and intelligence. I’m entirely vegetarian now (since I stopped nursing). And, among other charities, I support WSPA Canada, The World Society for the Protection of Animals. [...]
Jenny said on October 7th, 2006 at 11:03 am
I’m totally crying over here. What a beautiful kitty and what a beautiful memorial.
Stephanie said on October 7th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
As a kittymommy long before I was a baby mommy, I am so touched by your words.
Ditto to what Jenny said.
willowtree said on October 8th, 2006 at 12:59 am
Haley, thanks for you kind words. Now I’d like to offer you my condolences. He looks like a friend and I can just imagine (no actually I know) how you feel.
Without wanting to sound creepy in our time of sorrow, that profile pic of yours reminds me of Michelle Trachtenberg.
The Cheaty Monkey said on November 29th, 2007 at 2:10 am
[...] 3) CAT ON WINDOWSILL AND CANVAS I’M WORKING ON (PORTRAIT OF SIMBA) [...]
Our Country Vacay! said on July 8th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
[...] I loved this cat. Looked just like my Simba…. [...]
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