The Saga of Boots — Final Chapter

With a broken heart, I must let you know that our darling kitty Boots has passed away. Just before Christmas he developed a kidney infection that shortened his amazing life. He was just 10 years old.

When we captured Boots he was a wild kitten born in the gray barn on the farm. When I handed the little gray/ginger/white fluff-ball to my son (soon after Bootsie bit me with his razor-sharp little teeth), my son exclaimed “This is the happiest day of my life!” You see, my son never had a stuffed bear that he cared about, but from the time he was teenie, tiny, he owned a white stuffed cat that he could not live without. He outgrew Kitty only after Boots came into our lives. (I know Wes’ YaYa is reading this — thank you my friend for buying that stuffed animal for him all those years ago! Kitty still lives in my son’s closet.)

Some pictures of the day Boots arrived in our lives:

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From this wild beginning, Boots became a people cat almost instantly. We often talked about how unfulfilled his life would have been if he had stayed in the barn with no one to adore him and snuggle with him. Certainly our lives changed for the better the day he joined us.

These two best friends spent a lot of time together.

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The Saga of Boots and his bathroom remodel adventure is one of the most read posts on our blog.

These two best friends grew up together. Now my little boy is 18-years-old and Bootsie is gone.

Boots was my sewing buddy. The corner chair by the window in my sewing room has the best afternoon light and it was his favorite place to sleep alone in the sunshine. He also liked to be wherever we were — purring and snuggling and bringing comfort and a occasional gift for the sorry folks he lived with who were too dull to hunt for themselves.

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Whenever I moved a quilt and a book out to the lawn to enjoy a sunny afternoon, Boots could be counted on to show up and keep me company.

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When we moved across the street to a new and bigger house, Boots, who was an indoor-outdoor kitty, gained new territory, but he always went back across the street in the morning to inspect his old stomping grounds and explore the cliff and the stream located there.

We placed him at rest above the cliff, wrapped in his/my favorite fluffy bathrobe. We are heartbroken.

The last month without him has been difficult. There are too many monumental changes happening in my life right now. I was not ready for Boots to be one of them.

My long arm quilter, the Fabulous Ms. G., gave me a mini paper-pieced heart pattern that I completed this summer when I was visiting Cindy in Ohio. Now we are approaching Valentine’s Day and it’s high time I completed the quilting. Look who is featured in the February block:

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Boots was a tremendous once-in-a-lifetime friend and kitty. I’m glad he was in my life.

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20 thoughts on “The Saga of Boots — Final Chapter”

  4. piecefulwendy says:
    Reply

    Oh, this just makes me so sad. I’m so sorry, and sending a hug. I lost my kitty, Max, to kidney failure back in May. It broke my heart. Those little furbabies sure wiggle their way into our hearts and lives. You loved him well and deeply.

  5. Jeanette says:
    Reply

    Sorry to hear of your loss Wendy. We also lost our “Floozie” the week before Christmas to kidney infection. She was a rescue cat that my son adored for the last 11 years. She was 15 but so gorgeous, grey and petite. We still have our two black males but she will always have a special place in our hearts.

  6. rl2b2017 says:
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    Hi Sandy! I knew I didn’t want to read this post by the title. I am so very sorry that you had to part with such a beloved member of the family. It is so very hard. {{Hugs}} to all of you but especially your son. This is a transition year for him (and you) and should be full of all fun things. Such sweet pictures and I enjoyed each and every one of them – not only did he make your lives much richer but certainly the reverse is true. ~smile~ Roseanne

  8. Sparkle On! with Abbie says:
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    Sandy, I’m so sorry for your and you son’s loss of your beloved Boots. Thank you for sharing the happiness in the precious photos he brought to your lives and you to his. I know the pain can feel overwhelming at times. Give yourselves all the time you need to grieve.
    Sending hugs 💕

  10. Deb says:
    Reply

    Sandy, I am so sorry for the loss of you precious Boots. Your photos not only show how very loved he was and still is but he knew how much he belonged in your family. The most precious gift you can give is to be so loved and cherished. Allow yourself time to grieve and mend your broken hearts. Boots lived a most joyous wonderful life. There is a beautiful poem called “The Rainbow Bridge”. Hugs to you and your Son.

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