Tributes To My Friends: Audrey and Tippy

  Posted on January 1, 2017  by Joy of Living  No comments

Of all the posts I write in a year, this is always the hardest, writing tributes saying good-bye to friends that have passed away during the year.

In 2016, I lost two friends, Audrey the cat and Tippy the dog.  These girls had a few things in common.  Both were black, both were friends for a few years, and both had an abundance of attitude.

Audrey

I first met Audrey and her doggy sister, Abigail (who also happened to be black) in January 2010.  Abigail was a Lab mix, mellow and easygoing.  Her main goal was to have meals, go for walks and be doted on.

Audrey was a petite black cat with the most unusual voice I’ve ever heard.  It was insistent, with a strangled aspect to it.  Regardless of when she’d eaten her last meal, she always greeted me at the door, meowing loudly for her food.

Abigail passed away three years ago, and afterward Audrey was never quite the same.  She still had cattitude, still lived for mealtime, and craved attention.  Audrey would often sit in the same place that was Abigail’s favorite place to lie down, so though she was still trying to hang out with her doggy sister.

When I was sitting for Audrey a few months ago, it was easy to see something wasn’t right.  She wasn’t eating, rarely drank water, both very unusual behaviors for her.  I took her to the vet where she stayed until her family returned home.

I visited her a few days before she passed away.  It was easy to see she wasn’t feeling well, but she did pause to say hello one last time.

Audrey was a very special friend, and I will always miss her.

Tippy

Tippy, whom I nicknamed Tip Top, was a feisty black Pomeranian.  I met her a few years ago, and she became a good friend I visited on weekdays.

Much like Audrey, Tippy was small, but bursting with attitude.  She often barked at other dogs that were nervy enough to be walking on “her” sidewalk.

She was a good walker once she got going, but treat time after our walk was definitely Tippy’s favorite part of our visits.  Tippy would sniff the treat offered before accepting it, even though she loved treats, they had to meet her high standards.

As she got older, health problems started stacking up, not so unusual for a dog of almost 15 years old.  Although she had health issues, she kept her attitude.

As with Audrey, when Tippy stopped eating, it was a sign something was very wrong.  Attempts to help her feel better weren’t successful, and she passed away the week after Thanksgiving.

These tributes were hard to write because I had so much regard for both girls.  I knew them both for years, losing them is like losing pets of my own.

I think of both of them often, and am able to smile now rather than cry.  They will always be with me, I will never forget them.

Rest well, ladies, I will see you both again down the road.