I don’t want this to be a sad post. I want it to be a post of gratitude. For more than eleven and a half years, you’ve let me into your computers, mobile devices and hearts, and I thank you for spending the time to read my blog and books, for enjoying my photos, for donating to causes I’ve told you about, and for helping me to rescue cats who were in need. I wish I could do it forever, because the kind of connection I share with my readers is what makes life worthwhile. But as some of you already know, I’m very ill and it is time for me to retire from this blog.
The blog will continue without me. I do have someone stepping up to take over, and I know you will love her. I will introduce you to her tomorrow. She will introduce herself to you next week.
Am I dying? Yes, probably. I am not going to pretend my illness is any less than what it is. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with chronic renal failure. The test results indicated it was only in the very early stages, and while many cats can go on for years, having a good life while dealing with CRF, I have other ailments complicating things and in the past month things have gotten very bad for me. To put it into perspective: my human is a vintage film fan and an admirer of John Barrymore, a hard-living actor from a famed theatrical family who wore his body down and died when he was only 60. Barrymore’s good friend, writer Gene Fowler said, “Nobody runs downhill faster than a thoroughbred.” Apparently, the same is true of me, a feline thoroughbred, although actually, in cat years, I’ve outlived John Barrymore by a little bit. The one thing I do find unforgivable is that Binga, who is two years older than me, is outlasting me. I get the sneaking suspicion that she may outlive everyone in this household.
I honestly don’t know how much time I have left. This past week in particular, I have been slipping away. I have not eaten on my own in two or three weeks, and yesterday I looked so sad that my human felt too sorry for me to force me to eat anything. I didn’t even look twice at the KFC chicken thigh she offered me for lunch. She couldn’t eat it either. I have an appointment at the vet today, and if there is something they can do there to make me feel better, I will be coming home. If not, I may not come home at all. I have written a couple of posts ahead of time — tomorrow’s post about Summer, the new girl, and Monday’s astrology post about Virgo. If I come home, I’ll do this weekend’s Caturday Report and Sunday Catinee. If I don’t, the blog will be dark this weekend.
So this is my thank you and good-bye. My human and I do not believe in the rainbow bridge, so I don’t know that I will ever see any of you again after I’m gone. But I hope I will continue to live on in your hearts.
Your friend always,
Sparkle
Sparkle, we are grateful for your wisdom and antics. You have touched many hearts and educated brains too! You will forever be remembered. You WILL Live and be Loved forever in our hearts.
You will certainly be missed and my thoughts go out to your family and fur siblings. Thank you for bringing so much beauty and love to the world.
We just heard about you from another blog, but we’re so sorry to hear of your loss. And from what we’re told, everyone has lost something when they lost you. You sound like an amazing kitty, and we wish we’d met you sooner. Our hearts go out to your family.
So sad to hear about Sparkle. My condolences to her mum, dad, Binga and Boodie. Love, hugs and purrs from Angela, Chris and Myrrh
Just stopping by to pay our respects to your family. Farewell, Sparkle.
Sparkle and her human. i have been crying ever since i read this blog post. my heart is broken, but i know Summer will take over and we will love her, but never as much as you sweet Sparkle. We will love and miss you forever.
Dear Sparkle, What a touching post. I haven’t followed your blog but so many of my other social media cats reported on your retirement and health issues that I came to look. You are truly a wise soul, and your human is so lucky to have shared her home and life with you. I don’t believe in the Bridge either, but I do believe our memories are treasures that help our loved pets live forever. Peace to you, Sparkle.
We were all so very sad to learn of the passing of dear, dear Sparkle. It is a sad day for the cat world to lose such a valuable spokescat.
May you rest in peace, and may your family find peace in happy memories.
I was born under a house, when I was 3 or 4 weeks old there was a terrible heat wave and my mother went away. I lived under what I now know was a Chevy Impala and ate crickets even though I didn’t have many teeth. I was sick, and hungry, but I found a human who needed me very much and I moved in with him. I ate his lunch. He didn’t mind. I ate all of it. I’m 2 years old now, and we are still together. I just found out I don’t have any scary diseases. I hope I can be as wise and helpful as you are. I will keep guarding my human. He is sad now because you are sick, but he also knows that we don’t live as long as they do. Peaceful Passing Sparkle, and thank you for making my human change my litter before going to concerts, not after.
