R.I.P. GREMLIN

I heard him before I even saw him:
As a young animal control officer I recieved a call from a woman who was frantic about a kitten stuck in the wall of her house, I could hear a kitten screaming in the background. Blackops (who was my partner at the time)and myself drove to the location discussing rescue tecniques. When we arrived on scene we were greeted at the door by a nice old lady who took us into the kitchen where the screaming was coming from. I asked her if this was her cat and she stated she didn't own a cat.
This put a weird twist on it because the cat must have crawled up through the foundation of the house. I opened the bottom cabinet and shined a light into a hole in the rear wall. I could make out a small kitten scared. and crying very loudly. I tried to reach him, but was unable. Blackops who is six feet somthing has long arms so he tried. He probably should have put a glove on because I heard a low painfull grunt come from him, I knew he just got bit.
He pulled out this beautifull eight week old grey tabby who was still attached to his hand. If I remember correctly this was our first rescue. We named the kitten "gremlin" and took him to the shelter. He did a ten day bite quarentine and I took him home. Gremlin quickly bonded with my four year old pitbull Samson. If I tried to pick up, or pet Gremlin he would hiss, and try to scratch me.
As time went on Gremlin became a very friendly, very large cat topping the scales at twenty plus pounds.
As time went on I aquired more cats and Gremlin was the alpha male of the house. He ruled with an iron paw, none of the the other cats messed with him. They all gave a wide birth when Gremlin walked by.
Gemlin was the type of cat that fallowed me everywhere. Weather it was the taking a shower, sleeping in bed, or watching TV, Gremlin was by my side 24/7.
Way back then I was broke so Gremlin would donate blood every two months at the West Caldwell animal hospital in exchange for free vet care. Not that I ever needed it with this healthy tank of a cat. I imagine he saved many other cats who were in desperate need of blood transfusions.
That was a long time ago. thirteen years to be exact. This cat outlasted countless girlfiends and moved with me many times to new places. About three weeks ago I noticed the other cats appeared to unafraid of Gremlin. Some would even stand toe to toe with him and exchange punches. I had never seen this before. I thought maybe he's getting old. Maybe one of the youger cats were making a power play for king of the house.
He looked like he was losing wieght so I took him to the vet. It turned out that Gremlin had cancer that had spread to many of his major organs. A death sentence. Kim and I made his last two weeks very comfortable for him with a private room in our house free from the other cats. We fed him tuna everyday (he loved tuna).
I knew his time was coming. This afternoon as I was going to check on him alll my other cats were standing at the door of his room. I heard a death cry come from inside. I rushed In and Gremlin was having very labored breathing. I scooped him up in my lap and told how much I love him, and what a tough motherfucker he was. I thanked him for letting me be a part of his life for all these years.
I called my wife and told her to bring home ketamine and sodium phenobarbitol, Gremlin is dying. Kim and my mother in law arrived, a shot of Ketamine was given to him to make him comfortable. After he was numbed up a shot of the pink stuff as we refer to it was given to him intra-cardiac. He died instantly. Go find Samson I told him. I stayed with him and held him as I cried and told him how much I loved him. After a while I put him down, got up, and went outside to have a smoke. The whole thing felt like a bad dream.
Gremlin is free now of his cancereous pain and I'm sure he is with Samson getting reaquanted.
Blackops, thank you so much with your help on that rescue thirteen years ago. Without your help I may have never had the oppertunity to own such a magestic animal.

Hiding, sorry for Your loss. As You know I went through this awhile ago with my dog. Its definitely a tough time for sure.

God speed Gremlin.

RIP Gremlin

since the email last night he's been in my thoughts. back to that call so long ago. the small mark left from the puncture he left that day. the 1st attempt to reach him was w/ a glove, but he was that far out of reach that it needed to be bare handed. he also didnt serve his full 10 day quarantine in the shelter. from day 5 on he was hidings shadow. on reflection tho, being born a feral he was givin a second chance to become who he lived as for these 13 yrs. not just another colony cat gambling his life everyday on valley rd. RIP Gremlin... you will be missed, but we know you will live on in memories as you reunite w/ Samson and Koko

i know how you feel i have had to go through this myself a couple times, and im just a kid. im really sorry for your loss

Dude I am so sorry for your loss, but happy the warrior on four paws is no longer suffering.

