Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Happy Tail on a Happy Trail ~


A happy trail in deed was the life of our sweet and gentle Toby.
This past week we said our goodbyes to our precious cat of 17 years.
Toby joined our family before he reached 6 weeks
coming from a home where there was the use of drugs.
Our niece picked him out for us, thus, saving him from
a life of who knows what.
Toby was special in more ways than one and brought great joy
into each one of our lives.
He was a Ragdoll ~ with a color point coat and blue eyes,
long beautiful soft silky hair ~ half Persian half Siamese
and one gorgeous handsome boy!
His temperament was docile and placid
making life with Toby a real pleasure.


Toby lived through three of our pet rabbits and because of his 
gentle nature he was like a daddy to those dear rabbits.
Those five week old bunnies would snuggle up in Toby's soft silky hair 
and find great comfort after having left their mother's so young.
Toby never turned them away.


There are so many things that make up the lives of our precious pets.
Those who have the joy and pleasure of a pet can attest to that.
Toby wanted so badly to be out doors, but I sheltered him trying to
keep him in doors where I knew he would be safe.
He was gentle in every way and with predators in our area
I found that to be such a concern. 
One day I caught Toby hanging on the screen door while reaching
towards the door handle with his right paw trying to open the door 
for his escape to the unknown world that he was kept from.
He would time it just perfectly waiting for one of us to head out the door then,
 he made his big escape and darted out the door
only to find himself carried back into the house.
Poor Toby 🐱


I used Toby and Lakota, one of our pet rabbits for character building lessons
for the children in Children's Church in between a missionary story,
 because Toby would entice Lakota to do wrong.
Those two were a riot playing together!
Toby would tease Lakota by dangling his tail as bait
to get Lakota's attention, then when Lakota went for the tail
Toby would slap him!
Other times Toby would get Lakota to chase him through the house
and end up in a place where Lakota would get himself into trouble. 
The Bible tells us ~
"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise:
but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."
~ Proverbs 13:20 ~ 
"It is as sport to a fool to do mischief:
but a man of understanding hath wisdom."
~ Proverbs 10:23 ~
Proverbs is a great book of the Bible that teaches on character building 
and with those two I had many stories to share
and the children enjoyed them.
Toby became famous in the eyes of those sweet innocent children.


From the time Toby arrived he was forever in something,
be it in a basket ~ a box ~ a cooler ~ a bucket ~ a shoe ~ even a ladies purse.
Yes, if you were a visitor in our home and owned
a purse or even a diaper bag, he was sure to claim it as his own.

  If we had a delivery I would sneak the box in and try opening it
with out Toby knowing, but it was impossible.


 I could go on and on with happy stories of our beloved Toby,
but it would make for a long posting that has already become way too long.
 I have to tell you one last story ~
As you can see, Toby was a long haired cat and long haired cats shed!
Well ~ One of Toby's favorite spots to sleep was in the bathroom vanity
on top of the bath towels. 
We always knew when Toby was headed to his spot because we could hear
the slight banging of the cupboard door. 
He would take his paw and open the door, but it took him awhile, 
so you would hear bang ~ bang ~ bang until he got it just right
and off he went for hours. 
We have some dear elderly friends who come and stay with us often
and they are not animal people. 
No pets in their home, no sirree ~ no way ~ no how!
This one particular visit the misses was having her shower and I had FORGOTTEN
to take the top towel out beforehand which was covered with Toby's hair
 and I'm telling you it was grossly covered with hair.
To her horror and to our horror she was covered with animal hair,
face and all!
Behind closed doors my husband and I had a great laugh! πŸ˜‚
From that time on I was careful NOT to let that ever happen again. 



We knew Toby's days were numbered and that we were coming to the close of his life 
but its still hard to let them go.

 We will miss our Toby in the window where he sat quite often
watching the world go by while he was safe and secure in our loving home.
Toby hated the car, but he loved traveling in the motor home,
maybe because of the big front window where he could see the world.
I was so hoping he would have the chance to travel just one more time to Canada,
 but he enjoyed his last hurrah and his last visit with Grandpa Bill in the Spring of 2018.
Grandpa Bill, whose now in glory was not an animal lover either,
 but he loved Toby, and Toby loved him. 
We have learned over the years to enjoy the moments we are given 
because they don't last forever. 🐾





Today there are two very special Birthdays being celebrated.
Stephanie  and my grandson share their Birthdays 
and I would love for you to stop by her lovely place
and wish them both a very Happy Birthday! πŸŽ‚

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength!
Debbie

36 comments:

Joyful said...

So sorry for the loss of your beloved cat Toby. He sounds like a real "doll". I too enjoyed the company of a long haired Turkish Angora cat (white haired. She crossed the rainbow bridge some years back and I think about her fondly to this day. I'm sure you too will think back often to all the joy that Toby brought to you and your family.

hobbyloes said...

Toby is a smart cat, oh my, he wanted to open the door to escape, haha. You have enjoyed him a lot, the pictures are beautiful, with boxes also with the rabbits. You can look back with joy on a great time you had with Toby.
My son also had a ragdoll and recently had to say goodbye to him.