Spirkle, nous ne te connaissions pas … mais nous avons appris ton départ pour le paradis des chats par nos copains les Swiss Cats …
Nous pensons fort à toi, et nous allumerons une bougie pour toi, dès que nous le pourrons.
Notre Chatdesîles envoie ses amitiés à tes maîtres …
Run free Sparkle where ever you are!
Hugs,
Lily Belle & Muffin
I am so sorry to be reading this. I’ve been following Sparkle for years. 🙁
We are all praying for a Sunday Catintee.
Be strong, Sparkle.
Adeus FaÃsca…
Goodbye Sparkle, we will miss you so much.
Moe
Mindy
Cookie
Mike
Sparkle, you are over the bridge but never gone. We are sad but we WILL ALL meet again! Until that time you enjoy your newfound health and visit with all of those there with you. We know you will enjoy watching the going ons here from your sunshiny catnip field over the bridge. Thank you for all you accomplished with your life and the guidence you gave to your human. Until we meet again sassy girl.
Luvs
Skeeter and Izzy and the Feral Gang + Twig & Peanut & Romeo
So sorry to hear of Sparkles’s passing. May your family always have beautiful, warm fuzzy cat memories. With prayers and blessings, Kiki Kat.
Sparkle – I just saw the post that Meowmeowmans wrote. I have been a little out of the blogosphere this week and I am shocked to learn of your passing. Tears are running down my face as I type. you have touched my and so many hearts deeply. Your memory will live on in all of our hearts and souls. run free…
Sparkle, you will be missed.
Oh, Sparkle, and you Mom. We just learned about you, your blog, your illness and your leaving. We are so sorry. It’s such a difficult time for you and your loved ones.
You’ve certainly touched a lot of lives.
Dear Sparkle,
Thank you for being such a beautiful cat with such an interesting personality.I enjoyed your blog very much. I will miss you.
With love to your family
I have only learned of Sparkle’s passing early this morning. After reading this, your last post, I have tears running down my face and my heart is breaking. Too sad for words. I’m so sorry for your loss. I will treasure Sparkle’s book always and keep her in my heart. ((hugs))
You were a very good cat, and a very good friend. Thanks for sharing your sunshine with the world, Sparkle.
xoxoxo
Darling darling Sparkle, I shall be so sorry to lose you. Have loved reading your blog, and seeing your beautiful photos. I will shed many tears for your passing.
Good bye Sparkle you will be missed.
So very, very sad and sorry to hear this news. There are no words I can say that have not already been said by someone else, but I wanted to express my condolences and sympathy to Sparkle’s family. We have all been touched by her beauty and spirit… and I hope that our shared grief and memories of Sparkle will bring her family comfort during this time. Much love, lots of hugs, purrs, and headbumps from our family to Sparkle’s. Rest in peace, sweet Sparkle, knowing you were loved by many. <3 <3
I am just too stunned right now to say much more than that the cats and I love you dearly, sweet kitty, and have been honored by your support and friendship all these years.
I don´t know what to say.
Thank you Sparkle to stay here with us.
I´m so sad. I´m terrible sad.
I love you forever, here, so so far in Brazil.
You will be forever in our hearths.
I am crying.
I don´t believe.
Hugs for your humans.
Sparkle, your light and words will shine forever. Our thoughts are with you and your human. ♥♥♥
I am so very sorry. Goodbye dear Sparkle.
Wes will miss you furevers Miss Sparkle..My Mamas eyes are raining fur yous..We loves you..also sending hugs fur Miss Janiss, Boodie and Binga..I has to go hug Mama now..
Thank you for it all. Your voice has done a great deal of good in the world. We remember.
Wes sad. Sparkle was a bright star that burned out too soon.
Me will miss her and her antics.
Wes send all of yous love, condolences and strength.