REST PEACEFULLY GREM!!!!

Awww sweetheart... what a beautifully written memoir. I am so so sorry for your loss. My little kitty Baron is on his way out... bone-thin and probably knee-deep in diabetes... he's 16 though, and he's lived a ripe old, spoiled-rotten little bastard life in which I pampered the hell out of him on a daily basis, so I can't be too sad about that

He sounded like a truly wonderful friend and a bold soul. Best wishes to you during your grieving... I'm glad you can look back on your kitty's life and reminisce about the good times!

Gremlin had a thing for being a badass. Weather it was other cats or dogs Grem had to impose his will on other animals. All my other cats quickly learned to stay out of his way.
The dogs were another story. I had this fiery little pitbull named koko, Gremlin and her constantly butted heads so to speak. One day I guess Koko had enough of his tough guy act and bit him right in the face.
She lifted him off the ground and began to shake him up. Gremlin immediatelly sunk in his claws and began scratching Koko, it appeared he was going for her eyes. I dove across the kitchen and grabbed Koko by the head to stop her neck breaking shaking. After several punches to the face Koko released Gremlin.
He had deep puncture wounds, upper and lower canine in his jaw and nose. Other than that he was ok. He healed over time and I think the experience of surviving a full on pitbull attack made him tougher.
Since that day Gremlin felt the need to attack any dog that he came in contact with. Countless times he attacked many of our dogs, It wasn't uncommon to see a 100 pound sheperd running through the living room with Gremlin attached to their back trying to take them down like prey.
If someone was over with their dog I kept a close on on Grem, he would often be in the background silently stalking his new foe.
Its been two days since I put him to sleep and I miss him incredibly. I find myself looking for him in all the spots of the house where he would normaly hang out. But he isn't there anymore.

he liked dogs, but under his terms

The day that this one passes on is the day that i break down and lose it. he is MY dog.

he was BIG!

Holy shit he was a big cat!!!, yea my dog had to get the pink stuff right in our kitchen back when I lived in Howell by a mobile vet.

I think it's always nicer to do it at home as opposed to putting the animal under stress by bringing it to a Vets office. I'm very thankfull that I've been able to, and have the means to put my animals to sleep at home when their time comes.

i agree. when we had to put my shepherd kelly down, we got one last chance to see her. she walked up with the needle in her arm and i lost it. the enviroment of a vets office just reminds me of death and i hate it

Awww he was a handsome fatty! I love it when the little guys one-up the big dudes... just goes to show you it ain't the size of the cat in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the cat )

Gorgeous kitty... appears to be of the Tabby persuasion? So was my Milo... one of the boldest, smartest, most loving and peaceful cats I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. He completely eradicated our mouse problem (7 years later, still no mieces!) and, on the instances that he escaped the house, he could be found on our welcome mat the following morning, patiently waiting to be let in for breakfast. He was the alpha male, a teddy bear, a lover and a gentleman. Throughout his life he forfeited at least 7 of his 9 lives,... I am happy to have been able to share just one of them with him. I miss the hell out of him.





RIP My beloved Fatty

Sorry about your loss dude. Just remember he's waiting at the rainbow bridge for you. (very touching poem makes me tear up every time)

He sounds about as big as my Dodger. I'd sell a fucking kidney for that cat! Cats are cats but there is always one that truly resembles a god.

Cats are really awesome animals. When Grem was dying all the other cats somehow knew it, they all sat outside his door in some kind of strange vigil. When it was done and they were allowed back in that room they all came in one by one, looked around as if to say goodbye and then left. It already appears that a new alpha has emerged.

Gremlin used to attack this cat (Odin) on a regular basis, now I understand why. He was the #2 cat in the house. Strangely Odin has begun to fallow me around the house and is spending more time with me than he ever has.

sorry for your loss RIP Gremlin