RIP Reno Beano, my white armed bandit.
He passed as he lived...purring and in my arms.
Reno came here as an 8 wk old baby, one of 21 that I never intended to keep. I had five bottle feeds that were ready for adoption and when I mentioned to a client that I would be putting them in the paper for adoption, she asked if I would be willing to adopt out her daughters kittens as well. "Sure" I said,"what's a few more kittens." Her daughter showed up at my door with 21 kittens all within a few weeks of each other in age! Holy #!!**##! Well, of course she told me that if I didn't take them they were going directly to the CCSPCA and I was still naive enough to believe I could make a difference and save them all.
On a side note, this is exactly why I NEVER place an unaltered kitten. These are wealthy, nice, educated, responsible people. And yet...21 kittens and 4 unspayed females. They did spay the moms after this, but still.
So, there I was with 26 kittens, all between the ages of 8-12wks old. Wow...talk about pandemonium! And love and laughs and cuddles...and total panic! I was eventually able to place all but four of them and Reno was one of the four remaining babies.
Reno was always a bit different. Always affectionate and playful, always agreeable and everyone's best friend...but in his own special, happy, world.
A classic Reno story...
When I would get home from work each evening I would let the babies out the back door to play for a little bit while I would do chores. Chores done I would go outside and call "Baby kitties, baby kitties", and tap the cat food can with a spoon. Here they would come, running and tumbling as kittens will...such joyful beings. I would count heads and there would be no Reno. Pure, utter, and blind panic ensued (the first few times) I would search high and low calling and calling, trying to sound friendly and not as if I was so, so afraid of what had happened to him. He did not come. He would invariably be off by himself playing under a tree. His concentration would be so complete that he always looked up with surprise when I got within a few feet of him. Surprise and such a sweet smile of pure joy and affection, happy that I had come to play with him.
There was never a cross look or word from this cat and even last night as he struggled to eat his watered down A/D, he never stopped purring. Reno is one of several cats here that ALL the cats love and go to for grooming and cuddles. And he welcomed them all. If you have ever been here you have seen him and had him in your lap...he loved everything and everyone.
The hole is vast. I don't want to take in any more cats, not because I can't love them but because I am so tired of holding my friends while they die, so tired of burying them. It is the other side of the coin. Fortunately the reverse side of this coin of life with cats more than balances things out. Unconditional love, joy filled lives and laughter.
So, RIP Reno Beano. Fourteen years were not enough, but then, there are never enough years. I will bury you tonight, under the tree where you loved to play as a baby. I will see you again and until then try to live the lessons you taught me. Greet everyone with love and a smile and purr about everything.
He passed as he lived...purring and in my arms.
Reno came here as an 8 wk old baby, one of 21 that I never intended to keep. I had five bottle feeds that were ready for adoption and when I mentioned to a client that I would be putting them in the paper for adoption, she asked if I would be willing to adopt out her daughters kittens as well. "Sure" I said,"what's a few more kittens." Her daughter showed up at my door with 21 kittens all within a few weeks of each other in age! Holy #!!**##! Well, of course she told me that if I didn't take them they were going directly to the CCSPCA and I was still naive enough to believe I could make a difference and save them all.
On a side note, this is exactly why I NEVER place an unaltered kitten. These are wealthy, nice, educated, responsible people. And yet...21 kittens and 4 unspayed females. They did spay the moms after this, but still.
So, there I was with 26 kittens, all between the ages of 8-12wks old. Wow...talk about pandemonium! And love and laughs and cuddles...and total panic! I was eventually able to place all but four of them and Reno was one of the four remaining babies.
Reno was always a bit different. Always affectionate and playful, always agreeable and everyone's best friend...but in his own special, happy, world.
A classic Reno story...
When I would get home from work each evening I would let the babies out the back door to play for a little bit while I would do chores. Chores done I would go outside and call "Baby kitties, baby kitties", and tap the cat food can with a spoon. Here they would come, running and tumbling as kittens will...such joyful beings. I would count heads and there would be no Reno. Pure, utter, and blind panic ensued (the first few times) I would search high and low calling and calling, trying to sound friendly and not as if I was so, so afraid of what had happened to him. He did not come. He would invariably be off by himself playing under a tree. His concentration would be so complete that he always looked up with surprise when I got within a few feet of him. Surprise and such a sweet smile of pure joy and affection, happy that I had come to play with him.
There was never a cross look or word from this cat and even last night as he struggled to eat his watered down A/D, he never stopped purring. Reno is one of several cats here that ALL the cats love and go to for grooming and cuddles. And he welcomed them all. If you have ever been here you have seen him and had him in your lap...he loved everything and everyone.
The hole is vast. I don't want to take in any more cats, not because I can't love them but because I am so tired of holding my friends while they die, so tired of burying them. It is the other side of the coin. Fortunately the reverse side of this coin of life with cats more than balances things out. Unconditional love, joy filled lives and laughter.
So, RIP Reno Beano. Fourteen years were not enough, but then, there are never enough years. I will bury you tonight, under the tree where you loved to play as a baby. I will see you again and until then try to live the lessons you taught me. Greet everyone with love and a smile and purr about everything.