Elizabethd said...

Oh, Debbie, what a character he was! You have some really lovely and touching memories. My last beautiful cat died at age 18 and had been part of our family for years, rescued like yours.
Sadly now, due to my husband's blindness , it isnt safe to have an animal, but I do long for a cat again.

Stephanie said...

Oh, sweet Toby...he will be missed. He was such a handsome cat with a unique personality. Remember how he used to love to stretch out on the floor and be spun around like a propeller - silly boy. This was such a cute post remembering Toby and the pictures melted my heart.

And thank you for mentioning our birthdays {{smiles}} The morning is off to a wonderful start. Much love to you!

Brenda said...

Sweet Debbie, I'm sorry for your loss. Our furr babies are indeed precious to us. Toby was so beautiful and how wonderful the Lord uses silly little pets in teaching Bible lessons as well as bringing us such Joy! Blessings to YOU today as celebrate the precious daughter (and grandson) you brought into this world!

Creations By Cindy said...

Oh dear friend, I’m so very sorry for your precious loss of your beloved Toby . What wonderful memories you have shared that made me smile and laugh . Love the way you tied in the lesson for the kids with such a great analogy . I know your heart hurts dear friend . Praying for your seeet spirit . And yes, happy birthday to your precious Stephanie and your grandson .πŸŽ‚ You sure have a precious daughter that is loved by many as you are too . Hugs and blessings, Cindy

Cheryl said...

SO sorry to hear of your loss, sweet friend. Oh, may the God of ALL comfort hold you close as you miss your dear Toby! Sending hugs your way.

Rose L said...

Such a handsome cat!!Sounds like you gave him lots of love and he provided the same in kind. I have 2 cats getting up there in life and have received so much love and joy from them. I know one day I will be saying good bye for a final time and then have cherished memories. Hold on to those memories!

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

I'm so very sorry in the loss of your beloved Toby, Debby. I so enjoyed the stories you told about him and his antics. I could just picture you and your hubby laughing by yourselves over the fur covered lady. You were special caregivers for your rescued Toby. Love and God bless you.

Sandi said...

It's an age old question, do animals go to Heaven. But as I read the part about Grandpa Bill, I hoped he met Toby at the gate.

My condolences.

Pamela M. Steiner said...

Awww, Toby sounds like such a wonderful cat...I know you will miss him. What a character he must have been! Thank you for sharing his story with us. I enjoyed it so much, but feel sad that his adventures here are over. Praying for you as you will be missing him.
Happy Birthday to your dear ones.
And have a very blessed day. Sending you (((hugs))).

susie @ persimmon moon cottage said...

I'm sorry to read about your loss of your sweet Toby cat. He was a beautiful cat not only in appearance but in his personality. I loved the way he cared for the young bunnies. I know you are missing him.

Many years ago our big 17 year old Persian cat passed away in his sleep. For at least two years after, I would often think I saw him out of the corner of my eye for a brief second, in different places in the house, especially in the hallway. I mentioned it to my husband and it turned out that the same thing was happening to him. After a while both of us quit seeing him.

Take care.

Anne Payne said...

I'm sorry about Toby. I can tell he was gentle and special and he had a treasure in his people. I know you're going to miss his beautiful presence. :'(

Mary said...

I’m so sorry for the loss of your dear Toby.

Marilyn @ MountainTopSpice said...

What a beautiful tribute to Toby! 17 years, wow! That is such a long time to have had him with you! What a handsome fellow he was, and his antics made me smile as I looked at the fun pictures you shared! Such amazing memories that our pets bring us... my heart goes out to you, it is sooo hard to say goodbye to our pets, they are like our family! Praying for the sweet and precious memories of his life to comfort and bring a smile to your face! And yes, I did remember that today is Stephanie's birthday, as she and my sister share the same birthday :) I pray she had a blessed and very special day! Many hugs to you sweet friend, and prayers for comfort for your heart as you work through the loss of sweet Toby :)

shayndel said...

Sorry to hear of the loss of your dear Toby. He was so loved dearly, and surely will be dearly missed. Its a beautiful story of Love! through your years together, and how that love lives on in the lessons you taught the children and in your loving heart, so much love in your story!! Beautiful word at the end of your post, The joy of the Lord is my strength. God Bless you and keep you and shine His face upon you and give you His great peace!

Brenda said...

Hi Debbie,
I know exactly where you are coming from, as we have always had rescue cats in our lives. We have one now, Tinker, and she actually talks with my husband on the bed at night, mimicking the same sounds that my husband makes to her.
As I read the story of Toby trying to open the door, I was reminded of a time that we lived in Australia. We had two cats then and one would jump up and pull the handle of the doors down while the other one pulled the door open at the bottom. I have a photo of this being done somewhere.
Toby was absolutely adorable and was meant to be with you during all those years, the love you had for him gave him a beautiful life. I know from my near death experience that there were animals in that beautiful place I was taken to, which could be where Toby is now.
God bless you Debbie.

