Waiting at the Rainbow Bridge

Benson 2001 (?) to December 28, 2006

Benson came to live with us in September of 2003. We had seen him at Petco the weekend before we left for a week's vacation. I was immediately drawn to him for some reason... All these years of working in shelters and volunteering with rescue groups I have seen THOUSANDS of animals that needed a home and this cat just drew me in.... I told my DH that if he was still there when we got back that I wanted to add him to our "zoo" of pets. Thinking that he would be adopted by then Jimmy agreed and we went on vacation. Two days after we returned I went back to Petco and that pretty white cat was gone. OK so it wasn't meant to be after all. About a week later I was back buying something or another (we had six pets at the time so Petco was a weekly stop) and there he was! I almost tripped over myself running to him. I asked an employee to contact the rescue group and the volunteer gave me his known history. Yes, I understand he is blind in one eye (I can see the dark splotch), oh I didn't know it was due to a head injury... yes I answered I have had a pet with a heart murmur but that didn't mean he didn't deserve a home. Yes, I would take him whenever someone could meet me there after I filled out an application by phone. Well, I didn't have to wait long, within an hour I had him loaded up taking him home. Come to find out he had been in foster care and in and out two different Petco locations for the past 5 months. Cats with health problems seem to be harder to place I guess.... but I think he was just waiting for me.

His name was "Benny" but it didn't fit the regal boy I immediately came to love. I renamed him Benson by that evening. He was a fun loving cat, acted like he had been around dogs all his life, didn't seem to mind the hisses from the other cats as they got acquainted, never met a stranger... he would run to the door to see who was there and greet with them with small mews and purrs! He loved everyone! He played with toys ALL the time... he liked the dog toys almost as much as his smaller cat toys. We used to laugh at him as he struggled to carry a large squeaky toy around. He kept my feet warm in bed every night and woke me up with kisses on my nose every morning. I am going to have a hard time sleeping without him......

I guess our sweet Benson knew he had a lot of life to live in too short of time because he lived it well and full steam ahead. The heart murmur took him from us...and in a shocking way.... but if I had it to do over again I would....

You went away much too fast, much too soon and I am very much sad at having to say farewell to you. That heart murmur ended your sweet life so suddenly....and without warning. In my wildest dreams I would never imagine how it would end.... or how soon.

Oh Benson I would gladly bring you home again buddy. I listened to a song today that reminded me that I could have missed the pain but then I would have missed the dance... I am so lucky to have danced through life with you for as long as we did, I just wish it had been longer. I'll dance with you again someday big boy. Until then there is a place in my heart that is yours.... only yours. Rest well sweet Benson, enjoy playing with Gabby & Samson..... until we meet again.

Cat