The Passing of an Icon

There are probably very few readers of this blog who’ve not experienced the pain of losing a beloved furry friend. We tend not to write about such losses – the Neko Blog was created to celebrate a place of life, and its feline inhabitants. But part of life at the Sanctuary is dealing with death – and we’re taking this opportunity to pay tribute to a sweet friend who was a faithful member of the welcoming committee.

From Claire’s blog back in September 2009:

He introduced himself to me on my very first visit. I was softing a cat sitting on a table when I felt a gentle tap-tap-tap on my knee. I looked down, and there was Cookie, looking back up at me.

"Hello."

I reached down to give him a soft, then went back to what I was doing.

Tap-tap...

"Hello. Would you be interested in patting a cat a little more? Me, for example?"

Very friendly and such a polite boy! Cookie was the first cat whose name I learned and the first one I wished I could take home (this while I was still living in a place where I couldn't have pets). What I hadn't realized at first, though, is he's not as young as his aimiable demeanour may suggest. He's also one of those odd cats who's not dying to move in with someone and be a one-person feline.

Cookie came to RAPS when he was around 2 years old. Now in the neighbourhood of 11 (this was in 2009),  he's been at the sanctuary so long that Leslie, our resident expert on the names and stories of the cats, couldn't tell me how or why he first came to live there.

 

Tired of this "being patient" business, Cookie tries a little leg climbing

Cookie's lived at the sanctuary so long that it's hard to imagine him anywhere else. In fact, when it comes to cats who are such long-time residents, RAPS staff are very reluctant to approve adoption requests simply because the animals have come to view the sanctuary as home and may have a lot of trouble adjusting to a new and very different environment.

 

And from Leslie Landa:

 

At 17 or 18 years of age,  our beloved Oreo Cookie's reign as our chief greeter and attention seeker came to an end.  Cookie was truly adored by everyone at the sanctuary, including many other cats, and had a long and happy life.  He was my own family's "pet at the sanctuary," since my children asked to adopt him many years ago, and was spoiled every Tuesday by RAPS member Marlene, who brought shrimp and treats and cans of Fancy Feast with Cookie's name on them.  Marlene had also been interested in adopting him, but we all realized that he was content at the sanctuary among all of his admirers.  Cookie leaves behind him a lot of people with scarred legs and torn jeans, but oh, how they loved him. Farewell, sweetest boy!

 

Blog introduced by Brigid Coult

Pictures by Claire Fossey