Our senior feline Leon, my eager work companion and my girl Cat's best friend of twelve years, passed away Saturday after battling chronic renal failure. He had slept with us all morning and died in Cat's arms.
While a 30 second segment on the Oprah Winfrey show might have turned me into an whack-a-doo animal activist, it was meeting souls like Leon that kept me one. Leon, as hard as it is for me to believe now, was one of the discarded. He was adopted by Cat (short for Catherine) 12-years-ago when his previous human did not have the means to properly care for him.
True, Leon was demanding at times, but he was Leon, after all - and that translates to 'center of the universe.' Make no mistake, he made sure everyone knew it. Leon was very handsome, very regal. He even had a brief stint as a model at one point. Whenever folks would visit, anyone who had the gall to go about their business without first saying hello to his royal Leon-ness would be met by a hearty "Nrayyyaa, nrahyaaa, NYRAYAAHH!" until they corrected their foolish mistake.
Leon had a softer side too. After I passed his muster and eventually moved to NY, I began to work from home. Leon would regularly come over in the afternoon to steal a pawful of my potato chips and a little mushfest. He'd sit in my lap as -- yes, I'll admit it -- we held hands. I would place the tip of my index finger between the pads of one of his front paws and he would grip ever-so-slightly and purr. Loudly. Leon had the loudest purr I have ever heard, as was expected for one of his stature and station. He went absolutely bonkers over melon and liked to stand on my shoulders as I walked around, so I don't think it would be exaggerating to say he was also quite brave.
While we were a bit stunned to have him leave so suddenly, his health had been a roller coaster ride lately. At the very least, when he decided to go, it was quickly w/o suffering. He died with us in our home, so he didn't have to deal with the added stress and indignity of another visit to the hospital.
He will be missed and I am grateful for the time together we shared.
Many thanks to everyone who has been asking/emailing about him and keeping the ol' boy in their thoughts, it has made his difficult transition easier to bear.
While a 30 second segment on the Oprah Winfrey show might have turned me into an whack-a-doo animal activist, it was meeting souls like Leon that kept me one. Leon, as hard as it is for me to believe now, was one of the discarded. He was adopted by Cat (short for Catherine) 12-years-ago when his previous human did not have the means to properly care for him.
True, Leon was demanding at times, but he was Leon, after all - and that translates to 'center of the universe.' Make no mistake, he made sure everyone knew it. Leon was very handsome, very regal. He even had a brief stint as a model at one point. Whenever folks would visit, anyone who had the gall to go about their business without first saying hello to his royal Leon-ness would be met by a hearty "Nrayyyaa, nrahyaaa, NYRAYAAHH!" until they corrected their foolish mistake.
Leon had a softer side too. After I passed his muster and eventually moved to NY, I began to work from home. Leon would regularly come over in the afternoon to steal a pawful of my potato chips and a little mushfest. He'd sit in my lap as -- yes, I'll admit it -- we held hands. I would place the tip of my index finger between the pads of one of his front paws and he would grip ever-so-slightly and purr. Loudly. Leon had the loudest purr I have ever heard, as was expected for one of his stature and station. He went absolutely bonkers over melon and liked to stand on my shoulders as I walked around, so I don't think it would be exaggerating to say he was also quite brave.
While we were a bit stunned to have him leave so suddenly, his health had been a roller coaster ride lately. At the very least, when he decided to go, it was quickly w/o suffering. He died with us in our home, so he didn't have to deal with the added stress and indignity of another visit to the hospital.
He will be missed and I am grateful for the time together we shared.
Many thanks to everyone who has been asking/emailing about him and keeping the ol' boy in their thoughts, it has made his difficult transition easier to bear.
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I know how broken-hearted I will be when the day comes that I have to let my little furry boy, Newman, go.
They are with us such a short, beautiful while.
I am so very sorry.
Farewell, brave, sweet Leon!
[Edited on Sep 30, 2004 8:56AM]