A couple of years passed and my precious Nipper passed away at 14 years of age. I was heartbroken. I begin to notice Tom was beginning to hang around more. He was causing problems fighting with my neighbors cats, be ran off to return a few hours later. One day he came up to me meowing in a meek manner as if to say help me! I am starving and needing love! He looked extremely ill so I broke down and gave him some of my little girls food that I had not donated yet. He ate and was back the next morning. My neighbor was not happy about this new situation. I decided to put him in the TNR program, figurine once he was neutered he would be unhappy and on his way.
Amazingly he allowed me to pick him up, place him in a carrier, then drive him to our local shelter. He seemed sad when I left but I advised I would return in a couple of days to bring him back to his community. I remember that when I did return for him, he looked so sad and was like a limp dishrag with the worker carried him out to me. He saw me and the body language changed immediately. I remember thinking he is happy someone returned for him!
Needless to say he lived with me as an outside kitty for three years. He loved his heated house. Played with my neighbors cats and never roamed far from home. People would walk by and say is that they cat that use to roam the streets and I would advise yes and that could not believe how beautiful he had become.
He was my protector! Anybody strange that would come to visit would be meet by a glare and while in my house he would sit on the porch doing his crying which all said sounded like him screaming mom mom mom!
On Sunday night, October 21st at 10:30 would be the last time I would see him. Gave him a late snack and a few rubs on the head and said rest well! Mom will see you at 5:00 am for your breakfast. Monday morning he was not there! Looked for him but could not find. Left for work thinking he had went on a rare adventure. That evening no TomTom when I got home. Started looking, making phone calls, place missing signs, etc.
One week later received a call from a man who lives one street over. He had found TomTom dead in the yard on Tuesday. Advised me there was no apparent injuries and that he looked like he had just fell asleep there. He had disposed of the body and had only seen my sign earlier on Sunday morning.
I hope that he is wrong that is not TomTom! But I have had no other calls or sightings of this little boy. My heart is broken! I believe I will see him again and that he is looking over me if he has crossed the bridge.
Love you TomTom! Hoping for a sign that you are alright and happy!
