Under the Toronto Sun: Day 66: Rest in peace Mickey – (2007

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 66: Rest in peace Mickey – (2007 – 2017)

Today’s post is dedicated to Mickey, whom we lost yesterday December 6^th.

Mickey came to live with us after mom passed away and dad decided to move to a retirement home. A new home had to be found for Mickey. I didn’t even bother looking for a home for him, because I knew right away that Mickey would come to live with me. Not only would he receive all the love and attention he deserved, my dad would have peace of mind that Mickey would be well looked after.

A cat carrier and a plane ticket was bought, and when I returned from Belgium to Canada, Mickey came with me. He handled the trip like a pro. But that was Mickey alright, he was a relaxed cat, nothing bothered him.

Upon arrival in Toronto, he was welcomed by Dieter and once home he immediately got along with the other cats. He went from being an only child to having brothers and sisters and he loved it.

After exploring his new home, he took up residence in an armchair, and that for years to come was his favorite spot. Not that he didn’t try other places, he sampled the coffee table, the side table, the top of the armoire, the sideboard and of course, Dieter and my bed.

When we adopted Gabriel a few weeks after Mickey’s arrival, Mick was there to welcome the little one and he became daddy. Gabriel thought Mickey was his mommy and occasionally sucked the nipples on Mickey’s belly. Mick probably thought ... what a confused little kitten this is, but good old Mick took it in his stride.

Mickey was not a very active cat or even playful cat. He did like to chase a laser light, but other than that he preferred watching the others play with a ball or a mouse rather than taking part in the game.

Neither was Mickey a very vocal cat. Not once did we hear him meow, the most that ever came out of his mouth was a high pitched “E”. He could carry a conversation though. When we mimicked his little “e” sound, he would reply, over and over again.

Mickey loved attention though. At least once a day he would come and sit next to me or Dieter and start headbutting us. This was our cue to stroke his back and rub his head and cheeks. Oh how he loved to have his cheeks rubbed. I didn’t actually have to move my hand, he twisted his head this way and that way so that the top of his head, his cheeks and under his chin all got attention. It carried on for so long that eventually we had to say “Okay Mick, that’s enough.”

Another thing he loved was going to the bathroom with us. Every time, every single time, one of us got up to use the bathroom and Mickey heard the door closing, he would go running to join whoever used the room. He could be fast asleep, but when he heard the light switched on and the door closing, he was wide awake and went running. Eventually, it turned into a bit of a joke. When one of us had to go, we would say “Mick, are you coming?” and he did.

Mickey also like to watch certain activities such as dish washing and window washing. I called him inspector Mickey. Or when potatoes were peeled and resting in cold water, he would come and have a look, even touching the water.

One of his habits was ‘washing’ his paws after he had used the litter box. He did it every single time. He would use his box, step out of it, go to the nearest wall and make a scratching movement (presumably to get the sand off his paws).

All in all he was a healthy cat who never saw the inside of a vet’s office. My folks took his to their local vet of course for his shots and to have him neutered, but here in Canada, he was never sick. As it turned out, his first visit to our local vet was also his last. Two days ago I noticed that Mickey a trouble breathing. I suspected that he had a cold and took him to the vet for an exam and medication. X-rays revealed that Mickey’s chest was full of fluids and he had an irregular heartbeat. An operation, after care and medication would not only have cost thousands of dollars, but would bring Mickey great discomfort as the fluid would most certainly return. So I made the decision to let Mick go in peace.

Now that he’s gone he is missed. I woke up this morning and he wasn’t there at the footend of my bed. I went to the bathroom to shower and he didn’t follow me. His armchair is empty.

I hereby would like to thank everybody who responded to today’s earlier announcement of Mickey’s passing. The messages of condolences haven’t stopped. That’s one thing of Facebook friends, when something happens, they are there to comfort and support. I guess everybody knows what it’s like to lose a loved one.

Below a selection of Mickey’s greatest hits ...