Tigger was gift from a high school boyfriend my senior year; he turned out to be so much more. Who would have known he would have outlasted that boyfriend and many more to come. Tigger was an orange tabby of large proportion, tipping the scales at a hefty 20 pounds; it is hard to believe when he was kitten he fit in my hands.
He was with me through the good times and the bad. I could always count on him to be there when I woke in the morning, came home from a long day and when I went to sleep at night. He was my companion; my best friend and brought me so much joy through the years.
Tigger was more than a pet; he was a member of my family. I often referred to him as my child, that is the kind of impact he had on my life. Not many people understand this. After a year or so of illness, I had to make the most difficult decision of my life and give him the most precious gift I could, peace.
He had a relatively long life, fourteen years and could have had another year according to the vet but at what cost. I knew he was not happy, frequent trips to the vet for fluids and constant medicine took its toll on him. His appetite suffered along with his demeanor. He no longer played and the twinkle in his eyed had gone away. I knew it would be selfish to ask to him to go on when I knew he wanted to go.
I take solace in knowing that he is in a better place, where cat toys are in abundance, catnip grows wild and long naps in the hot afternoon sun are par for the course. He will always be apart of me and I will cherish the time we had together. He may be gone but not forgotten.
My beloved “Tigger”,
| Tigger |
| Kristen |