To All:
Ziggy passed on to the Rainbow Bridge peacefully at 1:22pm MDT on August 5th, 2009. His immediate family was with him at the end. The vet who came was so very nice and compassionate with us, explaining the whole process as we went. She held our hands, and was so very gentle with Ziggy. We weren't sure what to expect, but the end was gentle and peaceful for him. We watched his final stretch as his soul departed, as if he was saying, "That feels so much better."
He departed from his favorite spot on a small table in front of the living room window of our house, with the window open and the birds singing in the tree outside in our front yard. He could spend hours watching the birds in that tree, the bunnies in our yard and sleeping on the carpeted kitty tree next to the window. In the mornings, he loved to run and jump up on the table next to the window and watch the kids walking to and from the elementary school at the end of our block. I hope one of them notices his little gray face is gone from that window and thinks about him.
My most enduring memory will be seeing him sleeping on the top of the kitty tree this morning as the dawn light streamed in the window and flowed across him. It was as if the sun was honoring him with the most heavenly light it could muster.
Ziggy spent his last days mostly in our living room, as laying down on his side on the cool hardwood floors brought him some comfort with his breathing. We brought a mattress down from our guest room and put it on the floor in the living room, so my wife and I could sleep with him these last few days. We could not bear the thought of him being alone.
During the night, he gave his human mama the greatest final gift he could. He came and cuddled up to her, as he has always done in the past, and slept for a bit draped along her stomach. He was always such a good boy.
Our calico female, Treelo, has been his companion in life, and surprisingly has never strayed far from him or us while he has been home. She slept next to the bed last night, while he slept with my wife. Treelo has been a big comfort to all of us during these last few days. She and Ziggy were unfortunately not the best of friends, and their relationship was a bit passive-aggressive at times, but they were always constant company for one another. At the end, she was present and by her reaction I’m sure she knew what was happening.
We want to express to all of you one final time our deepest gratitude and how much your support has meant to us, and will continue to mean in the days and weeks ahead. It is very comforting to know that all of you bowed your heads with us today for a moment, and asked for all our former loved little ones to help him on his journey. Bless you all.
For our beloved little buddy Ziggy, R.I.P.
Sundown
I don't know what else to say other than my heart goes out to Ziggy and his family. It sounds like he knew as he went that he was surrounded by those who loved him.
ReplyDeleteSundown, we are blessed that your family chose to share Ziggy's last days with our little community. Thanks to your love, Ziggy is at peace, free from pain and fear, resting at Rainbow Bridge. And his love will be with you, always.
ReplyDeleteRest in peace, sweet angel Ziggy!
ReplyDeleteSundown, I was going to write a note to you sooner, but I was crying so hard that I had to wait...I know how difficult and heartbreaking it is to lose a beloved family member but I know that you and your family did everything you could to help Ziggy make his journey over to the rainbow bridge as peacefully as possible, and surrounded with so much love. Last year, my angel Mooshi died very suddenly at the vet's office during what was supposed to be a routine procedure, and we never got to say goodbye or be with her at the end and not knowing exactly what happened or what went wrong will haunt me forever. What a blessing that you were able to say your loving goodbyes and be with your beautiful Ziggy until the very end and help him gently and lovingly cross over to the other side. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers and I'm sure my little Mooshi will be among the crowd of furry angels up in heaven, welcoming Ziggy with open paws and showing him all the great "treat shops" and "toy stores" up there.
Hugs for all and my babies send loving purrs!
It sounds like dear Ziggy made a good end. He has a face very similar to my Bridget whom I lost in 2007, she was a great cat and clearly he was too. He was lucky to have such a good life with you.
ReplyDeleteYou write so lovingly of Ziggy, that all I can think is how happy his life with you must have been. I'm so sorry that you are going through this grief, but I am grateful that Ziggy had a family who loved him this way.
ReplyDeleteI hope that time will bring relief to your hearts. I know you'll always love him.
Hyacinth--
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words and support. I wanted to express my deepest sympathies for you and your Mooshi. It is a horrible, empty feeling when you didn't get to say goodbye to your little one. It has happened to my wife and I several times, and is something I would not wish on my worst enemy.
Our calico, Treelo, stopped breathing while under anesthesia also during a routine procedure. We were lucky that our vet and her techs reacted quickly enough to get her breathing again. It scared us right down to our skivvies! I cannot imagine how I would have coped if my little girl had not been able to be revived.
I know Mooshi and Ziggy are probably the best of pals by now. :-)
Hugs also to you and your brood!
