HENRY - HENRY, THE EIGHTH I AM - UNCLE HENRY '80 -'81 to 10/9/98


Henry - the Sentinel Cat
(From Momcat)

From whence you came we did not know
And once food was offered you didn't go.
So many years have come and gone,
You were here with us, steadfast and strong.

You were the protector - the alpha cat
For any other there was no welcome mat.
You guarded the door, the yard, the drive
No others were allowed inside.

So many battles, but we understood
"Henry's the protector - it's for our own good."
We'd get out the peroxide and the Epson Salts
The icon you were - you never balked.

When new kittens arrived
It showed Henry's other side.
You washed them and guarded them and watched them grow
Unfortunately you also had to watch most of them go.

When your best friend moved out to live
A life at college -- you did forgive.
But also waited patiently in the drive
To be there whenever he would arrive.

Time has gone by and your body has aged
But your spirit's so strong, it can never be caged.

On this fateful day, on this, an October morn
You left us all here, alone and forlorn.
We sing praise to your life - proud sentinel you
And wish you sweet dreams, and bid you adieu.

Henry -- Thank you for sharing your life with us, we will always love you

 

My name's Henry and I've been around longer than 17 years. I lived most of my life just daring any cat to take over MY turf. I became a lot slower the last few years but I liked to bluff everyone into thinking I was still the boss and head of the pecking order. I was a street cat for about 2 years and even though I did receive regular meals after that and a warm house, I still preferred fresh squirrel and camping out. The squirrels started getting faster the last few years, because I couldn't seem to catch them anymore. The driveway was my favorite place, especially in the old house. I could just sit there all day waiting for another cat to cross into my territory or after Darrell left for college, I could sit there and wait for him to come home....sometimes I had to wait quite a while but it was always worth it when he came. He is the reason I got such a good home. He went around and fed me on the sly when I first started to hang out at the house I was to call home. He was the friend I really needed and so I decided to pay him back by becoming the protector for all the other cats. Then at the new house I liked that driveway too; that way I could be the first to know Mom Cat was coming home and supper would follow! I didn't get to camp out under the moonlight at the new house....something about me being old. OLD what is that...its not in my vocabulary and also something about raccoons and foxes and other creatures of the night. Momcat was afraid I might not be able to defend myself anymore and she knew I still could't walk away from a fight.

In April of 1998 I started having what they call seizures....they just told me about them because I didn't remember having them. I had one in April, two in May and one in July. MomCat started feeding me some really good fresh food and was so happy there were no more seizures.....unfortunately they caught up with me on October 7th at 9:45pm....I don't remember anything much after that except that I could still feel alot of love coming my way for another day or two.....then I guess I started seeing glimpses of my old friends, Suki and Samauri, Tinker and Tango and Sheba, Scat-Scat and TC, Misty and Peru and of course Ichabod and Gumby....Now I am with them all at the bridge, but I will send my spirit to stand guard, after all that's my job.....and yes, YouBe - you are now in charge on the earth plane...

They will not go quietly,
the cats who've shared our lives.

In subtle ways they let us know
their spirit still survives.

Old habits still make us think we hear a meow at the door.
Or step back when we drop a tasty morsel on the floor.

Our feet still go around the place the food dish used to be.
And, sometimes, coming home at night, we miss them terribly.

And although time may bring new friends
and a new food dish to fill,

That one place in our hearts belongs
to them....and always will.

GOOD BYE MY PROUD WARRIOR -- GOOD BYE HENRY -- WE WILL ALL MISS YOU

Links to pet-loss sites

Send mail to:

MomKat.

Back to My old Furry Friends Page

To My Friend Gumby's Memorial Page

To My Friend Slick's Memorial Page

To My Friend Ichabod's Memorial Page

 

This page written on the day of Henry's final journey October 9, 1998 to honor his life on this earth

Music - Shebaug S'mor by Turlough O'Carolan,