There have been quite a few animals who have shared our lives,
that are no longer with us in the physical sense. However, their
memories remain alive and well.
Stan came to us as a result of too many gin & bitter lemons.
(Maybe that's why I now stick to whisky!) Some friends kept goats
& someone had said they wanted a neutered billy as a pet & then
changed their minds. They knew who to tell- old softie here, decided
I couldn't bear to think of him being done away with, so I said we
would have him.
Simba belonged to a family at the school, who emigrated to
Australia. They went to great lengths to find her a home- only as
far as she was concerned, it was in the wrong part of the school
campus! She became an outdoor cat, who used to pinch our cat's
food. Eventually she became part of the pack, although she ate
outside & came in very rarely. We moved to another house on the
campus- which just happened to be her old house. She was the
happiest cat in Scotland & gave up her life as an outdoor cat!
Samba came from the same family as Sid. I had long hankered for
a tabby. Mainly because the tabby owned by friends was such an
amazing character. Jeffrey used to beg like a dog! Samba was his
daughter.
Most cats have a very firm idea of 'pecking order,'territorial
rights,' and their place at the top of the evolutionary ladder. She
never bothered with such things. So long as everyone loved her, she
didn't care- & they did. She could do what she wanted with the
dogs. Sid was even quite fond of her!
We lost Samba to viral pneumonia when she was only 4. Our other
animals (apart from Stan) lived long full lives. Samba's was far too
short. She left a hole in the household & lots of memories. I think
she & K'Ehleyr would have been wonderful together- chaotic but
wonderful!!
One of the first things I did when I came to Rannoch, was to get a
dog. I had always wanted one as a child, but it had not been
possible. The great open spaces of Rannoch was perfect dog
country. I got her from Edinburgh Dog's home for seven pounds-the best bargain ever!
I soon realised how she'd got into the Dog's Home- she was a
dreadful wanderer and now living in a place with loads of rabbits to
chase it was almost impossible get her home after a walk, unless I
got the lead on before the wanderlust hit! I fought an uphill battle
to keep her where I wanted her!
She had six pups- Dad was a cocker spaniel. We kept one who we
named Shona. More of her later!
I never knew how old Scruffy was. She was fully grown when I got
her, so I just added a year on from when I got her. She lost a lot of
her sight & hearing by the end- but you still had to watch that she
didn't take off on a rabbit hunt- the nose still worked!! I'd had her
seventeen years when she died. The house seemed so empty without
her. We lasted three weeks without a dog & then K'Ehleyr came
into our lives- and that as they say is another story!
Shona was the pup I kept. I chose her at 2 days old. Mainly because
she had a white spot on her nose and so I could tell her apart from
the other 3 almost black ones. She ended up being very spaniel like.
Shona was fourteen when we lost her due to bladder problems. It
was as well that she went first as I think she would have found it
almost impossible to get along without Scruffy telling her what to
do! It was fun having two dogs, although Grant always maintained
that they ganged up on us. As a result of this he's determined
K'Ehleyr is going to be an only dog!
We lost Sid in September. Her passing seemed to just underline the bad time we were going through generally. She had got thinner and thinner, but was still well able to get up to mischief. The last week she became rather confused. It was when she lost interest in food and keeping herself clean and tidy that we knew it was time to let her go. She was sixteen and like many old cats it was kidney failure that finished her off. She was obstinate to the last and in spite of her weakness it took two injections to see her off. What a character! We will be lucky to come across her like
again.
Soot was another one who decided Macdonald’s looked like a good place to go for a meal! He started off sneaking in and pinching
the food, but after a lot of cajoling decided to come in. He tolerated Scruffy and Shona- mainly by pretending they didn’t exist! Although you couldn’t pick
him up he loved a fuss and would let you get off the ticks he’d collected
throughout the day (everyone should have a hobby!!)
When K’Ehleyr came on the scene he, along with Sid, bullied her something rotten- she thought they were
playing! Unfortunately when she grew and still wanted to play he took fright
and took up residence on the top of the wardrobe-coming down when he knew she
was out of the way
When we moved we decided that he would not stand the stress of the travelling- to say nothing of moving
to a house where there was no ‘top of the wardrobe’ he stayed as a “sitting
tenant” After an initial settling in period he had a happy year as an only animal with his new
Daddy until his kidneys failed. The vet thought he was about 14, which was a very good age for a semi feral cat with no teeth!
I hope you've enjoyed meeting these characters that have enriched
our lives. As long as we talk about them, love them and remember
them they'll live on- who can ask for more?
THE RAINBOW BRIDGE
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigour; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hand again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together. . .
Author Unknown
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