Goodbye Rocky, I'll Miss You

[gblowfish]

During the night I lost one of my best friends.

He was small, black and furry. He has a crumpled left ear from fighting. He had a high voice and only meowed every once in a blue moon. He never met a cheeseburger he didn't like. He was old and frail, and passed away in his sleep during the night.

I first met Rocky in 1998, hiding in our back yard under a spreader bush. He'd been hit by a car or had been in a really nasty cat fight. He had a badly infected gash on his head, and looked about half dead. He wouldn't let me pick him up, but I brought him some food and water, and rubbed some antibiotic ointment on his wound. He disappeared for about a month, he recovered; then we'd see him around occasionally. He'd stop by our back porch, have a little snack and hang around with Mama Cat, our Tuxedo Cat.



Rocky was very skinny, had bad fur and a crooked tail, and most of the neighborhood cats were scared of him because he loved to fight. That's why we call him "Rocky." In Winter 2001, he chose to make his winter home under the back porch. He refused to come inside; even in the worst weather. He survived a cold, snowy, brutal winter. When spring came, we finally coaxed him to come inside the house.


He checked it out, saw we had lots of food, carpeting, sofas, beds, and...did I mention lots of food? Needless to say, he's thoroughly adapted to the joys of modern indoor living.


Rocky loved the back porch. It's screened it, so during the spring till late fall, he could hang out outdoors, still be safe inside the porch, and watch the birds and squirrels. Rocky also loved music. Every time I'd turn on a radio or put something on the stereo, he'd come sit and listen. And as long as the music was playing, he'd stick around. I think he was a jazz musician in a previous life.


Rocky shared many a BBQ with me. He loved grilled chicken and steak, and loved Gates turkey and McDonalds Cheeseburgers. There were lots of times I'd pick up an extra cheeseburger, because I knew when I got home, Rocky would want half of mine if I didn't get one for him. He loved to perch on top of my Weber grill on days when we were going to cook out. He liked to supervise.


Rocky passed away in his kitty bed during the night. He had gotten very frail and sick, and we knew he didn't have long. Last night we fed him some baby food and gave him water with a syringe. My wife and I laid him in his kitty bed and put a blanket around him. I put the radio on low for him so he could listen to music. This morning he was gone.

So now he's on to his next cat life. and I'll lay him to rest today. I'm not sure how many of his nine he had left, but we tried to make this one a great cat life for him. That's all we could do in the end.

So this weekend, please drink a toast to my friend Rocky. He was a great little guy, and I'll miss him always.

[threebag]

Sorry for your loss of your friend. RIP Rocky.

[mdchiefsfan]

This sucks. I hate reading these things, but it was by gblowfish. I had to read it, because I knew it would be well done. Sorry to hear about your loss.

I definitely like the fact he was a stray and you took him in. It's really, really hard to gain a feral cat's trust, which tells me you provided a great environment for him.

RIP Rocky.

[siberian khatru]

Sorry to hear that.

But if ya gotta go, that's the way to go: old and in your sleep.

[threebag]

I think today I may loose one too. He is going to another vet today. This is his fourth vet to see him. He won't eat and when he does he looks like it is so painful. Hopefully Buckaroo makes it back home today.

[lewdog]

Another beautifully written picture, George. I'll toast one for Rocky tonight.

All the best.

[Strongside]

Sorry for the loss man. It's tough losing a pet friend.

[L.A. Chieffan]

You're a good man George. Rocky was a lucky cat that one fateful night in 1998 to be found by your family. And the other way around too.

[Eleazar]

That's a great tribute, George. I have sent you up in the past about cats but I like them. They are a member of the family like any other and it's never easy to lose a pal. RIP

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Sorry to hear that.

But if ya gotta go, that's the way to go: old and in your sleep.

I spoke to an immigrant a few years ago who had a brother pass away back in the old country - it's a war-torn place.

I asked him how he was doing, and he said "My brother is old, have many child-er-en, nobody kill him... is good."

This cat was in a bad way and ended up hitting the lottery being discovered by gblowfish! He had it good for sure.

[mikey23545]

That brought a lot of tears to my eyes...RIP to your beloved little guy, Gblowfish...

[cdcox]

Sorry for your loss, George.

Your tribute is fitting to such a fine companion.

[stevieray]

"why would I care about some silly litle dog"

/Hot Lips Houlihan

[Fairplay]

That was a nice write up about your beloved pet Rocky and how he found his way with a little coaxing into the gblowfish home.

May your four legged furry friend be in cat heaven.

[Cephalic Trauma]

Damn man, well put. RIP Rock!

[BigRedChief]

RIP Rocky. Gald you found each other and got years of friendship together. Sorry for your and the Mrs Gblowfish loss.