We lost Reilly yesterday.
Husband has taken this VERY hard. I have never seen him this broken up over any of our other pets. It was difficult for me, too, but I think it is nearly killing him. I just don't know what to do, other than be there for him to lean on. Rei really was 'his' guy.
I am sad about losing Reilly, but I am not having the awful time my poor husband is. I knew this was the ultimate end of Rei's condition. Also, while Rei and I had some good playful and snuggle moments, and I was the one to do the major part of his care...I think deep down I knew what Reilly always knew...he was Kenny's cat. Rei just thought he was "The King" if he could lay on Kenny's bed, lap or discarded clothes. Lately, he loved being able to go out into the kitty-cage to enjoy the fresh air and sights ...and if he got to go for a car-ride,
that was The Bomb!
We got Reilly in WA state when a neighbor complained about his trash-diving in her garbage cans and was going to send him to the pound for euthanasia. Kenny took him to work with him to be a power-plant/office cat. On Friday, Kenny brought Reilly home and put him in the house with our (6?, 7?) other cats. I freaked! (
you can't just put a strange cat with other cats!) ...but it turned out okay. Reilly liked everyone and everyone liked Reilly. NO adjustments, fusses or anything!
Monday morning, Rei went to work with Kenny and came home with him that night, and so began their work-week routine. Kenny would open the front door and Rei would run around the front of the house and wait next to the Bronco for Kenny to open the door and Rei would jump in. It was a 65mi commute, one-way, along the Columbia River Gorge. Rei would either sleep on the passenger seat, prowl the interior or lay across Kenny's shoulders and 'comment' on the traffic.
They were able to do this for almost a year, until the plant had outside workers coming in to do work and Kenny was afraid Rei would be lost if a door was left open, so Rei had to stay home. Poor Rei, running from window to window after Kenny, meowing that he was being forgotten! After Rei couldn't go to the plant anymore, we would take him for rides around town. When we moved from WA to GA, Rei spent probably 90% of the trip on the dash of the RV. That cat really liked to travel!
Kenny had let Reilly into the bedroom to sleep with him the night before, and he said Reilly woke him by digging his paw under the pillow so he could put his paw/claws in Kenny's palm. Yesterday afternoon, I napped with Reilly. Well, I wasn't able to fall asleep, and when he began crying I knew he was in distress and it was time. When we returned from the vet office, it began to storm so we wrapped Rei in a towel and placed him on the (cool) hood of my car in the garage. After the storm, Kenny dug a hole under our Maple tree and when I went outside to find him, he was on his knees in the garage, crying, stroking and petting Rei. I tell you, I just didn't know what to do for my husband, except be there for him to lean on.
Kenny wanted to bury something of his with Rei...and we couldn't find anything suitable. Then Kenny remembered the haircut I'd given him the night before and we pulled out some of his clipped hair and placed it between Rei's forelegs and re-wrapped him in the towel before we buried him under the Maple.
Anyhow, thanks for letting me share Reilly and Kenny's story with everyone. Rei was well-loved and will be missed. Thankfully, we have many good memories with him.
Here is a photo I snapped (
left-handed, btw, and cameras are NOT made to be used the way I had to take this pic!) of me scrubbling Reilly's head on Kenny's quilt, 1st of June.
