In memory of sweet Leo

Leomc123

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
858
Purraise
1,725
Today is exactly one year since my little leo passed away, he was such a gentle soul for a big cat.
13 years ago he just showed up in my backyard just hanging around, when i saw him i gave him a pet and some food and sat down with him. He wasn't afraid of me it was we kind of just clicked together. When i sat down with him, after eating, he would quickly push himself on to my lap. I let him sit with me for a while but i remember thinking my mum will be annoyed that he showed up, so i slowly picked him off my lap and put him on the ground and again he would push himself onto my lap for a pat. I thought this is a one off thing and he definitely must have an owner and he will disappear on me like the other cats that previously passed by the backyard . I was wrong. Every day out of the blue at different times he would show up and it became a daily thing were i would feed him, let him sit on me and let him go to where ever he needed to go at night.
Then one or two months after this, i found him sleeping in the morning on the backyard chair swing sleeping like he owned the place, on this day i knew he wanted to stay with me and i was really happy that he wanted to stay.
From the day he randomly showed up he always put a huge smile on my face, when i was down, he knew and would come to me and sit with my by my side and nudge his booffy head into my lap and push himself on to me.
He enjoyed very long belly rubs and would quickly turn over on my lap for a long session of belly rubs and massages. I didnt mind giving him rubs half asleep in the mornings before work.
Leo was a talk-a-tive cat, the minute i open the door to feed him he would meow as if to say " where have you been its dinner time" and he would meow and chirp while walking with me around the backyard for me to place the food as if to say " hurry the hell up, come on move faster" .

I would have mini conversations with him, when my day was a crappy day , i even found myself many times asking Leo for advice "So what would you do Leo? How would you fix this ? Leo why is everyone a nutjob except you ? I would even talk to him after an argument with someone is my house i would come out, and tell him what they said and the issues lol

At night time he would tell me off if i was taking too long to get back inside the house, he would sit on the back stairs, and then meow at me as if to say "hurry the hell up, i wanna go inside to sleep of your bed" and i would be ok buddy im coming .

When i would return from work or going out , he would be sitting there in the drive way waiting for me to greet me, everyday without fail he was there.
At night he would sleep on my bed, i would give him belly rubs till he falls asleep. Other times i would lay my hand on the bed and he would rest his boofy head on my hand as a pillow. Its amazing that i was able to sleep in the most awkward positions just so that he could rest his head on my hand lol.

He would wake me up by tapping me on the nose with his paws very gently, if he wanted to be let out to go outside to relieve himself. He was very smart as well, i didnt have to train him for anything, it was like he just listened and knew what to do , leo was like a mini human, you could tell he understood was i was telling him and instructing him to do.

Leo my buddy i really miss you, i miss petting you and hugging and kissing your head at night, and i miss seeing you every morning , when you went my days have been really lonely, empty and sad. You would always brighten days with my illness so much so that you made it tolerable to exist because of the fact that you were just there always. This year was a hard year without you, so much crap went on , and all i had was a star in the sky to look up to at night and a few photos and videos to look at of you every morning and night and when i am feeling down. New years day was hard when watching the fireworks trying not to cry remembering you last year not being able to walk while we were watching the fireworks together :(

And today was even harder pretending to everyone that i didn't remember that today was the day last year i put you down. Just so that they thought i wasn't upset.

I love you little leo my buddy, and i wish i can see you soon.
 

Attachments

Last edited:

jefferd18

Ms. Jeff's Legacy
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2019
Messages
2,269
Purraise
2,067
Your Leo reminds me of my Jeff, and not just in looks either. I never knew where Jeff came from and I always joked that she fell from the sky one day and landed in my back yard- it sounds very similar to your discovery of Leo.

I am sorry about his passing but it sounds like he had a wonderful and fun 13 years with his best friend- YOU- and I have no doubt that you two will be together again.

Lei was handsome, smart, kind, and somewhat mysterious. There is just something magical about those tabby cats.
 
Last edited:

Maria Bayote

Mama of 4 Cats, 4 Dogs , 2 Budgies & 2 Humans
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 15, 2018
Messages
4,171
Purraise
12,686
These tributes always get to my soul. Darn it! Onions at a very early time of the day!

There will always, always be an animal who will touch our lives and our hearts in a way nobody else could. And only pet lovers like us will ever understand how deeply painful it is to lose a best friend - be it a cat or a dog or a bird. And when you think the grief is over, anniversary will come up - reminding us again that the pain is still there - even greater.

You obviously had bonded with Leo, and I am very sorry that you have to go through this sadness all over again. Hang in there. Leo would not want you to feel this bad. I can almost imagine him yelling at you and saying, "Hey Buddy! Hurry the hell up and get yourself together again!"

We are all here for you. Hang in there.
 

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,577
Purraise
22,949
Location
Nebraska, USA
As Maria said, there always seems to be that one special one that showed up right when we needed them. One we can communicate with, one we can bare our soul to, and they understand......
I believe Leo was in your life for a reason, you needed him as much as he needed you. To have never met him at all would have changed your life, there would have been an emptiness taht would be impossible to fill. As it was, it changed your life for the good. It was meant to be.
These anniversaries come around for a reason, to pause and to reflect back on a time we miss, to remember what those sweet little ones meant in our lives.
To be remembered after we are gone is an honor. To be missed and mourned over is a tribute to those wonderful times we shared and who we shared them with. It connects us once more to the feelings and emotions of the past, the good and the bad, and it revives the tie we will always share with that one little one who made such a difference in our lives at that one period of time. RIP sweet Leo!
 

Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
31,173
Purraise
67,765
Location
North Carolina
Rest you gentle, Leo, dream you deep. Your pawprints are on someone's heart forever.

What a lovely boy he was, and is, and always will be. You can be sure that his Love for you, which never dies, is with you still, and will remain with you always. SIGH...but that knowing doesn't ease the pain of missing his physical body next to you. I cried a bit when you spoke about him sleeping with his head in your hand. Hekitty does the same thing to me, and I know it is one of the things I will miss the most when I have to say "goodbye" to her.
 
Top