Farewell, My Dear Red Shop Cat

Tuesday marks a very sad day for us here as our dear Shop cat, Red, died. It happened so fast, we barely had time to rush him to the vet to figure out what was wrong. Sunday, I was playing with him in the yard, And by Tuesday night, he spiraled out of control. We bundled him up in a blanket at 3 am on a cold rainy morning for a trip to the emergency vet, but by the time we arrived, his temperature had dropped severely and the vet gave us the grim prognosis. There was only one option, and after seeing Red's condition plummet over the past 24 hours, I was in agreement.
Over the past 15 years, we have had a total of 6 cats, and for me, Red was one of those cats that was truly unique. I really don't know how to describe him in terms that people would understand. I mean, all of our cats are great in their own way, but with Red, it's like there is something noticeably missing in our lives. He was not just a cat, but a friend...if that makes sense. He would sleep on my shoulders while I painted, climb on my lap while I folded, and steal my milk whenever I would drink coffee. He had to be on me whenever I sat down and would follow me everywhere. He was probably one of the oldy cats I was able to take for walks without him wandering away ( too far anyway). He was handsome, easy going, and well behaved. And he would get along with any cat and most dogs ( at least all the dogs I've ever seen him around) instantly. He was just so likeable to everyone and everything that ever met him. It happened so fast, and even now, I am still stunned by the loss. He had no health issues ( other than chronic bad breath) and was frisky and cuddly just two days prior. Perhaps it is a blessing that he did not linger for two weeks like poor Zulu ( another Awesome cat!) with the vets scrambling to figure out what to do while our bank account dwindles! Anyway, This blog post might be a little sad, but he was a great cat and I'm sure impossible to replace. We still have two cats that are wonderful in their own way, But cats like Red only seem to come around once in a blue moon. I look forward to seeing him again, someday. Because I'm sure that he'll be waiting for me in heaven along with Zulu, Sasha and Orange. Rest in Peace, Red. Your light was very bright and over much too quickly. And I will miss you very, very much....