Indy: April 10, 2010 - June 20, 2024

On their first night in their forever home, one of our new kittens climbed up the walls, and the other snuck up onto the dresser and stole some jewelry. The wall-climber we named Parker after Spider-Man, and the other we named Indiana after Indiana Jones. Over the years, he was called other things like Indy the Monkey, Monkey Face, Indiana J Pussycat, but the name that stuck was Indy. At the pet store where we found him, we thought he was really cute. His brother Parker was gorgeous, but Louise liked the little buttons of dark fur on Indy's belly, and his perpetual happy face. Hours later, they were both in our home and our hearts. I wanted Parker to be my cat, and Louise wanted Indy to be hers, but they had the opposite idea and while Parker spent nearly every evening for the next 13 years nestled contentedly in Louise's lap, Indy spent thousands of hours over the last 15 years nestled in mine. I think he may have permanently damaged my left knee from his weight being in my lap over the years, but the pain was worth every minute. There is no place on earth either of us would have rather been. 

Indy was a real character. He was easy-going and chill, but when he felt he had been wronged, like maybe you didn't give him enough treats or you ignored him when he was trying to get your attention, he would stomp off, his front legs bent like he was a little furry bulldog, slamming his paws onto the floor in frustration. It's hard to believe that a cat could make a whole house shake, but I assure you, he could make it happen. 

He was very empathic. If Louise or I was feeling down or a little under the weather, he would curl up next to us, resting his chin on us as if to say, “It's okay – I'm with you.” He would always reach out and rest his paw on us to let us know he was thinking of us. He did the same for Parker when he was ill. He lay down beside his brother and just reached a paw out, resting it on Parker's belly. He had such a big heart. 

We said goodbye to Indy this afternoon, and he left peacefully, nestled in his favourite lap. He had a number of health issues over the years and they all caught up to him this week. His big heart was giving out on him. But he never lost his perpetual happy smile. 

He was predeceased by his litter-mate Parker, and is survived by his heartbroken people. We miss him so much. He was the bestest cat. 

As we mourn Indy, and mourn again for Parker, we are sad, it’s been a tough time. Saying goodbye to Indy was not on our bingo card when we got up this morning. We knew that he wasn't well and our window of time with him was closing, but we didn't expect that it was going to slam shut so suddenly. We are gutted. But he was ailing, and he was telling us it was time to go, and we listened to him. They are gone now, but they are still here in our hearts. And in our broken hearts, Parker and Indy are curled up together, a furry bundle in a window, warmed by the sun, looking contentedly out over their domain, like the little furry lions they imagined themselves to be.

Indy and his brother were rescue cats, the offspring of a feral mother, and they had a hard start in life. We thank the fine folks at Dee's Orphan Kitten Fund for rescuing them, and the staff at McKenzie Veterinary Services for fostering them and providing medical care in their earliest days, and to the folks at Pacific Cat Clinic for looking after Indy in his latter years. We are forever grateful that we could spend these years with Indy and Parker and we can never thank you enough.

Parker -- April 10, 2010 – July 20, 2023

 

He had many aliases -- Parker Puss, Parker the Puss, Parker the Poo, Parker P. Pussycat, Parky Puss, Parks, Mr. Squeak – but his real name was simply Parker, named after Spider-Man's secret identity because he climbed up the walls and just about everything else during his first days in his forever home. At the pet store where we found him, we first saw his litter-mate Indy and thought he was really cute, but then I saw Parker and he was absolutely gorgeous. I said that to Louise, and she agreed. Hours later, they were both in our home and our hearts. I wanted Parker to be “my” cat, and Louise wanted Indy to be hers, but they had the opposite idea and Parker spent nearly every evening for the next 13 years nestled contentedly in Louise's lap. They adored each other.

While Indy is outgoing and likes to meet people, Parker was shy and hesitant. Very few lucky people ever experienced a Parker sighting. When company visited, he would hide away in one of his many hiding spots, occasionally zooming through the living room and checking over his shoulder at whomever had dared enter his house before seeking cover again. We called it “a Parker drive-by.” We always had the sense that he wanted to be with everyone, but just couldn't bring himself to do it, and that saddened us, but made us feel all the luckier that our beautiful big boy let us become part of his tribe. 

 He was a gentle spirit with a kooky sense of humour. For many years, he never meowed. We started to wonder if he even could. But one day, we heard this tiny squeak and it was Parker finally figuring out how to meow. He never developed a full-throated meow like Indy, but his squeaky meow was so endearing that it always melted our hearts. Even at 4 in the morning. 

