Sam "Feyd-Rautha" Cronin

Sam "Feyd-Rautha" Cronin

Born: approx the first week of April 2001

Died: Sunday, May 9, 2010

Sam was my favorite pet ever in my life...and I've had quite a few...

I found Sam (and Toby) when they were about 5 weeks old outside of Liberty Christian Church. Gerrard got them some milk and we left to play disc golf. When we returned, they were still there and crying like crazy so into my car they went. My goal was to call C.A.R.E. and find them a home, but they had no room for two kittens and asked if I'd take care of them until they were able to find a foster family. By the time they called me back two weeks later, I was in love.

Sam had surgery to remove a tumor about six weeks later and we've been happily buddies ever since. He has always been playful and loved to try to "tag" the camera everytime I was taking pictures. I think he thought he could catch the shutter:

He was a lot of fun and loved to play in Ella's tunnel with her.  Luckily she is too young to have a clue that he is gone.  What is the difference in four cats and three to an 18-month old?

Over the years, we've often compared Sam to a dog.  He is always at the door to greet us when we arrive home.  He is always at the door to greet guests when they visit.  Just ask anyone who has been over, Sam's actions always say, "Hey, let's be best friends!"  He was fun and funny (and a bit dumb), but really - the best pet I've ever had.  I love my dog (see post from Thursday) and I love Toby.  I have come to love Monkey and Hobbes, too (Jeff's two cats)...but I LOVED SAM.

On Sunday - Mother's Day - I came home from a big family lunch to find Sam lying on the floor not moving.  He was occasionally making a noise, but only when I pet him.  I got a sleeping Ella out of the car and into her crib, changed my clothes, and immediately put Sam in my lap on a towel.  It was obvious he was near the end.  I was hysterical - as my mom and husband, neither of which could understand my phone call.  Jeff had just arrived at his parent's house when I called and told him to come home immediately - Sam was dying.  I hung up and called my mom who was just 10 minutes away.  Her family was at her apartment doing their girl thing when I called and demanded her presence for Ella.

When she arrived she knew things were bad, but encouraged me to take him to the emergency vet just in case there was some way to save him.  Jeff arrived soon after and loaded a hysterical me (who would not let go of my cat) and Sam into the car.  Sam survived until somewhere in Lakeside.  We knew it was the end and pulled over to say good-bye...then continued to Carytown to have it confirmed that he had passed.

The vet at the emergency center was wonderful.  She took Sam from me and invited Jeff and I into a room for privacy.  We had just walked a block through Carytown and into their lobby while I was holding my dead cat and sobbing so to get out of the lobby was nice.  She confirmed he was gone and told Jeff how to get to the back door with the car so that I didn't have to carry Sam through a crowd again.

We brought him home and let Toby smell him.  I didn't want Toby to wonder where Sam had gone - they had been together since birth and I knew this was going to be traumatic.

This morning, I had Maggie's recheck from her emergency last week.  I took Sam with me so that I could have him cremated and returned to me for keeping.  Yep - I'm a crazy lady.  I had a boyfriend once whose mom had all their family dogs who had passed in little jars in a curio.  She would sing songs about the dogs to entertain us and I laughed and laughed.  I'm now going to be her.  I can't say that I won't be making up songs about Sam...especially when I tell Ella about the special jar holding my special cat.

Here is the most recent picture I have taken of Sam.  It was taken April 29, 2010:

Rest in peace, my precious Sam...