The sun warms his 'ol bones
while he dreams of days of running through the grass and climbing trees.
When I look into his baby-blue eyes, I know he is so thankful for this home. Since the moment I saw him, curled up and facing the back of the steel cage, I knew this was his one chance. He was depressed and confused; already old and forgotten. He was listed as an abandoned 20 year old Siamese. He came into the shelter with over 30 other cats from the same house; all in desperate need of medication, love and care. I stood by his cage and talked to him calmly and softly. He looked at me once and then lowered his head again. When I gave the nod to the caring staff, he was handed to me with a smile and a "no charge". They all hugged him and said 'good-bye'. These ladies really cared about him.
He has been with us now almost 6 years and, although he gained his confidence and his health back, he is now becoming quite frail. But he is loved and he has us to the end.
Must I remind her, he thinks, that I am the first to the dinner call and will keep her warm on the coming cooler nights. For as long as I can...
I hope you know how grateful
I am to have a place
To live the years that I have left
in dignity and grace.
Ed
Ed
Please adopt a cat from your local animal shelter.
Great post. Sweet Ed, love him! And you too! You are such a dear.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post Deb!! It's does the heart good to know when you have given a very good life to a senior cat. There are so many in shelters looking for homes. Adopting from a local shelter is the only way.
ReplyDeleteHugs!
xo Catherine
Adopted cats ARE grateful...they love with all that they are.
ReplyDeletePlease give Ed a cuddle from me.
Jane x
It's so odd this was your post for today...Ed has been in my thoughts lately
ReplyDeleteHow can anyone abandon an oldie without feeling miserable? I know there are people who are old and sick, all alone with lots of animals under their care and receiving no help at all but those are extreme situations...
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I am the mother of 11 abandoned animals one of them nearly blind who got off from a bus perhaps following somebody he loved...
Thanks God sweet old Ed´s life lightened up when you both met that day...gratefulness and love is all we share♥
God bless Ed, God bless you Deb
I so love Ed and his dignity and sweetness! I am back home to my sweet Charlie who has missed me so much!! I am happy to rub his head as much as he wants!
ReplyDeleteGood old Mr Ed. It's bad enough that cats and dogs have to spend time, often a long time, in cages, anonymous and forgotten, but to end their days there is tragic. Ed was very lucky to have been found by you.
ReplyDeleteHe is a sweetie
ReplyDeleteI love the geriatric furry little dude
How wonderful you gave this old sweet boy a loving home. I volunteer at a no kill shelter and wish more people would adopt senior cats (and black cats).
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely post! I do admit it made me shed a tear. This old boy is so lucky to have found you (and you, he) but we know there are many others less lucky. Ed is a real treasure, thank God you took him. Much love from me and Mrs Black x
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, cats seem to KNOW when you rescue them, and they are eternally grateful.
ReplyDeleteabsolutely life affirming!
ReplyDeleteIts always the old one that get to me. Ofcourse they all do but the old ones with perhaps grey whiskers....... sad, solemn eyes.. that have seen so much...... Their days should not end in a shelter away from everything they know and love. What did they do to deserve that? I'm so glad you gave him a home 6 years ago..Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteA great blog Deb.Ed is so sweet .i'm stil so happy we adopted our Mikki ,she had a real bad time at the shelter with al the big male cats that attact her every day.She is stil a very scared little one ,but we love her so much and i know everything wil be o k in time .
ReplyDeleteElisabeth
What a sweet story...you gave him happiness at last!!!
ReplyDeleteEd, you are a magnificent kitty. A cat of cats.
ReplyDelete=) Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThe picture is beautiful and he has a great life with you.
ReplyDeleteHugs
You were a gift from God to Ed and he was a gift to you.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if he knows that he is loved by people the world over. People that he's never met but feel an inexplicable connection with him. There is something about him that makes one fell love and joy and caring.
I've been mad about him since I first visited your blog.
This little old meezer means the world to me and I love him much.
What a wonderful life you have given Ed. Beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteRobin
I shouldn't be feeling tearful at reading this, for after all, your Ed is one of the blessed ones--a caring home and loving humans for as long as his life continues.
ReplyDeleteThe plight of neglected/homeless cats [and dogs] has always wrenched me. Over the years we have adopted so many--sometimes from shelters, even more often because they simply appeared on our doorstep, so very needy.
Not all the adoptions have worked out. A few have been disasters. In the cases where the only alternative seemed to be putting down a cat who couldn't adjust to life as a house cat, we've felt sad, as though we failed. Yet, I can believe that even in those few cases, we offered the best and ONLY last chance to save a cat.
::love::
ReplyDeleteThank you for the beautiful post, Deb. Ed is very blessed and so are you to have such a Dapper Gentleman living with you... but you already know that. : )
ReplyDeleteOur 9 year old shelter adopted cat is blossoming in a new way every day! Tomorrow is his 3 week anniversary of being here with us in his forever home! I have kept a journal of his "first time to" for each day as each day there is a new something he does to show us that he is settling in and coming back to being a happy cat. It is a wonder to witness.
The little 2 year old we adopted the same day hit the ground running! She is a riot to watch as she conquers the house, and our hearts, too! lol
Lily, WA, USA
You really made me cry with this post. How glad I am that Ed found an angel to bring him home, love him, care for him and let him live out his days in dignity and companionship.
ReplyDeleteI see the happiness in the eyes of my latest stray every day, when he snuggles on his warm bed, especially now winter is approaching. He managed to survive all the snow last year alone and outdoors. When I got him, he was a bag of bones with bald patches.
ReplyDeleteI believe they never stop appreciating how their lives have changed for the better.
Heartwarming post.
ReplyDeleteI do believe I love this post than almost any I've ever read anywhere. How wonderful to realize the gift you were given, as I know he is. It's so beautiful, it very nearly makes me cry.
ReplyDeleteYou are being blessed with a gentle old soul. How wonderful that he found you. My precious Sadie came from the animal shelter. She was one year old, already pregnant and my husband said she was homely. She is not homely now but a girl who has come into her beauty by being loved in our forever home.
ReplyDeleteEd you are a wise old cat who knows the true meaning of gratitude.
ReplyDelete*hugs*
Bless you for taking your little old man. My Siamese, also a rescue, lived to the ripe old age of 21 and broke my heart when she crossed over the rainbow bridge. But I would do it again in a heartbeat and I am. I live with 3 rescues currently but I would not turn down another Siamese if it came my way. Mary A
ReplyDeleteOh you are good people for giving Mr Ed a loving home in his last years. We can tell by his photos how content he his.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Julie and Poppy Q
xxx
What a wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteI feel that way about our Rosie. She was only 8 1/2, but had no more use to a breeder who only wanted to sell her kittens. She is loved and given me so much back. Don't let age deter you from giving your heart to these wonderful animals; I've never regretted my decision, XOXO
ReplyDeleteImagining him sitting in that cage at the age of 20 ripped me to my core. I wish every "Ed" had an angel to save them & love them forever.
ReplyDeleteIt brings tears to my eyes when I think about how you and Ed found each other. :))))
ReplyDelete