Sidney...
Animal Stories from All-Creatures.org

FROM Diane Venberg, Flower Feline Sanctuary
January 25, 2020

He is sorely missed, as he was my life partner and very best friend.

Cat Sidney

It is with an aching heart that I tell you my beloved Sidney passed on Thursday. He had been battling kidney disease, which we were treating at home for the past six months. However, an enlarged liver and heart disease, possibly with fluids building up in his lungs or heart, created an impossible combination of challenges to try to treat.

Sidney was fortunate to never know life in a shelter or on the streets. He was born to his feral mama Rosemary, at my home in Seattle in 2000. (Rosemary became a house cat and lived with us until her death around the age of 18.) Sidney contracted feline distemper at about 6 weeks of age. He and one sister were the only survivors of six kittens. I knew early on that Sidney was an exceptionally unusual and bright little person, as he required large amount of stimulation or he grew bored. One of his favorite activities was to climb - indoor or out. Even at the age of 16 he could scale the catio mesh to survey his land from the rooftop. He loved to ride on people’s backs and this was a daily activity for us.

Cat Sidney

Sidney ruled his kingdom with an iron paw, taking over the running of the feline household after Minki passed in 2007. Roy, the toughie cat who would fight anyone outside, submitted to Sidney’s dominion inside the house. Sidney adjusted to the move to Camano very quickly and reveled in walking the property and marking the grounds to let everyone know we was top cat here. As he moved into his golden years, he graciously made room for Hannah, Lottie and Paddy in the main house. He and Jane, although close in age, were never buddies. Alfie looked up to Sidney, but Sidney didn’t really need kitties to bond with.

Cat Sidney

With his striking coat and self confident nature, Sidney was extremely photogenic. His modeling credits include the 2008/2009 Northwest Animal Rights Network Animal Services Guide, distributed throughout Puget Sound, Flower Feline Sanctuary greeting cards, and most recently the Stanwood/Camano News in 2018. Sidney was born a Leo, and a fire sign like his (human) mommy. He is sorely missed, as he was my life partner and very best friend.

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