Memories that make you smile

I was talking to some people about animals today & told them about how when Smokey would sleep she would curl up into such a tight little ball she would snore. It made me smile to think of it. I know for those with recent losses you may not be at the point you can think of memories with smiles, but for others what are some of the memories of your babies at the bridge that make you smile. Another one of my favorites is how when my Mom would pull a turkey out of the freezer Smokey would instantly appear & follow her around the rest of the day meowing at her until the turkey was done & my mom would give her some of the skin.

Rang_27, I'm really glad you are now able to share some of your happier memories of Smokey with us.

Some of my happy memories of Midnight, who went to the Bridge in August 2001 are:

I can remember seeing her for the very first time at the no-kill shelter. She was sooooo young and healthy back then, and she really stood out from all those other cats.

The way she used to curl up and sleep next to my feet at night. She did this every single night for the entire 13 1/2 years she lived in our home.

The way she and Snowball were friends together. It was always so much fun to watch them playing and chasing each other around our home.

Those are just a few of my memories. I have far too many happy memories of Midnight to list them all here.

Rang_27 - Ditto what Lori said, glad you can smile now thinking about Smokey.

I can smile too when I think about my cockatiel Taj (though with a tear running down my cheek too). He went to the Bridge 12/30/02.

He was neglected by his previous owner and NOT socialized. I worked really hard with him, to the point where he would love to have me blow on his little head. He'd put his head down really fast, that was the signal. He could have sat there all day, but I had to stop before I passed out! lol.

He also loved to put his beak on my lips, feeling my warm breath on him. His eyes would be closed the whole time, I'd swear he was dozing.

What a great thread!!!

Jill and Candy

It takes time, but it is lovely when you can look back and smile without it hurting too much. I remember how my first cat Harry hissed at my Mum from under the sofa. This tiny ball of black fluff against a large human. He sure was going to take her on.
He was not a lap cat by any means but I loved him to bits. He was only 7 when he got feline lukemia. That was over 10 years ago - I still miss him.
Alexis

When Phideaux was young she was a terrific mouser (her mama was a barn cat) but we knew that time had passed one Christmas when she (and I) was about 10. She was sitting in front of the Christmas tree, grooming her hind end, when a mouse ran out from under the stairs, across the room within three feet of her, and out into the kitchen. She only paused to lift her head and watch him pass, her leg still in the air, then resumed her grooming! Dad asked her, "What are ya doin'??? Get after him!" and she just looked up at him as if to say, "What? Can't you see I'm busy here??"
She lived to be 16, but she never did catch another critter after that - guess she decided it was time to retire!

Snowflake used to beat up our Cocker Spanial Buster. SHe would wait for him to come in from out side (she wasn't allowed out) and when he came in she would jump from the table to his back, digging her claws in as he took the turns until she lost grip and flew two feet away. It was cruel but funny as could be, nobody ever got hurt, but it was useless to try and stop her. When Buster passed and Luckie came home, Snowflake wanted othing to do with him, but she got over it... The last picture taken of her is her and Luckie curled up on a chair. Her on the top, him on the seat... Close as she ever got to him. I sure do miss her lots.

thank you for sharing and sorry for your loss

Thanx for sharing your sweet memories with us. It means alot. I send hugs to help you get over your loss. (((((HUGS))))) I to, remeber the times my baby,Tigger would meow till I got home from scholl,then knock me over with sweet gentle kisses. I loved him so much! I miss my best childhood friend.

Lady was the first cat who owned me, and I smile when I remember I used to look through the letter box when I got home from work before opening the door and she was alway sitting on the back of the sofa staring at me, she must have known it was time for me to come home.

Blondie used to allow the willy wagtails to play all around her, she was a sweet, sweet cat.

Cilla, my darling Cilla, used to nibble my knee if I dared to be rude enough to read a book. (See you at the rainbow bridge, my beautiful girl).

Hercules, what can I say, the thought of him makes me smile through my tears. But I find it hard to pick any one thing out. 17 wonderful years with a great, great friend, not too long gone.

You know what makes me smile? These four babies playing together at the rainbow bridge Will they all come to meet me? I hope so.

My favorite memory is of my second cat, Smokey. Once I went outside with some meat scraps, and all of our cats, about five or six of them, gathered around me, but Smokey actually climbed up my leg, trying to get the meat. It was so funny.

There are so many...

Shasta climbing up a chest (mine or Rob's), delivering several vigourous head bonks directly in the face, than settling, rumbling, for a long snooze in the lap.

Shasta scolding if that snooze was interrupted before she was ready.

Shasta responding instantly to "Time for bed, love" if she was inside, but resolutely refusing to come in, if she was out at the time.

Gryphon's soft paw on the leg, becoming more and more demanding, if the human was slow to pick him up.

Gryphon's insistence on a cuddle as I crossed the yard on the way to the garage in the morning.

Gryphon's confiscation of my coat if I threw it down on the bed because I was going to put it back on in an hour or so...and his disgust when I insisted on taking it back.

Gryph was also the In-and-Out Cat -- ever heard Garrison Keillor's "The In and Out Song"? Gryph. Except for the snow verse.

Nibs's less subtle insistence on being picked up (by Rob) -- a not-at-all soft paw, accompanied by determined Siamese vocalization.

Nibs's complete trust in his security in Rob's arms, to the point where he twisted around in the strangest ways, and really wasn't safe at all some of the time, including, if I stopped to give him a scritch, squirming around and walking into my arms -- five feet off the ground -- and then back. We called him "caterpillar" at those times.

Nibs's impatience for his DAAAAAD to get home from work -- almost without fail, at some point between my arrival and Rob's, he'd wander (he always wandered, except when he was being a dangerous driver!) to the front hall, and YOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWL, until I told him to put a sock in it, and then he'd come back to the kitchen and insist I give him a lap.

Samantha, ever the kitten, regularly did the cartoon dash into the kitchen, slammed on the brakes, and slid on her bum into a wall or cabinet.

Sam was also the Drama Queen, and would not take being ignored lightly. If one meow didn't get the appropriate attention, she'd turn up the volume a couple of times and then, it would be a long string of meows, ending with one extended fortissimo MEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW! It worked.

I could go on. I won't. Good teary-eyed grins. Thanks for the thread.

I was reminded today of the little dog who used to live next door to us -- an animated dust-mop, named Bowfie, who used to defend his property vigourously against the cats next door (Shasta, and later Gryphon). I never laughed so hard as I did watching him attack the fence, when Shasta strolled over and taunted him -- because she most assuredly knew that walking over and lying down on the path a couple of feet this side of the fence would provoke a tirade from Bowf. I commented to our neighbour one day that she'd sure get a surprise if the fence gave way and Bowf got through. Paul opined that probably Bowfie would get a bigger shock. He was a cutie, too.