burning koala

At the end of October this year, Bandit finally reached the end of a wonderful and comfortable life. He was a cat that everyone loved and was happy to make your acquaintance and become your best friend. Whether all that attention from a 15 pound cat was wanted – one that would hop on your lap as soon as look at you – was a whole other issue.

When Angela and I moved to Australia, we had one big problem. The cats that I had for years and years were still going strong, but too old for most people to want to take on. We were soon set to leave when our friend Jodi offered to take them both as new additions to here home. This was a big undertaking as Jodi has recently lost her own long-term cat. Boo was already suffering from a thyroid problem, and it was clear that the best of his days were behind him. Not so bad when you remember that he was about 17 at this time. But it was a burden we didn’t want to put on anyone. Jodi was wonderful to take him and Bandit into her home.

Although Boo passed away last October, we thought that by all signs Bandit would continue going strong for a few more years. But recently his kidneys started to fail and he lost a lot of weight. It was time after all. He was happy and content until the end and the only sad part is that a friend had grown attached to both cats to have them pass away too soon. I can’t feel too sad for Bandit as I only remember him as the happy and silly cat that he was. More dog than cat, really. He would fetch, sit in your lap or by your feet, and come running when you called him. He was big and cuddly, but never grown up. It was like having a kitten the size of a large sack of flour.

Bandit, we’ll miss you. You had a great impact on everyone who knew ya and even made a cat lover out of a curmudgeon like me– allergies included. I’d say “chase mice wherever you are”, but you never went for that kind of thing. I just hope you have a nice warm lap to lie in.

You can see pictures of Bandit’s life here.