Farewell Toffee, 1994-2009

So one Saturday I’m volunteering with my mom at the local humane society. A litter of 5 kittens arrives, no surprise. But only weeks old, their eyes barely open, dumped off without their mother. Shelter staff nervously ask each other who could take them home for their nighttime feedings. But everyone's house is already filled to the brim with pets, owned and fostered. I immediately pipe up with "I will!", then thought maybe I should call Kevin first for permission. Oh well!

Kevin remembers answering the phone that day, hearing, "promise you won't get angry with me... ." He eventually learned to reply with, "how many this time?" (What a guy!) And Toffee entered our lives.

She was the largest kitten in the litter, easily double the size of her litter mates. And she was the most energetic. She hopped around like a tiny rabbit until finally crashing from sheer exhaustion. That litter of kittens gave us quite a challenge, crying, eating, and pooping throughout the day. One day they even squeezed their tiny bodies between the equally tiny bars of their cage and ran amuck. They loved to sleep on a soft blanket inside a deep laundry basket that we could pick up for easy transport around the house. They also loved to sleep with my brother (a house guest at the time), all 5 kittens cuddled around his neck. He never slept much during those nights, too afraid he might roll over on a kitten. Yet he just couldn't bring himself to disturb them.

A few weeks later, the kittens chubby and happy, the time came to return them to the shelter. Luckily, two were already adopted by friends. Two were adopted within hours at the shelter, leaving only Toffee. We thought her the most beautiful kitty in the litter, yet nobody wanted her! Home she went with us until the next weekend. During this time, our other cat, Moon Pie, fell in love with her, and curled around her like a momma cat every chance he got.

The next Saturday at the shelter, alone and frightened in her cage, she refused to let anyone near her. Worried, I called Kevin, who replied, "Well, Moon Pie just loves her. Why don't we just keep her?"

Toffee and Moon Pie

The largest kitten in the litter grew to weigh a mere 6 pounds. She remained tiny all her life, and best friends with Moon Pie.

Fifteen wonderful years after that second phone call to Kevin, this easygoing, very independent kitty decided her time with us was up. After a brief struggle with liver disease, it was time to meet Moon Pie at the Rainbow Bridge. Emily sobbed last Tuesday when we told her Toffee was going to kitty heaven. We told her that Moon Pie would meet her at the Rainbow Bridge, and that Toffee would be able to see us from Heaven. So now we look for clouds in the sky that look like Toffee, and that comforts her. Even David, who doesn't quite seem to grasp what happened, looks to the sky with Emily and waves to the clouds.

You were six tiny pounds and so easy to love. Farewell, Toffee. You'll always be that tiny kitten to us, with Moon Pie curled lovingly around you.