In Memory of Our
Dear Friends
Bri
For reasons I
still can't explain, I entered a vet's office in Lake Worth, FL, fourteen
years ago. I had moved into my very first apartment the week before and was
still trying to handle the responsibilities of living on my own. I had no
pets so there was no explanation for what exactly was motivating me to enter
the vet's office. However, once I walked into their lobby the answer was
clear…
There in a glass
enclosure was the cutest little ball of black fluff I had ever seen…a tiny,
beautiful, long hair kitten who couldn't have been older than 6 weeks...all
alone save for the scraps of shredded newspaper the "fluffball" was
furiously attacking. I learned that this kitten had been horribly abused
and then abandoned by someone. I couldn't imagine other pets being treated
as this kitten had been, thus began my rescue efforts which continue today.
I was told "fluffball"
was a girl and I named her Sabrina. Sabrina took to her name immediately -
like she had always had the name. She hated tummy scratches, always walked
with her tail down, and had even been to the vet once or twice before her
appointment to be spayed. However, on the day of the spay appointment, the
vet told me it would be impossible to do the surgery. Of course, I thought
the worst and assumed she had an illness or injury that prevented the
surgery. The vet - who, by the way, was NOT the same vet that had seen
Sabrina on her previous visits - told me not to worry…my new kitty was just
fine. It's just that SHE was a HE and would need to be neutered not
spayed! This was quite a shock. Sabrina & I had formed a tremendous bond
over the 6 months we had been together and I had no idea my baby girl was
actually my baby boy. I didn't particularly want to change Sabrina's name
since HE knew and responded to it so well, but the non-cat-people in my
group of friends & family found the situation a little too humorous so I
decided to alter his name a bit & start calling him Bri (pronounced Bree).
Bri had a
tremendous since of humor and mischief about him. By the age of 2 he had
probably used about 7 of his 9 lives. He was a very curious boy who often
found himself in compromising situations. His favorite game was hide and
seek, where he would pry open and enter a cabinet drawer. Once inside the
drawer, he would climb up or down to the next one, push it open from the
inside, and startle whomever was walking by. Although I tried my best to
discourage it, he loved to sit in the refrigerator when someone opened it
and more than once was locked inside the fridge for a few minutes before we
realized he was missing. He was able to open any closed door, could easily
scale clothes hanging in closets, and loved to sneak up the attic stairs to
explore the treasured found in the "cobweb jungle."
Bri LOVED to talk
to people and we had many, many conversations together. We impressed many
people with our seemingly endless conversations. He and I would talk for
hours...every day when I came home from work he greeted me with a very loud
Meow and our talks wouldn't stop until we went to bed at night. Bri's
favorite place to sleep was on my pillow, directly above my head. His
gentle purrs provided me with sound sleep for many, many years.
Over the past 14
years Bri shared his home with many other pets. He had a feline brother
named Smudge, a feline sister named Sammy, a fostered German shp. named
Michelle, a rabbit named Bugs, a trio of ducks named Hewey, Dewey and Louie,
and another doggie companion named Taffy. Bri & I fostered some of these
pets, and others were permanent residents, but Bri always welcomed them into
his life with "open paws." By far his best friends were Smudge, Sammy, the
rabbit Bugs and most recently my mother's dog, Taffy. Sadly, Bri saw all of
his close friends cross the Bridge at some point during his 14 years with
us, yet was always excited when a new foster friend entered his life.
A few years back
my mother became Bri's primary caretaker. I was in the Air Force and faced
being stationed overseas. I felt it unfair to subject Bri to the mandatory
6 month isolation period he would have faced if I brought him with me, so my
mom agreed to care for him until I returned to the states. Shortly
thereafter mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and although I was in the
states and quite capable of caring for Bri again, I couldn't bear the
thought of separating he & my mom. Bri offered her an amazing amount of
comfort during her painful chemo & radiation treatments and he seemed just
as comforted by her flawless love of him. So, though it broke my heart to
do so, I realized that Bri's place was by my mother's side.
Last August
(2003) mom lost her battle with cancer. During her final days, Bri never
left her side. She was unresponsive to her surroundings but constantly had
her hand on Bri. He was a steadfast companion and remained with her until
the very end. Bri continued to live with my mom's husband, in the home he
had known for many years but he sadly he slipped into a very deep depression
in the months after her passing. We found Bri's spirits would lift when we
played home movies of her holding Bri, speaking to him, cuddling on the
couch, playing with him, etc. He would actually sit on the floor, very
close to the TV and watch as his beloved human held him once again. But
once the movie was over the poor boy would slip further and further into his
depression. We realized we were probably only adding to his depression
rather than helping cure it. Recently Bri stopped eating, refused water and
started to become quite ill.
Last night Bri
told us he had suffered enough pain. His depression refused to let go and
was causing too much physical pain given his refusal for nourishment. Bri
decided it was time to go. He crossed the Bridge and is finally at
peace…back in my mother's arms and surrounded by his friends Smudge, Sammy,
Taffy, Michelle, Bugs, Hewey, Louie and Dewey.
Bri was a
cherished member of our family for 14 years and I will miss him terribly.
However, he was the initial inspiration for my involvement in rescue efforts
and for that I am forever grateful. Goodbye my special boy - I know you are
finally at peace and with those you shared your life with. I will love you
forever... Kayrn
Photos of Bri (in pdf file)
Memorials
Contact Information