Toby,

Toby, Millie and Peter came into my life through the humane organization I was volunteering with. An elderly lady had phoned saying that she was moving overseas and did not want to take her cats because they would have to be in quarantine for 6 months.

Then she changed her mind and wanted us to foster them until she got settled at which time we would fly them over. Then she changed her mind again and wanted us to put them up for adoption. With all this flip-flopping we became concerned that she would just end up dumping these cats in a shelter somewhere. (She had already made inquiries of the local SPCA, which has the right to euthanize owner turn-ins.) Since these were older cats, she told us 8-10 years old, we figured they didn't stand a chance in a shelter. I had a little room, I can always make room, so I said bring them on over.

Toby

Millie

From the first, Toby and Millie were inseparable, she had told us this already. It was very apparent that they would have to be adopted together. Toby was also extremely shy and came out of the carrier, made a bee-line for the basement and stayed there for the next YEAR. Millie stuck close to Toby but she would venture up for cuddling every now and then. I would spy Toby in the rafters when I was downstairs and kept a close eye on him to make sure he was eating and such. Peter settled right into the household immediately with no problems at all.

After about 6 months I decided, since Toby looked like he would never be ready for adoption, that I would just adopt he and Millie myself, kind of like a permanent foster. He and Millie continued to spend time together but, he was slowly beginning the come around.

Peter went to live with Dusty for a while, he was adopted by Erin's roommate. They were best buds anyway so it was a perfect arrangement. He is still doing very well, since Dusty moved to Illinois, and I receive regular reports on him.

Peter & Dusty

We lost Millie last summer to cancer. Trips to the vet had revealed that instead of being 8-10 years old, these guys were closer to 12-16. I thought we might lose Toby to depression when Millie was ill but, he seemed to understand that it was her time to cross the bridge.

I was sitting at the kitchen table, recently, and felt a headbutt against my leg. I reached down expecting to pet someone else but, to my delighted surprise, there was TOBY asking for affection. I blew it off, like it was no big deal, but inside my heart soared. He is still trying to find his place here, but we see a lot more of him upstairs now. However long it takes him to feel safe and a part of our family, that's however long it takes. I'm patient.

Toby did take his time to come around and become a true family member. He eventually joined us in the evenings for television watching and mingled with the other cats and even with the kids a bit. Toby crossed the bridge in 2002. A very old man who's last days were spent lying in the sun or in my arms. If he knew nothing else in his life, he knew we loved him and that he'd finally found a home.

If feel enormously privledged to have shared the sunset of Toby and Millie's lives. They gave us such love and trust and each day we had was a gift.