Sparky

2001 - 2017

SPARKYS STORY

In late 2001, Sparky picked us by attaching himself to Ann at the Siamese Rescue Center in Copple Texas. He was just a very young kitten at that point and he chose us. We took him home in North Richland Hills, Texas, on the back seat of the car and he meowed all the way to his new home. He was set down on the floor and when he saw Sunshine, our other Siamese cat, he immediately ran over and fell on her. She just looked at him probably thinking, what is this. Sparky got his name from his coloring, white with red and yellow Siamese highlights. When we got him he had this brown crusty thing attached to the top of is nose. Although it did not appear to bother him, we were worried about it. I was washing his face and when I got it wet it softened and came off. It was a food crust as he had rooted in his food. He became a vacume cleaner for foot which ultimately got his weight up to 18 pounds over his life. Sparky was a sickly kitten though, but Ann, his new mommy, nursed him back to health. Sunshine accepted him almost immediately as her own kitten and they lived together in North Richland Hills, Texas until I was laid off at my job. We moved from North Richland Hills to Columbus, Ohio where they lived in a two story apartment and watched other animals outside the windows and the first flakes of snow. In January we moved to Tampa, Florida where they had their first ventures outside in a pool enclosure. They loved the Sunshine and Sparky soon saw other animals, to watch that were outside the screen. In 2006 we moved back to Texas and into a house in Bedford. I think both Sunshine and Sparky missed being able to go outside, but enjoyed sitting in windows, open or closed, to watch the world go by. Sparky was like a kid brother to Sunshine and she had her special spots that he could not get to. After a few years Sunshine came down with cancer and we lost her. He immediately felt alone, so we adopted another male Siamese kitten for him to be company with by the name of Sky.. The got along almost immediately. They lived well together in Bedford until I retired in 2015. We moved again and into this home in Winter Garden, Florida. At first they couldn’t go outside, but soon we put in a pool and a pool screen and they then got to go outside every day. After a while Sparky would know my sounds as I came home from work and meet me either at the front or garage door without fail. He just wanted my attention, which of course I gave him. Sparky liked taking sun baths and just watching nature in the mornings after he ate. They would take naps on the glider or on the carpet outside the bedroom door or sit there looking out at nature going by. That’s why I chose this spot to put his remains, as it was the one area he always watched over when outside.
One of the more personal and special times with Sparky and his brother Sky was when they joined us on our bed as we settled down for the night. Sometimes, if we ignored Sparky he would start licking our hair until he seemed to make the spot raw! The joke was waking up with kitty spit hair. Both Sparky and Sky would both want their heads and ears rubbed and rooted, with their heads until I did it. Once we fell asleep they would leave to sleep in their own beds or snuggle up next to us for warmth and love. Other places Sparky had a special bed was in the RR room, where he could be close to me as I did my model railroading. Another place was his “cat cave” in my railroad closet on top of a box under the cabinet. After noticing him go there, I put “his special gray blanket” with the red heart sown on it and that was given to us when he was a kitten and was only his, across the top of the box for him to sleep on. I wrapped him in the same blanket he is now buried in. In August 2017 he was showing signs of getting thin and we took him to the vet where he was diagnosed with kidney problems and hyper thyroid of which we received medication and special food for. We treated him as the vet told us, but of course time catches up with us all. His age was between 16 and 17 years old. With medication his health and weight loss appeared to level off and he was still full of life walking around, eating, sleeping and giving me head bumps when he wanted me to get him something. As soon as I would stand up he would start to lead me, stopping every ten feet of so and to look back and make sure I was following him. He was usually after food or wanting to go outside.
On the morning of November 22, 2017, his health went down quickly. I rushed him to his doctor and they gave him little chance to recover. To spare him any further pain it was decided that it was his time, and to let his now tortured life go to bring him peace with no further pain. His doctors love him and thought he was a handsome boy and great patient, but they agreed it was time to bring him peace. I held him close as they did so. I never let him go, even on the drive home. I brought his body home in my arms and I prepared his earthly container for its final resting place. May God watch over and keep him until I can join him again.
He loved to be with people and was a very calm and affectionate feline. He was a very special friend and will be missed dearly. If you have found his remains and are reading this story please just move him and put him back in the ground near this, the last home he lived in. I am sure his spirit will be very warm and agreeable to that. God please watch over him and take care of his soul.
Sparky’s companion, David Barron