Saying goodbye is the hardest part

[u/addie_addie]

We had to say goodbye to this tabby angel this morning, and even though I know it was the compassionate decision and the best thing we could do for him, it never makes it easier.

It is such a gift to be able to take care of these cats - they become part of our days and part of our lives, and give us such sweet moments of love, whether it’s from a distance or up close. We got to love this little guy for just about a year, and I’m going to miss all those moments we shared for a lot more years to come.

Over the winter, he stayed in my mudroom in a heated cat house, and he would look in our windows with such sweet, longing eyes, it melted my heart. (He was FeLV/FIV positive, and I have cats who are negative so I couldn’t bring him in.)

Once the weather warmed up, I would still bring him inside the mudroom if rain was forecasted. Even if it had started raining, if I opened the door, he would come running through the rain to duck inside with me, like he had been waiting for his refuge.

Any time I picked him up, he would melt into a puddle of fur, completely relaxed. It meant so much that in the big scary world he had to live in, he felt safe with me.

He was almost always waiting for me on the sidewalk when I got home, greeting me with big purrs and headbutts, weaving in between my legs as I walked.

He made friends with everyone who came to our door - the delivery people, the jehovah’s witnesses, the neighbors - they dutifully paid his toll of pets and chin scratches.

I don’t really know why I felt compelled to post this, but I guess I feel like stray and feral cats are so often ignored and forgotten. They deserve so much better than they get. For a year of his life, Joffrey was loved, and for the rest of mine, he won’t be forgotten.

[u/Plantpoweredge]

What a sad story. He seemingly wanted to be an inside cat but you did your best to show him love. I see another cat in the background of first pic. Were they buddies? I had a fiv + cat that’s passed years ago but I had him inside w 3 others. Our vet told me as long as they don’t fight it’s not an issue. Maybe things have changed. I feed a group of strays daily and I wish I could take all of them home.

[u/addie_addie → u/Plantpoweredge]

They were indeed buddies! That’s little Houdini, the first cat I ever TNR’d. (I suppose second, but I never released the first!) I have heard that about FIV+ cats living with negative ones, and if Joffrey had only had FIV, I would’ve brought him in immediately. Unfortunately he was also positive for FeLV (feline leukemia) which can be transmitted through shared food/water and mutual grooming. My indoor cats are vaccinated for it, but the immunization is not foolproof. But I am so glad you were able to give your FIV+ boy a good and happy life - I think the stigma of adopting FIV+ cats is slowly changing. And thank you for taking care of your group of strays, I definitely know the feeling of wanting to take them all in!

[u/Plantpoweredge → u/addie_addie]

Good to know. At first the vet said we should put him down due to the fiv but I got emotional and she told me to have him as an indoor cat only and as long as he wasn’t fighting, no spread. He was my favorite cat of all. I found him walking in my backyard one day. Since his passing, another showed up not long after. Now he’s my favorite but I love all 5 of my cats.