On September 21, 2022, I said goodbye to my beloved handsome fellow, Deuce. He was with me for 21 years, and accompanied me across 3 states and back, through love, life, death, divorce and many other transitions. Because of his lifelong devotion up to the end, and your kind and heartfelt inquiries, I thought he absolutely deserved a proper obituary.
I rescued Deuce as a baby kitten from (what we now know) was a hoarding situation in 2001, shortly before a large kitchen renovation. I kept dreaming about black cats, and just brushed it up to my own craziness. Days later, I heard from a friend that said they were knocking down a house in her neighborhood, and it was filled with over 30 cats, (some kittens) that needed homes. At that time I was working as a pet groomer and thought I could help.
Upon my arrival to a filthy home jam-packed with newspapers up to the ceiling, I was greeted by what seemed to be a thousand calm, sweet and affectionate cats, and also the smell that goes along with that. In this sea of adorable sweet furriness sat a tiny black little kitten who looked at me intently through yellow eyes, with focus, and no fear. I scooped him up and said, "YOU are coming with me."
Our journey home was quiet, as he sat comfortably on a soft blanket I had kept in the back seat, just in case. He never made a peep, never cried or was upset.
We called him "Deuce" because of his huge double paws and the fact that his "Gotcha Day" was July 22. The next few weeks were a challenge, as I had 3 very large dogs at the time, and had to carefully get everyone socialized. It all worked out peacefully, and my Dobie Razor and Deuce became especially close. It taught me a lot about how easy animals adjust to situations when love, patience (and treats) are applied.
As time went on, things changed, years came and went, and the dogs passed away one by one. I moved (a bunch of times, to 2 states!) changed jobs, and finally settled in with John here in Worcester 5 years ago.
His time here in this house was clearly his happiest, as he had a warm, beautiful home to hang out in, many beds to sleep on, plenty of great food, and a sunny outdoor deck to bask on during the day, chilling out with us at night in the warmth of summer.
Throughout all this change, Deuce never got mad, never acted out, and was just a good boy. Sure, he was grumpy at times, but softened in his elder years, falling in love with John as they were together every day, making music, sharing snacks and occasionally dropping in on his Zoom meetings.
2022 was truly a gift, as we witnessed him rallying back many times from kidney disease, often scaring us with not eating for days, and suddenly snapping back to his normal self. We knew he was on borrowed time and enjoyed every minute with him.
Deuce NEVER let me down and taught me so much about peace and honesty in his 21 years. The silence he's left behind is deafening, as his personality was SO big, so meaningful and so magical.
We miss him dearly, and life is not the same without him here. I miss getting up to our quiet mornings, and him chasing my feet like a kitten as I tried to get down the stairs. I miss him stealing food, and I miss the warmth of his soft gaze when I worked from home, his loud purr and his silent love. His decline was speedy, and he let me know he was ready, even if we were not. He went very peacefully here in the house, and we never left his side. (Thank you to Dr. Jocelyn and everyone at Happy At Home Vet for your amazing care of our guy.)
I know he was probably met by Razor first to guide him home, and hopefully, he's enjoying peace in the light with Gia, Indy, and his big brother.
We'll never forget you, Cat-Face. See you someday at the bridge.
Love, Mummy and John ❤️
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