Farewell Joey

It is with great sadness and a heavy broken heart that I write this farewell to our sweet Joey. We adopted Joey in November 2003 when he was about 6 months old. We also adopted his sister Peanut (also deceased) and a black cat we named Blaze. They were all feral (no human contact at birth and were basically untouchable), they came from a rescue organization that captures feral cats, fixes them, and tries to find homes for them. I locked them in the tack room for about 4 months with a cat box, food, water and places to hide. When you went in the tack room they would hide and hiss. Sometimes I would just sit with them when I fed them but mostly I just left them alone so they wouldn't view me as a threat. Slowly we started trying to touch a tail or leg that was accessible and away from any teeth. The first one to let us close was Joey. Within 4 months we could pet him a bit but he was still leery. But boy did that change. Blaze also ended up super friendly, Peanut we could never touch and she was killed on our very deserted private road by a car (strange).

After 6 months we could hold Joey in our lap and he would just cuddle into us. It was one of the most amazing transitions. He never bit or clawed. The worst of his clawing was how he would wrap his arms around you and hold on to your shoulders with his claws. As time went on Joey transitioned from being a barn cat to being a back porch and garage cat - vying to become a house cat. Every morning when I went out to the barn Joey would be there to walk out with me. However, he wouldn't just walk, he would insist on being carried on my shoulder so he could purr and cuddle. If for some reason you thought you weren't going to pick him up that day he would keep running in front of your legs and tripping you until you did pick him up. We always did.

Joey enjoyed all the boarders in the barn. He especially liked spooking horses in the arena when he would run through it while you were riding, or he'd decide to climb the posts as you rode by. Sometimes he hung out on the railing and I could have sworn he was preparing to jump on the back of the saddle as I went by, just for a fun ride.

Joey was only about 3 years old when his tragic death occurred on Tuesday, July 18th, 2006. He was crushed in the top of our garage door when we closed it and it broke his back. We couldn't save him. It is a vivid image I don't think I'll ever forget.

He was only here to bless our lives for 2 1/2 years, and wow what an impact! From trusting no one when he came to becoming the most trusting and loving pet I've ever had (and if you know me you know I've had a lot of pets, and lost a lot too). I wouldn't trade that time with him for anything. But I'm a little mad that he was taken away from me.

Joey was slowly becoming an indoor cat. I think it was just a matter of time. I imagine he is sleeping in God's house now and will be waiting for me there in heaven.

It just wouldn't be right to not mention what an amazing hunter this little guy was. My barn is mouse free, rat free, bird free, and even bat free. He and Blaze were always leaving me special presents to clean-up. The best one/worst one, was the rat - yuk!

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