Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It has real meaning as a time to reflect on what we are greatful for.
For 14 years I shared my life with this little man who I always felt loved me dearly even though he was not super affectionate to others. He loved dogs and he loved me and that was all that ever mattered. I think he liked my husband but he liked women more than men in general.
It’s over a year now that he has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge to be with Bailey our former Border Collie. He also lived with Joy and now Joy has Sabie, who looks alot like Safari when he was a baby, but wth a different personality.
My friend and I talk about how we have more empathy for animals than humans and I do not think I find anything harder than losing a fur child. You want them to be with you forever. No matter how many years you spend together it is never enough. I feel that way about all the fur babies that I have shared life with but some a little more than others and this guy was one of those special ones.
For the winter I am in the home where he is buried. Flowers surround him and birds sing over his special place in the yard. Sabie, his youthful look alike, sits in the mulch there looking for salamanders just like Safari used to do.
I am grateful to have shared all those years with Safari, my little man who worked next to me everyday in three different states and loved me with his whole heart and I did the same.
Bailey taught me how to make you see a rainbow after that big rainstorm you had. I knew you would be surprised to see that yesterday, right after Joy’s birthday! That was my present to her I hope she saw it too; knowing you I am sure you made her go outside to look. The light seemed strange and it was probably hard for you to see but I knew you would see it!
So did you think of a name for my cafe? Tarzan, Cheetah and Freedom and I are all going to do this together and we did come up with a few names to run by you so see what you think: :Love Cat Cafe, Kit Kat Cafe, Le Chat Cafe, Meowy’s and Four Cool Cats Cafe. Do you like any of those ideas? Let me know. We want to make it very simple and provide food for all the many kinds of neighbors we have with or without fur and with two hands or four paws. You know how I love to eat, but Tarzie thinks he should be the chef, which would be fine with me. I am the brains behind the business and Cheetah and Freedom will run operations. All the food is free here in Hyfryd, did you know that? The dogs especially LOVE that. You can eat as much or as little you want and always feel purrrfect!
So you also saw the text that Jeannie sent you about that little kitten, who by the way, looks like YOU KNOW WHO! Yep, she sent you my twin! Remember when I was that small? haha. I am curious to see if the little one likes a dog though! I hope so! Well, you need to write me back. I miss you so much already. I heard you talking in the car about how much you miss me and that makes me feel good. It’s weird not having me sit on the keyboard while you type, isn’t it?! You are the best mommy and always will be and someday we will see each other again. Like Bailey always says, I live in your heart and in all the millions of pictures you have of all of us who live here in Hyfryd…We are never alone.
Bailey told me that she sent a letter telling you I crossed over the Bridge to Hyfryd with ease. I know letting me go was very hard but I appreciated you stopping the pain I was in. I almost made it to my 14th Birthday! Multiply that by 7 for each year for a cat and I was very old, but I never looked old, now did I? That is because you took such great care of me.
Mommy, we were so lucky to have had each other for so many years, so many days and even more moments. I know I was not the most affectionate cat to Papa, but I did love him, you have to tell him that for me okay? I think I miss your minimum of 100 kisses a day. Tarzan, Cheetah told me you kissed them constantly too. You are a big kisser.Does Joy miss herding me around? Gee, I feel sorry for the next kitty that comes along! Haha! You had better get another boy like me who can handle her like I could. She is a sweetheart that Joy, I do really miss her, but not as much as I miss you. You need to find another boy like me who will greet you on the toilet seat as you come out of the shower, so you can brush him like you did me with your personal hairbrush that I liked! You did everything for me that a cat could ever want. I lived quite the great life with you, then Bailey and Papa and then Joy too.
I also wanted to tell you that I really was grateful that even though you always had many kitties at once, you gave me my preference of being an only cat after Tarzan passed over the bridge.I was just a baby then! I know you wanted to get more kitties, but you respected the fact that I was fine as Prince of the house. You did that for me and I know how hard that was for you, so thank you.
You are the best mommy ever. I plan on writing you letters like Bailey does, okay? Since I always loved food so much I thought I could start a cafe! What do you think? I need a cool name, so you have to help me. Tarzie, Cheetah and Freedom want in on this idea too, so we are all very excited – as you can see I have only been here one week and one day and I am already feeling fine and wanting to get back to my old self! That is the good thing about crossing over the bridge here to Hyfryd. Not only is it gorgeous here, everyone feels perfectly youthful and productive. Oh and I wanted to tell you that my “den” as Bailey likes to call it, is right next to Tarzan, Cheetah and Freedom and of course, Bailey, made it very nice and comfortable for me with the best bed and food and everything the way I like it. It was really great to see our Bailey. She was so happy to see me.
At least you can know that I am okay and I can see and hear you and be in your heart always. I will help you find the right kitty just like Bailey led you to Joy. I know it’s been 36 years since you have not had a kitty, so we need to fix that as soon as you get back North. I know you need some time to grieve for me, but that will give me time to help you. Of course he will never be as handsome as me, but I will try to assist you in any way I can! I love you so much. Think of a name for the cafe for me and write me back! LOVE YOU!!!!
I can feel your kisses in my fur and always will. As I will always, always, always be your Sweet Safari Boy!
Safari turned 13 early this summer.. I took him to the vet recently suspicious he may have hyperthyroidism. One test was indicative that he could be at the start of it and the other test was normal. With the information sent out to the University of Michigan Veterinary, the best in endocrinology, would think I would know for sure!