Sweet Ziggy, my gentle giant of a furry nephew... you may have only been a part of our family for a very short time, but you left your great big paw-prints on all our hearts, and you will be much missed on this side of the Bridge. (It sounds like you must have been absolutely mobbed with new friends once you got there, though, and that eases my sadness a little.)
ReplyDeleteAnd Ducky, I can personally vouch for the fact that Ziggy had some of the best kitty-parents on the planet. If everyone with a pet loved it the way Sundown and his wife love their fur-kids, there'd be no need for animal shelters (and, just maybe, we'd be a little closer to peace on earth).
Run free and play hard at Rainbow Bridge, Ziggy, and enjoy your well-earned rest. Keep an eye on your family down here; you are free and healthy and happy now, but they are grieving.
ReplyDeleteTo Ziggy's family - you are in my thoughts. I second Waterdragon: if everyone loved their pet the way Sundown and his wife love Ziggy, we wouldn't have a need for animal shelters, because no pet would ever be neglected or lonely.
Lisa and Sundown, thank you for sharing Ziggy's story with us. I'm wiping away tears but I feel privileged that I got to "know" Ziggy this way.
PS - when I hit "Post Comment", my verification word was "blesse". How perfect is that? Ziggy was blessed to have such a family, and his family was blessed to have him. Just wanted to share that.
The tears streamed as I read the posting. I too feel privileged to know Ziggy! What an amazing thing that Ziggy did (to bring so many wonderful people together)! You all have a huge spot in my heart and Ziggy you sure did leave your mark on this earth!!!!
ReplyDeleteps Margaret, thanks for sharing the verification word! How incredible is that....wow!
Ziggy and his story has given me hope and encouragement for the world. Knowing there are families like his gives my heart hope. Thank you Ziggy! Thank you Ziggy's family! You have touched lives you don't even know. Your short life story has given hope.....
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful story with so much love. Sad and heartwarming at once. Ziggy is one lucky boy to have found this family to treasure him. It renews my spirit.
ReplyDeleteGood morning to all--
ReplyDeleteZiggy's mama and I slept ok, surprisingly. I think we were just so exhausted after yesterday. We're hanging in there...just. It was hard to come down and fill only one food dish this morning.
To all who have commented, I have been reading the comments section every hour or so since yesterday evening, and it warms my heart to feel the love and sympathy from this group. You are all such wonderful people for helping us. I know a post can feel like such a small thing to do, but please know that they have all had a large effect on us.
To those who have lost little ones in the past, we feel your pain too. The stories you all tell just confirm your great love for them! It makes us feel like we know them too, if only in a small way.
Hugs and warm head-skritches to all of you!
I'm adding my blessing to Ziggy too as I sit here with tears streaming down my face. I'm sure my beloved Q who was helped across the Rainbow Bridge this past February has joined Mooshi and all the others in greeting Ziggy.
ReplyDeleteBlessed be, Ziggy. You are loved.
Having lost an old feline friend without the chance to say goodbye, I was overwhelmed to read of Ziggy's last moments surrounded by those who cared so deeply for him. Thank you for making him feel safe and loved to the very end.
ReplyDeletePous has been chasing flies and napping in the sun for over a year now, and I'm sure he'll be happy to share his crunchies with Ziggy.
My parents had to make the hard decision last Sunday with our family cat, Jordan. It was hard to say goodbye after 16 years of love but it was the right decision after the cancer progressed too far.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts are with you and your family during these hard times.
Hopefully they will now have each other as they journey to the rainbow bridge.
Someone on ICHC talked about their cat Ziggy who recently passed. It sounded like your Ziggy Sundown? Was it?
ReplyDeleteI remember it was someone went to the pound to adopt a cat. While the person was looking at the kittens, this other cat kept reaching through the bars to get that person's attention. A pound worker said it was that cat's last day then the person adopted it.
I'm pretty sure it was yours and I'm probably not telling it right. But I found that story rather touching. You saved a life and made it worth living. Ziggy thanks you. I thank you. Everyone here thanks you for what you've done.
@alverant, thanks for the note but the other Ziggy was not us. Interesting coincidence, though! The shelter we adopted our boy from does not keep the kitties in cages. They are in rooms and free to roam around with others.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the story sounds a lot like how we adopted Hubbard, our other male Maine-Coon mix. He was in the animal control shelter in Laramie, WY and had survived way past when the shelter would have normally put him to sleep. But he was so lovable the staff couldn't do it to him. And then we came in and fell in love. :-)
Thank you for your kind words and your thoughts! Both Ziggys will be missed I'm sure. I will have to go to ICHC and check out the story.