Toby

Oh my goodness, did he die a natural death or was he attacked by something? My poor kitty was attacked by coyotes. Sorry to bring that up, but you had said he was no longer with you and I wanted to know what happened, because he is so, so cute in these pictures-- --just a darling!!!!

"Hello...um, my name's Toby. Whatcha got?"

So cute. So sorry to hear he is no longer with you :-( He looks like a real character!

those darling feetsies! those sparling eyes ....

Aww Toby is precious. He is with good company, though I am sure he is deeply missed!

I hope Toby is happy in kitty heaven where he went far too young.

Toby was a beautiful little tuxedo cat. I'm sorry he's no longer with you, but I'm sure he's waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge!

Toby is so cute and I love all your photos of him. I'm sorry for your loss. It had to have been tragic to loose your beautiful boy. Even indoor only cats sometimes escape. I lost three of my childhood cats to the streets and now never let my furbabies out unless they are on a leash or fenced.

They are so cute at this age when they are no bigger than the rat. And he grew up to be beautiful (on Flickr). Alas, his rat catching hobby did him in, but he had a full, if short, life. I am thinking about him.

What a sweetie! It may just be me, but I didn't assume he died young or was killed by something, I just assumed he grew up, got old and died years later. Here's hoping that was the case. He really is cute!

Those rats look like they are your pets, are they? Little Toby looks like he is smaller than they are. I am sorry about your loss, as Toby was really a handsome cattie. I loved his adult photo too.

Hi. I'm Lorii, Toby's mum.

Losing Toby is so raw that seeing him chosen and reading your messages did reduce me to tears, but helped in many ways - so thank you :)

Jason got him for me after a serious operation & he was my shadow while I recovered, rarely leaving my side... even while I took a bath.

We already had an old feral cat but he was our first kitten, and he 'mothered' the next one we got - Pepper. He mothered everything, including those two fat rats (although through glass), Pepper and two new rescued cats too.

The next thing did was to chomp his tail, which grew back stumpy, and when he finally got to go outside to the garden he lived for sitting on the window bars watching the world go by. He had the odd spat with another cat which left him with a tear in his ear, but had a stomping ground of three or four houses either side so didn't stray. Plus he spent nearly every night either in my arms being cuddled or at my feet.

3 weeks before he died Pepper was injured by a car just outside - another one using our quiet road as a rat-run. The x-rays showed while her pelvis and bones were broken vet thought she'd recover over time - it depended on how she coped with the first night. Next morning he phoned to say she was actually paralyzed so went to hold her while she was put to sleep. She wasn't 2,

When we got home Toby was on the bed and didn't leave for days while I cried... they do that don't they... know you're upset. I said to Jason I would happily have all our animals re-homed if it meant I could keep Toby safe. I feel that I was tempting fate as 3 weeks later at night the RSPCA called. He'd been hit on the same road and we had to get there immediately. He said it was bad but not how bad til we saw him and sat next to his face and stroked him til it was over. The vet said he suffered massive brain damage so we're thankful that he probably didn't suffer beyond the impact.

We'd already agreed on a kitten for xmas as I'd spent a year in hosp with MS, but I felt Toby might think he was being replaced. It sounds daft but I believe in some afterlife of sorts. Later on though Jason said we should as it would be the kitten losing out not being in such a fab home... but I said no way another b/w one.

We found an ad for bengal-cross kittens and were told we could have one that day. Drove over to be told was only 1 kitten we could take ... and put a Toby in my arms. He snuggled and purred instantly. It feels like Toby had a paw in it, though Jason tells me I'm a bit silly, but Billy settled immediately.

Toby's ashes came back in a beautiful carved box with name-plate. I wonder if he was sent to help through some tough times, but then he had to go back. If that sounds melodramatic, or I'm sort of deluding myself what the hell... he was special.

I've told Billy his bb's here. but don't think he understood... there's no Cat/English on Babelfish :)

Lorii
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