Big Boy – Ragdoll of the Week

My beautiful Big Boy came into my life after I saw his photo on a post from Feline Friends Rescue. My friend is a foster mom for them and I commented on how beautiful this kitty was. She said I should come see him. Just for a visit. Well, she knows me too well. She knew it would be love at first site. And it was. His fur was shaved so he looked Siamese. He was friendly with big beautiful eyes. It was truly love at first sight. Oh god. I already had four cats and two dogs. I did not need a fifth cat. But he needed me.

Big Boy spent his entire life with a single guy as a single cat. When he was 12 or 13 he was surrendered because his dad decided to move to a place that took no pets. I filled out the application. The owner of the rescue wasn’t sure he’d do well coming to my home. But the foster mom told her to trust me. She knew how I was with my fur babies, and she knew he’d be deeply loved. And so a few days later, he came home with me.

They told me to introduce him slowly and it would take time. Possibly a long time. Well…..Not so much. The next day I sent them a picture of Big Boy, also referred to as Mr. Big eating with the other four cats. Even the dogs liked him. Full assimilation into the family within 12 hours. His temperament was so mellow and sweet. I think the other animals much have known he was not a threat. They all gravitated toward him. They snuggled, napped, bathed with him. He was home.

Mr. Big quickly became, “my cat.” He slept with me almost every night. Except when I went away once. He was so mad he gave me the cold shoulder for weeks. But he eventually came around. Mr. Big would lie on my chest and stretch his big fluffy paws up around my neck for hugs, and rest his face on my cheek. Those big brown fluffy feet reminded me of tarantula feet. I’d never had a cat with brown legs before. Loved the tufts coming out between the pads. As his fur grew back he got fluffier and fluffier. I was shocked at the change. Equally surprising was how little I had to brush him and he never matted!

Mr.Big had no patience at all for me working when it was “his time.” This was often, whenever he felt like it, or wasn’t napping. He would sit on my computer or yell at me until I picked him up. Luckily he could be distracted with a sunny window or his stuffed banana. Mr. Big also like a nice box to hide in now and again.

After about a year, I noticed something wasn’t right. I brought my love to the vet and after trial and error I brought him to a specialist and we found out he had bladder cancer and tumors on his adrenal glands. We tried medication for a while but it did not work. The surgery and treatment was not likely to go well, and with the odds so slim and the price so high, we kept him on medication to keep him comfortable. He seemed pretty happy, and the vet said I’d know when it was time. Not long after there was a very noticeable decline and he seemed to be in distress. I had to make the heartbreaking decision to put my heart aside and make the best choice for him. I had the mobile vet come to my home and held him as his life slipped away.

Mr. Big came to me when my family was going through a very difficult time. For the short time I had him, he gave me so much joy and happiness. He was my heart, my love. I wouldn’t trade a single moment with him. I adopted him because he needed me, but it turned out I needed him too.

My heart was broken the day I lost him and still cry about it. I will always miss my magnificent boy . But now I’m starting to heal and the hole is slowly closing. I’ve decided to become a mama to a new baby Ragdoll. His name is GusGus and he’s coming from Willetteragdol in Massachusetts right after Halloween. I’ve always rescued my kitties. But I have fallen in love with this breed and I need this new baby. He won’t replace my Big Boy. But he will be a new special kitty to love.

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