Tribute to Sundance (JB2019)

What can I say about my little orange buddy Sundance? He was with me for over 18 years, from the day I adopted him and his sister to the day the TED freed him from his suffering.

I adopted Sundance and Cassidy together when they were five months old, but Cassidy lived only two more weeks. The TED advised not getting another cat for six months, so Sundance was an only cat for a while. He didn't do well that way. He occasionally was aggressive with me, to the point where I was sometimes afraid of him! After I brought Rebecca home to be a companion to both of us, Sundance was a happier cat. If Sundance wasn't as eager as Rebecca to play and cuddle together, at least he tolerated it. Where Rebecca was standoffish and hated being picked up, Sundance loved to sit in my lap or be picked up and held.

I used to carry Sundance to the patio door so we could look at "the Out" together. For years, we had a morning routine where I'd come downstairs, feed him and Rebecca, sit on the couch to have my own breakfast, then he'd jump into my lap and curl up in one arm while I used my other hand to eat or use my Kindle. I always loved seeing his little face and often told him, "Sundance, you're so cute!" Over the years, I had fun being Sundance's secretary in RPCC (and Rebecca's, too, but this is Sundance's story), through adventures and his winking to Pitoonya.

Last year Sundance started eating less and losing weight. I didn't want to believe that it was the beginning of the end, but it was. For a while, I was giving him fluids and medications, but one day he let me know that I should stop, that he was ready to go to the Bridge whenever Bast called him. He was gone in less than a week.

I'll tell you a little secret. You know how people talk about stars, and how they're different colors, and they say this one's white, this one's blue, etc.? Well, the ones they say are red aren't really red: they're orange! I like to think that that's where all the orange RB kitties hang out. The orange ones are special (yes, all cats are special, but, again, this is Sundance's story), and I like to think they get together over the Rainbow Bridge to celebrate their orangeness. Sundance was certainly a proud orange boy, and I'm sure that's where he'd be, with all his orange RB friends.

I have to admit that I don't think of Sundance and Rebecca often. Even though their cat tree and some of their toys are still in the living room, they've been there so long that they're just part of the furniture. But whenever I see something on TV or hear something about someone's loved one dying—whether they have four legs, two legs, or none at all—I remember, I feel the loss again, and I reach for another tissue to wipe my leaky eyes.

This was posted by me, Anti Sandy, because I don't have a kitty to be secretary for any more.

Anti Sandy

On Monday, October 14, 2019 at 2:54:28 PM UTC-7, House of Stright & friends wrote:
This was posted by me, Anti Sandy, because I don't have a kitty to be secretary for any more.

Anti Sandy

Sundance an I had our wedwink on Valemtimes Day in 2009, moor then ten yeerz uhgo. So we were winked fur moor den ten yeerz.
Durink those yeerz,and effin befurr, we had menny menny wunnerful adventurz togedder. He wuz mine Co-Grand Pooh Bah, and co-purrtner in da BooTeek. No kitty cud effur tayke hiz playce in mine life. Mine Meowmee misses beink mine sekkerterry fur interaktink wiff Sundance, an wiff Rebekka too.

Hugz tu mine Anti Sandy.

Pit2nya, AKA Sweetee

On Monday, October 14, 2019 at 8:56:31 PM UTC-7, Pit2nya wrote:
On Monday, October 14, 2019 at 2:54:28 PM UTC-7, House of Stright & friends wrote:
This was posted by me, Anti Sandy, because I don't have a kitty to be secretary for any more.

Anti Sandy

Sundance an I had our wedwink on Valemtimes Day in 2009, moor then ten yeerz uhgo. So we were winked fur moor den ten yeerz.
Durink those yeerz,and effin befurr, we had menny menny wunnerful adventurz togedder. He wuz mine Co-Grand Pooh Bah, and co-purrtner in da BooTeek. No kitty cud effur tayke hiz playce in mine life. Mine Meowmee misses beink mine sekkerterry fur interaktink wiff Sundance, an wiff Rebekka too.

Hugz tu mine Anti Sandy.

Pit2nya, AKA Sweetee

Pit2nya hugz hur liddul blue mousie, and smiles...