Sandy's Tribute Page

Sandy, I miss you so much already. It�s been only 2 days; the house seems so empty without you. I have too much time on my hands now. You were a brave kitty, fighting off the congestion and eating as best you could when you really didn�t feel like it. You even played with Mommy�s laces just a few days ago. I miss taking care of you, feeding you, protecting you, and I even miss those times when Mommy and I had to hold you to give you your medications and a little extra food. You were so scared, and I tried my best to tell you �its alright, its alright, we�re just trying to help you get better�.

I don�t know which name you liked best � just Sandy, or Mush, Mushman, Sandlefeet, Sandman. All I know is that you were happy here, and you had many friends. You bonded with the other cats more than with people, and it took you about 11 years to learn to trust me, that I wasn�t going to hurt you. I often wondered, what happened to you that made you so afraid of people? I�m glad that you started to trust me. You learned to like it when I would brush you, and you would walk a circle around me while I did. Always counter-clockwise, for some reason. I guess you preferred to have your left side brushed more.

Sandy, you were one of the most timid cats I have ever seen. Twelve years ago, when we first saw you hanging around our backyard, we were amazed at how you would wait until all the other cats had eaten the food we put out before you would venture near it. You�d patiently wait your turn. But then, boy you liked to eat!

You were a friend to all the other cats. While Fluffy was here, you took to Fluffy and bonded with him. After we lost Fluffy, you bonded with GrayC. I have never seen two cats bond like that. It was as if you two were one. You�d eat together, you�d walk up or down the stairs side by side, you�d sit together on the back of the couch with your paws on the window sill watching the birds outside. When GrayC died, it broke our hearts to see you alone where you used to be with your best friend. You would still hang out with the others, but it wasn�t the same. They just couldn�t replace GrayC.

You were still so timid; you would run away if I walked too close to where you were. I didn�t want you to run, so I would go out of my way to NOT get too close. I used to wait for you to come out of the living room window before I would clean around there every morning. I was always aware of where you were so that I wouldn�t scare you at all.

My heart is broken now, Sandy. I miss you so much. I didn�t think it would hurt so much, but after you let me get close to you, and now after taking care of you while you were sick, I�ve grown so close to you � so attached to you � that now without you, I feel so alone at times. I still expect to see you on the chair you used to lay on.

Mommy and I did our best to take care of you, right to the end. I would have done anything to have had more time with you, but there was nothing more we could do. I am grateful for all the time you were here; I just wish you were still here. I miss your orange face. I miss your presence around the house. It feels so empty without you.