 He was the most affectionate pussy cat we've ever met. He was always ready for a snuggle and would work his way into the crook of your arm and lay his head on your shoulder, bringing up a paw as if trying to hug you and purr his little heart out. He had a purr so loud that it was surely picked up by local seismographs as it made the ground shake in sympathetic vibration. 

Every night, even when he was very sick, he would climb onto the bed between Louise and myself and purr us to sleep. When he thought we were asleep, in his younger years he would jump off the bed and run around for an hour. In his later years, he would snuggle in at our feet. Then, every morning he would purr us awake, as he did on the day we said goodbye. 

 He is survived by his litter-mate Indy and his two people. We are all heartbroken and miss him so much. 

 Parker and Indy were rescue cats, the offspring of a feral mother, and they had a hard start in life. We thank the fine folks at Dee's Orphan Kitten Fund for rescuing them, and the staff at McKenzie Veterinary Services for fostering them and providing medical care from their earliest days and looking after Parker in his latter days. We are forever grateful that we could spend these years with Parker, and we can never thank you enough.

Sambuca: March 16, 1998 - May 7, 2014

Parker and Indiana Arrive

Today, we welcomed two members to our little family, Parker and Indiana.

Parker, like his namesake Peter Parker, has an affinity for climbing up walls (and into frying pans), while it's become very clear that life with Indiana will be a series of adventures!

Sam is very annoyed that she was never consulted on this decision....

...so it's going to take her a little time to adjust. But how could you look at these two and not go awwwwww!

Linus

Linus left us a year ago today.
His person misses him very much.

Linus: March 28, 1990 - Dec 19, 2006

Linus, the most beloved and bestest cat in the history of the world, passed away peacefully in his person's arms a few days ago after bravely facing a short and sudden illness. He was nearly 17.

As a kitten, he quickly mastered all the difficult tricks: flying, levitation, wall climbing, and plant destruction. It was during this phase of his life that he earned the nickname "Booger-cat!" which stuck with him his whole life. But he was a gentle and loving spirit that won over all he met, cat-lovers and cat-haters alike.









As he matured, the "boogerish" aspects of his personality faded, and he remained gentle and sweet, and a constant "couch buddy" to his person.




There will be other cats in his person's life; there will never be another cat like Linus.
Linus leaves behind an empty sunbeam, his toy mouse, his spot on the couch, his sixteen-year old scratching post, the cat blanket he never used, and the tears of his heart-broken person.






Linus was simply the best cat ever. He was sweet, funny, snuggly, warm, crazy, and smart. He talked a lot, and was very expressive. He always slept beside me.




Here's Daniel and Linus together. it's Linus's first moving day, although neither cat seem very pleased.
Linus, my friend, companion, and furry hot water bottle, I miss you terribly...

Cheyenne

Cheyenne was a beautiful little brown pure-bred Burmese cat.

Sadly, Cheyenne suffered from horrible skin allergies for most of her life and she left her people at far too young an age.

She was a sweet little affectionate furball who loved to snuggle and curl up, She had a strong spirit and endured a lot of hardhip in her short life.
She is missed very much.

Linus and Cheyenne

The joke went like this:
Daniel was my ex's cat.
Linus was my cat.
And Cheyenne was Linus's cat.

It wasn't always this way. Linus was not impressed with having to deal with a new little cat in the house. He growled and hissed and moaned. It was all show, of course.
Two days after she arrived, Linus was sitting up in a chair and Cheyenne sauntered by, not paying him any attention. Linus growled and swung out a paw. Cheyenne swung out a paw of her own. Linus started batting her with both paws. And she started batting back. Within minutes, the two of them were flying around the house chasing, playing, rolling, and flying together. Linus was totally confused. He was purring because he was having so much fun, and he was growling because that's what you do to new cats!

The growling very quickly stopped, and Linus and Cheyenne were utterly unseperatable. They were one cat with two heads and eight paws.

Sadly, Cheyenne only lived eight years. But she is well-loved and much missed.

Daniel

Daniel belonged to the woman who became my wife, and later became my ex-wife. He was an SPCA cat, rescued by my ex at the age of two (Daniel, not my ex).
He was a little skittish and nervous of strangers, but we took to each other instantly.
My ex described Daniel as neurotic, but he was also one of those cats who tried to always maintain his dignity, even when any chance of it had long since vanished.
He had small paws. He slept curled up in ball. He would ignore toy mice, but occasionly he would surprise everyone by finding one and going crazy with it for hour or longer -- until he realized that he was the centre of attention. Then he would drop the mouse and try to deny everything.
He lived a long happy life, and he is missed by all who knew him.




Here's Daniel and Linus together. It's Linus's first moving day, although neither cat seem very pleased.


A rare photo of Linus, Cheyenne and Daniel (and yours truly).