Safari has always been a big Orange Tabby and has always eaten a lot. My Tarzan who lived to age 19 had this from the time he was 8 years old and obviously lived a long and prosperous life. Because of this, I am well versed on this condition which is most common in aging cats.
So we shall see after my vet talks further with them for better interpretation. Life goes on however. Safari loves to eat anyway so nothing really is new on that front. It got me thinking however, about all our stages of life and when you have kids or animals instead, like I do there is always that marking of time that makes life seem so much more important and precious.
I have had Safari since he was just a baby. He was born at my neighbor’s and he jumped at the chance to come live with us and we have been inseparable ever since. We have lived in three places at once and he has always enjoyed life to its fullest. He came to me right when Tarzan was nearing the end of his career and after he crossed to the Rainbow Bridge, Safari was an only cat until Bailey, our first dog was adopted in 2008. She was a senior dog and with much sadness she crossed over The Rainbow Bridge in 2011 and Safari was again, an only cat for 6 months until Joy came along and while Joy is now just 4 and Safari 13, Joy is at times too playful for Safari’s taste, but it keeps him moving which is good for my senior boy.
I can never imagine life without the love of cats and dogs. It is simply who I am. I feel so lucky and blessed to be able to provide for and share my life with these beautiful people with four legs and soft fur and I think about it every day when I hold them, kiss them, feed them, walk or even clean the litter box. It is my privilege to love them and happily I get that unconditional love that not another creature on earth can share in the same manner. If you are lucky enough to share your life with pets then do it to your best ability and make every day count. Safari just came up and meowed as I type this. He always has sat on my desk while I work. We share work, love, travel experiences, and life. I would not have it any other way. I love you so, Safari. xoxo
I am a spoiled cat as you can see from the position on my mom’s lap, as we recently drove through West Virginia on the way back to our summer home in Pennsylvania. We have been doing this for many years and I just turned 12. Both my vets say I look so young for my age and I attribute it to al the good food I get to eat (and I DO love my food!) and all the love I have bestowed upon me on a daily basis.
I was born at our neighbor’s home. Alaina Z. asked my mom if she wanted a kitten and I was really hoping to get away from the many dogs and cats that were living there on their farmette at the time. My dad was in Chicago, so mom just decided to take me in without asking him – something she is kind of known for. At the time, Tarzan a dark tabby that my mom was VERY in love with was nearing the end of his life. He was almost 19! I was sort of a goofball and took right over but I really liked him. She told me that no other cat she has ever had been as feisty as Tarzie. She really, really loved him but the very first night I was in the house I laid right on her chest when she went to sleep, as if to say, yep, I like it here and I am here to stay! Well, I cannot help it because I was a kitten and my name is Safari and I am a jungle cat – mom named all her cats after things having to do to with the jungle.
I was happy to be an only cat for many years after Tarzan crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, but when we lived in Chicago (yes, we lived in three places at once for 7 years!) we had a little yard and Suri, a pretty Golden Retriever, lived on one side and Charlie, a Cocker Spaniel, lived on the other side. I would get to go out on my leash and I liked to sit by the fence near Charlie. He really liked me so I started to become fond of dogs and hoped that one day I might get to keep the company of one someday.
That day came on June 20, 2008 when Mom went to Angels for Animals to see a Border Collie/Collie mix named Bailey. Dad did not go with because he had some workers doing a project on the house so she went on a Friday night and later came home with a 7 year-old senior dog that she quickly fell in love with. I loved her too, I did not like to show TOO much affection for her, but she was always gentle and sweet with me. Border Collies love cats because they think they can just herd us around like sheep! Well, not this cat!
Bailey had a lot of health problems it turned out and crossed over the Rainbow Bridge just after a little more than 3 years. Mom has no regrets. She loved Bailey so much and took the best care of her I was with her when she died and I was very sad and started to sleep in her spot. She was a very special person. She had her own blog of course www.baileysjournal.com. Mom loved her so much that she wrote a book about her and now it’s being published. I was hoping to get another dog to live with someday, but mom and dad needed some time, so for six months we were “dogless.”
Before Bailey died, mom asked her to please send her a sign in regards to another dog. It would take a while, but sure enough, Bailey did. On May 11, 2012, Joy came to live with us. Bailey must have told mom to go to www.petfinder.com and look up Border Collies. She did and found Indian Summers Border Collie Rescue – www.indiansummers.org and that is how she found sweet Joy. Another Border Collie! YAY! She is a young one though and we like to play together. She loves to chase me around. I pretend not to like it, but it helps me to exercise which I really do NOT like to do generally speaking. I am more the relaxing guy myself! Secretly I thank Joy for moving me around a little each day! I like to play with my toys but not for as long as I used to – it gets too boring, but Joy never does!
Since writing Bailey’s Journal and then Joy’s Tail www.joystail.com she had a suggestion from Laurel, a fellow animal lover (and reader of her blogs) that I should perhaps have a go at this writing thing and I could NOT agree more. It’s about time after all I have been around the longest and have seniority!
I just had my 12th birthday like I said and I am looking forward to giving my perspective on here because we all know a cat is way smarter than a dog! Well, I do live with the smartest of all breeds, so we MIGHT be tied in the brains department. Best of all we are all tied up in the love department and today I am thankful for my mom and dad and sister on this day we honor the men in our lives. I think we should honor our parents everyday! I will be reporting back here very soon. Nice to meet you all…
Sweet Safari Boy 