Animal Stories from All-Creatures.org

Garfunkel Moonbeam is 13!

From Deborah Tanzer
October 4, 2022

Innocent baby faced innocent boy, your strength began long ago, when you and your darling brother Simon, tiny kittens only a few weeks old, were found, abandoned, on a Brooklyn street corner.

Happy happy birthday dearest beloved boy! You are an inspiration and a model for us all, as you have shown such resilience, a powerful will to live, survival against many many odds. all the while maintaining your sweet sweet nature.

Innocent baby faced innocent boy, your strength began long ago, when you and your darling brother Simon, tiny kittens only a few weeks old, were found, abandoned, on a Brooklyn street corner, harboring, we learned later, a deadly virus. Tragically, Simon did not survive, despite the best vet efforts, dying of pneumonia only a few days after he and you came to me. But your loving nature shone, for you slept on him to keep him warm the night he was dying, even though you too were very sick.

For you it was many weeks in and out of the hospital, but you pulled through and came home. But then such loneliness for you without your darling brother, and for weeks in quarantine at home until your contagion cleared and we were allowed to bring another cat into our lives. But then we did, our Simone Buttercup, also an abandoned kitten, with an injured paw, whom we named in honor of Simon It took a couple of months of ups and downs and struggles between the two of you, but you finally became very best friends, so beautifully close during the rest of your years together,

But last February, after twelve years together, suddenly and tragically, our darling Simone died, succumbing to a very aggressive lung cancer, and you were alone again, missing her terribly despite the company of Frida Petunia, your canine sister, and me. You still call for her sometimes, but your strength, will, and your beautiful inner spirit keep you going. Keep you going with cheerfulness, loving affectionateness, impishness all shining through your adorable baby face. And they keep you going despite your own major illnesses by now--your lymphoma diagnosed two years ago, your subsequent diabetes, your heart murmur, your compromised immune system. You are a true descendant of strong tiger forebears,

So it is a special wonder to have you with us still. To see you running around and yowling for food so many times during the day, taking your many medications with grace, talking all day long from morning till night, with a comment about everything. You are a miracle Garfunkel, and we are blessed to have you with us for however long it will be, for whatever time is alloted to you. Frida and I, and your many human friends send you ever so much love. Happy 13th birthday Garfunkel Moonbeam.

Mommy ❤

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A very special thanks to Westside Veterinary Center for stewarding Garfunkel through so many difficult years, and for giving him such excellent care and so much love. 

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