Kisses and healing and loving purrs
Nellie
I am very sorry to hear about Sparkle. I have had to go through this twice myself this last year, one expected and one unexpected.
Oh you sweet girl, how shocked I was to hear of your passing. I am beyond sad and know your human and family are are as well. Your humor, inner and outer beauty, and sage advice were admired by my Ms. Phoebe and I, and more recently my newest fur kid Clove. I thank you for many a entertaining moments on otherwise dreary and sad days and for all the kindness you always showed to Phoebe and cats with special needs like her.
I know you said you and your human don’t believe in the Bridge, I don’t know myself what is beyond but I do believe our spirits are still out in the universe. Whether they appear in an experience, another living being, a memory, song/sound, or color we see I know you are out there. That snarky wit and to the point wisdom is too special to end- you will be remembered always dear Sparkle. My deepest condolences go out to your Mom, Binga, Boodie, and family. I know how much you meant to them and they you, and I am so grateful your fans worldwide had the privilege of them sharing you with us. I know you came from a long and distinguished lineage of stunning show cats, including your Dad and now are reunited with them thus marking you as a true royal and forever beloved Queen.
Fly free Queen Sparkle, you have earned your golden wings and crown. 💜💋😽😿🌷🌺💗🌸
We were so shocked and saddened to hear of Sparkle’s passing. We loved stopping by and seeing what she had to say. We especially appreciated it when she would leave messages on our blog. Sending our love and purrs to comfort you in this time of sadness. The world is a little less bright without all that Sparkle brought to it.
Marty and Mom
Big hug to your family.
We join in wishing Sparkle’s mom and family our snuggles and purrs. While we didn’t comment much and our blog has been dormant for almost a year, we still insisted that mommy read us all about Sparkle when she could.
Whether we will meet again is anycat’s guess but if so, we await that opportunity with great pleasure.
Rest easy and shine!
Sparkle, you touched so many people–and so many cats–in so many ways. What a wonderful legacy. You will be missed. Sending a hug and warm thoughts to your humans, and hoping little summer can help ease some of the sadness.
Purrs from from Life with Dogs and Cats
So sorry to hear the sad news – thought Sparkle was looking a little rough around the edges. Sparkle is beautiful, I am assuming he is a Somali. I have had three Somalis through the years. I know this is a hard time and my hearty is with you.
I adore Somalis!
Sparkle, we only recently met but I’m so sad to read this news. We will miss you as I’m sure your mom and family will too. I hope Summer knows she has big paws to fill.
I’d like to express my sincerest condolences….please know I am sending loving, healing energy your way.
We are so sorry. Please know that Sparkle was dearly loved. Today there are tributes to her all over the blogosphere. She touched many lives. Healing hugs and purrs to Sparkle’s family. Love, Cali ,Andy, Tater and Shelly (C.A.T.S)
Oh my cat!
We just came from Savannah’s Paw Tracks, and she dedicated a post just for you, sweet Sparkle cat!
We are truly truly sorry about your illness. We are now following your blog. From what Savannah said, you are a wonderful cat and you rose awareness to things nobody cared much about.
As I said, this is the first time we have been to your blog. But I still teared up for you.
â€Siamese Smothers and Tuxie Tickles†from Mikko and Jax at Happiness is Siamese!
Oh Sparkle. We all have tears in our eyes. You have had a HUGE impact on my life, and Miracle Max’s life, because without you, he would not have been saved. Bless your kitty heart <3
Oh beautiful Sparkle. I just heard the news over at Ms Savvy’s. I hope you are happily playing with friends, free of pain and ailments. I am Jazz Cat Jay and Little Miss Satchie’s human. Even though they don’t blog much nowadays, they do remember you. Especially Jay.
They also send lots of purrs to your family.
Very gentle purrs for the family you have left behind. Hugs, too.
You will be missed.
::sniff::
Sweet goodbyes, Sparkle. You will be sorely missed. Healing hugs for your human.
Faythe @ GMT~
oh dear Sparkle, you shall be missed. Rest well, dear.