It’s been a week full of mixed emotions. After the delight of Lyra’s kits being born on Saturday and all being well with them, we learned on Sunday of the passing of our friend Albert. Nearly a year ago I was browsing a cat forum and heard of Albert’s problem. He’d landed as a stray in Nottingham … elderly, black, hyperthyroid … all the cards stacked against him …. and his one offer of a home was in Harwich in Essex. What he needed was a way of getting there. It just so happened that I had a day with no plans and a soft spot for elderly black hyperthyroid cats because of my Sooty.
He was the perfect gentleman and a delightful travel companion. I say this advisedly. I’ve driven with one heck of a lot of cats, and some of them have driven me up the wall within a few hundred yards. It was lovely to meet his new human, and talk cats while Albert settled in. Unlike so many cats, Al showed his thanks by keeping me up to date with how he was going on in his new home. He made lots of lovely furry friends, and obviously adored his new human. So sad to hear a few weeks ago that he was losing weight and there were more concerns about his health, and perhaps his days were numbered.
With Albert’s human’s agreement we named one of Arwen’s kittens in honour of him. We needed little ‘A’ names and one of the kits was a little black tom. Here he is trying to look cool about walking in Albert senior’s footsteps.
We hoped that Albert would still have lots more happy days ahead of him even though he wasn’t well. So we were gutted to hear on Sunday morning that he was fading, and know later than he’d gone to Rainbow Bridge. Funny how a cat how you’ve spent just a few hours with can touch your heart so powerfully. A lot of tears were shed. Wonderful that whatever this lad’s earlier life had been, at least he knew love in the last year of his life. Heartbreaking that he wasn’t able to enjoy it for longer. Lots of love to the human who could see past his age and colour and health and offer him a loving home x
8 Lives: Sheffield 8 Cat Rescue 