My beautiful black cat, Eugene, died this morning. As I write this through the tears of pain and loss, I must also remember just how lucky he was in life and just how many people were there for him.
I will never know how this little cat ended up wandering alone in a city neighborhood, infested with fleas and mites, sick with tooth and respiratory infections, covered with cuts and scabs. What I do know is that he was lucky enough to be found by the right person who took him to a shelter where he was provided with food, water, and veterinary care for his parasites, wounds, and illnesses.
He was named Eugene and in time he healed, and they found him a foster home where he was lucky enough to be cared for by a sweet and loving young couple who doted on him.
Eugene thrived, but he still needed a permanent home. His foster mom posted his picture and story online where he was lucky enough to be seen … by me.
I first saw Eugene’s goofy little face on my Facebook feed. With his teddy bear eyes and his tongue sticking out, it was love at first sight. Because he was all black and FIV-positive, he had two strikes against him, but those things only endeared him to me, so I messaged immediately that I wanted to adopt him.
Eugene was sweet, a total love bug, cuddler, companion, and perhaps the best, most interactive and personable cat I have ever known. Over the years, I have worked together with his veterinarian, his shelter caregivers, and his foster mom to keep his respiratory issues, complicated by FIV, in check and most recently to fight the cancer that took him.
Eugene had it rough at times. But he had been one of the lucky ones, too. Lucky enough to be found, rescued, helped, healed, homed, and, especially, oh, so loved. Many people went above and beyond to care for this one little soul. Words cannot express how much he will be missed.
I only wish all animals could be lucky enough.
