A Tribute to a Rose

If you’ve been following our blog for a while now, you know that I’ve been sponsoring special needs cats at Tabby’s Place for several years. And you may remember Lexy and Lola mentioning their sponsor sister, Rose, from time to time.

On the 15th of every month, sponsors receive an update on their special cat. When we get an update before the 15th, it’s rarely good news.

I had received early updates for Rose a few times over the years, and every time one came my heart sank. The updates were always about serious health issues, which Rose always overcame. When I received an email from Tabby’s Place on February 8, I had a sinking feeling that this time the news was dire.

Rose’s updates were always written in her voice by her correspondent, Ilene. This update was a beautiful, heartfelt letter from Rose to her sponsors, letting us know she earned her angel wings and made her journey to the Rainbow Bridge. Rose’s health issues cropped up again, but this time she could not fight them. Tabby’s Place let her fly free with dignity and respect, and Rose suffered no more.

Rose participating in the Paws to Read program.

My first sponsor cat at Tabby’s was Frannie, a petite senior tortie with a big cattitude. I chose to sponsor Frannie after meeting her during a visit to the sanctuary. When Frannie passed away, my sponsorship was transferred to Hootz. Sponsors can choose to have their sponsorship transferred to a specific cat, but I kept it with Hootz. I felt she was chosen for me. Unfortunately, Hootz passed away shortly after I started sponsoring her, and my sponsorship was then transferred to Rose. Again, I felt Rose was chosen for me, so my sponsorship stayed with her.

Rose with her nanner and one of her world-famous diapers!

When you sponsor a cat they really do become a part of your family. And Rose was a part of mine for close to nine years. It’s hard to believe that nine years passed by so quickly. I was one of Rose’s lucky sponsors because I got to visit her several times over the years, and I enjoyed sharing her photos on the blog.

What can I say about Rose? This beautiful little southern girl found her way to Tabby’s Place after being saved from a euthanasia list in Virginia. She had been hit by a car and was in pretty bad shape. But in their usual fashion, Tabby’s Place waved their magic wand and gave Rose all the medical care she could need. She survived but was left incontinent, and her tail had to be amputated. None of that dampened this little blossom’s view on life, though. If Rose could speak she would have said “Special needs? What special needs? I don’t know what you’re talking about!” (You can read Rose’s rescue story in her very own words here.)

Rose was a sprite cat, petite in every way except for her captivating and magnetic personality. She had a way of making everyone she met fall in love with her and she never met a person she didn’t like. This love and patience for people led her to become a certified therapy cat, visiting senior citizens in nursing homes.

Rose had energy unmatched by many cats. It was often difficult to get photos of her because she was always running to and fro, darting here and there. Everything was exciting to her and required investigation. I’m sure at the end of the day she had all of the cats in her suite sitting in a circle, giving them a full report on her explorations and inspections.

I met Rose in person for the first time in December 2014. I brought her a catnip kicker as a gift. However, I didn’t know how small she was, and the kicker was just about as big as she was! After that, I always made sure to bring her one of her favorite toys, a catnip banana.

I hadn’t been able to visit Tabby’s Place when the pandemic and shutdown hit the world. In August of 2020, Tabby’s Place was the recipient of the Cat Writers’ Association’s (CWA) annual fundraiser. I was honored to be able to present their check in person and to conduct a brief ceremony on the grounds. Rose was brought outside in her famous stroller, and staff placed her next to me, proudly wearing my Rose t-shirt. I was so grateful for that because that was the last time I saw her. I’ve missed visiting since then. But my friend, Lisa, volunteers there, and always shares photos and videos. Ilene would also share photos, so I kept up with Rose’s shenanigans through them.

This is my absolute favorite photo I’ve taken of Rose. Beautiful Rose with her catnip banana. This photo won a Certificate of Excellence from CWA and is just one of the many accolades Rose earned in her brief life.

In Rose’s final letter to her sponsors, she thanked us for our love. Truth be told, we should have thanked her for her love. William Shakespeare articulated it wonderfully when he said “Of all flowers, methinks a Rose is best.” I couldn’t agree more.

On the morning of February 8, I was sitting at my desk working when all of a sudden I had a vivid vision of a yellow catnip banana in my mind. I said out loud, “I have to send Rose some bananas.” A couple of hours later I read the announcement of her passing. Thinking of that vision brought me comfort because I felt like Rose was visiting me one last time.

Fly free, my beautiful little Rosie. I’m sure you’re enjoying a never ending supply of catnip bananas, wrapping all beings at the bridge around your little paw, and planting a garden full of blossoms for all to enjoy. Thank you for leaving your tiny pawprint on my heart.