dayne2

Last November, I received some very sad news. A very sweet little kitten had made the journey to the Rainbow Bridge. She had a very short life, and it was not an easy one. She had finally found a happy home, and had planned to join my club the weekend she went to the bridge. I wanted her to be remembered, so this page was created in her memory, and in honor of all the other homeless kitties whose lives are so hard. Her name was Dayne.

Dayne wandered into the yard of Cindy's friends, Dante' & Danette . She was very dirty & covered with fleas, and she was so thin they couldn't believe she could still be alive. They cleaned her up & fed her...she was so hungry that she just inhaled her food. In spite of all she had been through, she was still very sweet and trusting, and purred every time someone touched her.This is a picture of Dayne on the day she was found. If you look closely you can see her little spine. She was so thin that you could see every bone.

Cindy's friends already had 2 cats, and they weren't sure how they would react to a new kitty. The problem was solved when Dante's brother, who is a college student, asked if he could take her back to school with him. She was very happy there, & was growing and gaining weight. Unfortunately, pets were not allowed in his apartment, and when the landlord found out about her, he said that she had to go.

Of course, Dante' & Danette said they would take her, so on Friday night, she came back to their house. She was sneezing a little, so they kept her away from the other cats until they could take her to the vet on Saturday morning. They assumed she had an upper respiratory infection, but on Saturday, they got the bad news that the sneezing was caused by a very aggressive mouth cancer that had already spread down her throat. There was nothing that could be done...any treatment would only have prolonged her suffering.

Forgive me if I weep...
Forgive me if I weep-he was so sweet,
That little cat who scampered through the house,
Or curled asleep upon the window ledge,
Though still alert to stir of leaf or mouse.

But now he's gone, whose soft paw often touched
My cheek at the first glint of day;
Or with arched back, skipped through the room,
Enticing me to enter in his play.

Oh God of little cats-my earnest plea
Is that while things are strange to him You may
Scratch his ears sometimes, let him chase
Celestial mice along the Milky Way,

Just for a little while until he finds
Some chosen spot upon the Outer Gate
When he is weary of his running, where he may
Curl in the sunshine, there to sleep-and wait.

Anonymous

Bo was his human mom's very best friend for almost 16 years. He fell asleep in her arms on Oct. 12. 1998, and went to wait for her at the bridge. His mom has made a beautiful tribute site for him that shows how much he was loved and how very much he is missed. Now his favorite wicker chair is empty, but he will always have a place in his mom's heart, and his precious memory will be with her forever.

Mia was born in May, 1980, and spent almost 19 wonderful years with her mom. After a long, hard battle with cancer, she went bravely to the bridge on Dec. 7, 1998. Although her mom will always miss her, she has so many beautiful memories that Mia is never really very far away. I know that Mia is very happy that her mom chose to honor her by adopting 2 homeless kitties. You can meet them, and see Mia's lovely memorial here.

Mr. Simes was with his mom for 18 wonderful years. He left to wait for her at the bridge on Sept. 18, 1998. He was his mom's very best friend, and she lights a candle for him every night at his grave next to his Angel statue. This is what is on his stone,

If tears could build a stairway,
And memories a lane,
I'd walk right up to Heaven,
And bring you home again.

I received an email from my friend, Erica, who lives in Kentucky asking me to post a remembrance for her cat Smokey. Smokey was 17 years old when he went to the Rainbow Bridge, and he had been with Erica all her life. Smokey was gray & white, and Erica loved him very much. She and her family send a very special message to Smokey...."We miss you old friend!"

Have you lost a special friend? Send me an email with your remembrance and I'll be happy to post it here.

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of Heaven is a place called RainbowBridge.When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they miss someone very special to them; who had to be left behind

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. The bright eyes are intent; the eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to break away from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. YOU have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together ...

Author unknown