Debby Ray said...

Oh what a beautiful boy your Toby was! It sounds like he had a wonderful life with your family...I know you will miss him so much but no doubt you have so many wonderful memories and photos of him. That bath towel story made me laugh out loud! Hugs to you, dear Debbie.

Amelia said...

Oh Debbie, I am so, so sorry about beautiful Toby. How hard this must be! He sounded like a delight, love the photo of him in the white plastic organizer tray with that expression! It's the photo next to the galvanized pail. The stories are wonderful, and the towel one is hilarious! It's especially hilarious knowing the type of folks...I would have loved to see Toby and Lakota run around, oh what partners! Our fur angels are such blessings.

Prayers and heartfelt thoughts coming your way sweet Debbie, (((HUGS))) ~Amelia

Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made said...

Oh Debbie - I so loved reading about your sweet Toby! What a wonderful life you gave him (and yes,protecting him from the big, bad world out there!). Reminds me of how our Heavenly Father tries to keep us from things that we THINK will be good but He knows better and yet, we persist, just like sweet Toby! OH MY . . . the story of the hairy towel just cracked me up!! I'm sorry for your loss . . . oh how hard it is to say goodbye to them. They are SUCH a part of our lives.

Granny Marigold said...

I'm sorry your sweet Toby, who was such an important part of your life, has died. He sounds like such a great kitty.
I liked the little story of that hairy bath towel!!

Sue said...

OH! Debbie, this is so precious, I am so sorry for your loss of Toby, and can relate so well with us losing our dog Jack last August! You are so correct on us enjoying the moments,as they do not last forever! Toby was certainly a handsome fella, he could not of been in a better home, You have so many wonderful memories as I do!
What a joy it is when I come by for a visit with you, you always seem to put things in the right perspective for me!
I haven't been blogging to much lately, and missed Stephanie's birthday, as well as your sweet grandson, I will now visit them.
Blessings,
Sue

Chris Lally said...

Ouch! SO sorry for you and your family, Debbie. Thank you for sharing such a lovely tribute to Toby.
Your family must have been such a blessing to him, and he for you. I hope you dwell on the sweet, silly moments you had together.
Big hugs!!

Conniecrafter said...

I am so sorry for your loss, I know how hard it is to lose them after so many years. our two cats passed away at 18 years. That is too cute that he let the rabbits lay with him, and that you were able to use them for your Sunday school, I bet the kids just loved that! Toby was a beautiful cat and I know he will be in your heart always!

Betty said...

Reading this reminded me of our Mandy. She was the best dog and was with us for over 16 years. I still miss her so much. They turn into family instead of just pets don't they.

Alessandra said...

I'm so sorry for the loss of your sweet cat.
Hugs

Ida said...

What a loving and beautiful tribute. Toby was indeed a gorgeous cat and I just so enjoyed reading about how well loved he was and what joy he brought to the world. I am a firm believer that animals go to Heaven so I'm sure you'll meet again one day. I'm so sorry for your loss and send you many hugs. He had a good long life and you were the best people for him. Rest in Peace sweet Toby.

Tanza Erlambang said...

cute photos...
have a great weekend

Zaa said...

Dear Debbie...
SO sorry about the loss of your dear Toby, but what a loving tribute you have created here ... Toby stories will forever keep you smiling...Bright Blessings...Hugs

Kerin said...

Funny how these four-legged critters become just like one of the family!
Great stories of you Toby, thanks for sharing them.
I'm so sorry that he passed away.
It's one of those known sadnesses of being a pet owner, for we know that they have short life spans.
I imagine when our dog Rowdy goes, I shall be a bucket of tears.

Sending {{hugs}}
~K.

ShazInOzCardsCalligraphy said...

Hi Debbie, my Aunty had a rag doll called Mr Lincoln, he was rather aloof though and no time quite as friendly sounding as your Toby, she would take him outdoors on a lead and he really liked it. Am sorry he’s gone, it is sad when they pass. They weave their love unit the warp and weft of our lives that there is a big hole when they’re gone. Bu the GOD of all Comfort then stands by us and helps us. He understands.
Prayer hugs,
Shaz in Oz..x

{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

Farm Girl said...

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and saying hi. I am so sorry about your beautiful cat, Toby. He was a beautiful kitty. Happy Anniversary to you. Congrats on 40 years! Today is ours and its 39 today. Your lblog is just lovely.

Carla from The River said...

Hello,
What a fun life Toby enjoyed. God is so good to us, blessing us with pets. We too had a drug rescue cat. Sadly, he passed early in his life due to seizures. His name was Catsby. He was rescued from a Meth Garage. I posted about his life and rescue. He was a special kitty.

Happy Birthday to your daughter and grandson.
xx oo
Carla

The Liberty Belle said...

May peace, comfort, and strength be with you.

Pom Pom said...

Oh, I am so sorry to hear of Toby's passing. He was so beautiful and so full of love.

Kelly @ Homespuns 'n Hayfields said...

What a beautiful tribute to Toby. I still miss him, he was one of the most beautiful cats I have ever seen.

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