Year 2003 Tributes

Uggles thru Useless

Uggles was a stray kitty and adopted me in 1989. He was one of the smartest, loving cats I've ever had. He was my best friend and I will miss him deeply. Uggles had to be euthanized due to kidney failure. It was a very sad day.

Sue

I will love you always, Max and I miss you soooo much.

Sallie Kleist

Ullr was a magnificent Malamute who loved Joanna....rest well little "Opossum"

Linda Allen

How did we age so quickly, my kitten?
Wait for us at the bridge.

Lee & Dante Vilardo

I remember the day I brought you home just like it was yesterday. The farthest thing from my mind was raising a bassett hound puppy but I just couldn't resist your sad eyes and sweet disposition.
I was amazed at how you learned so fast. You were the perfect puppy, never chewed and rarely had an accident. I only named you Umday (dumb in piglatin) because you had such a hard time with the simpler things in life, you would stumble over your own feet or bump into a tree while sniffing a curious scent.
Even in your 12 years of life you still would put your head under the car getting in and every night your head would go under the bed and I would pull you back and lift you up on the mattress.
Umday, anyone who somehow came to know you was your immediate friend. The whole neighborhood knew you by name and even the schoolkids made sure they saved some lunch for you on their way home. Even the restaurant owner rang our doorbell every night to bring you a tasty surprise.
You have been gone now for almost two weeks but I still miss you so much. I feel like my heart has been ripped from my body, the heartaches are overwhelming. I know that time will heal my pain but I will never ever forget you. I'll patiently wait until the time comes when you and I will meet again at Rainbow Bridge.
Once again we will be side by side, only this time it will be forever. Everyone misses you.
Bye for now Umday, I love you.

Jim Czajkowski

Uncle Norman was a neighborhood cat that adopted us and our family. We don't how old he was, but we suspect that he was around 14 or 15 when he died of an unknown illness. He died shortly before our other cat, Butterball disappeared. My son Chris and I miss him.

Steve Sterry

It has been 2 months since I had to make the terrible decision to send Uncle Paul to the Bridge. I just now feel that I am able to tell his story - and what a story it is...

I had a very dear friend named Paul D. (we called him Uncle Paul). He & I would sit for hours & talk. We solved all the world's problems!! He always told me that if he died & could come back as anything he wanted - he would choose to be a cat owned by me. He said that I took better care of my cats than most people did of their children!! Every time I welcomed a new cat into my house - he would say "Cat...you don't know it yet - but you've just won the cat lottery!!" Paul was helping his sister cut a tree down the Saturday before Easter in 1992. Something went terribly wrong & a large branch of the tree fell & hit Paul on the back of the head. His face was buried in the ground & he was deprived of oxygen until the emergency help arrived. Paul survived for 2 weeks on life support. His brain was badly damaged & his family made the choice to let him go. I was heartbroken - my friend was gone. I got home from the funeral & burial and what was there to greet me - but a tiny kitten!! He was much too little to be away from his mother - but here he was just talking away to me!! Needless to say, Uncle Paul was back to stay with me. I had him for 11.5 yrs. (about the same length of time I had the human Paul as my friend). He was my soul-cat. We had a relationship that went beyond any other cat relationship I had ever had. Uncle Paul was a favorite at my Vet's office, too - since they were in on the whole story. During the last week of October, Uncle Paul developed a urinary tract blockage. After a terrible roller-coaster ride of ups & downs, I made the decision to let him go. I loved him too much to have him suffer any more. I went to say good-bye to him at the Vet's. He greeted me with lots of head-butts & purring - but when he looked me in the eyes - we both knew what had to be done. I kissed him goodbye with one of the heaviest hearts I've ever known. The rest of that day & night, I cried more than I ever thought possible. I knew that Uncle Paul was a once in a lifetime companion & that I would never have another like him. As I left to go to work the next morning - I was greeted at my back door by (you guessed it!!) another kitten!! She was carrying on a conversation with me just like Paul did!! She is now living in my house - another spoiled rotten & pampered baby!! I didn't name her Paulette - I didn't want to put that kind of pressure on her. That would be some awfully big paws to fill. (My Vet & I figure that he came back as female this time so he wouldn't have to go through that whole urinary tract thing again!!) Uncle Paul - keep your eyes open - I'll meet you at the Bridge.

Kathy Burgess

I don't know who you were and if you had a home. I was at my job at a local newspaper that afternoon and heard over the police scanner that you had been hit by a car and were horribly injured. I also heard that a compassionate person took you to a veterinarian, where your pain was ended. But I just want you to know that somebody cried for you and sent you Reiki to calm your pain and ease your transition out of your body. I pray your soul is free now, orange cat, and if you had a family while you were here, that the pain of your death has eased. If you choose to return to this world, may you be blessed with a wonderful family to pamper you and love you and understand you.

Janea

A tribute to the unknown male orange tabby stray cat who was found dead. We could not find your owner, we did not know you and we could not be with you in the end to comfort you, but we believe you are at peace now and wish you joy and everything good a cat can have at the Rainbow Bridge.

K.R. and D.B. Holida

In loving memory of our wonderful, loving Pudding Boy Useless Hyland.
He put up a brave fight, but alas, it was not to be. His last day with us was this morning. We love him always and I know I will be with him again one day.
God Bless you, Useless Boy.
Love always, Mommy, Daddy and Meggiexxx

Mary Hyland