I didn't know Charlie for the first couple years of his life. He was found in Hawaii by my daughter who was stationed there. She found him along with three of his siblings after their feral mom had been hit by a car. She got three of the four to the point they could eat on their own. She gave away one of the survivors.
She originally planned on also giving Charlie away and keeping only Zeppelin. However, he endeared himself so much to her that she changed plans, and I ended up with my two oldest grandkittens.
They all came back to Washington when Bugg was discharged from the Navy. Charlie was always the coolest cat wherever he lived. He was the alpha of the house and got to know the neighbors who also loved him. He would always make it home to greet his moms, which worried them a bit for his fearlessness of crossing streets. Erin told me that she expected that he would either live a really long time or that she would find him in the road. I think we all did.
He would often walk from down the road or across the street to greet me when I would come over. He would hang out as long as he got attention, and then he would go back to whatever cats like him do when they aren't getting attention. He always made the trip to see me, though, because I was one of the people he claimed as his pal. He knew his papa loved him!
He was lethargic and weak when my daughter did her morning rounds on January 28th. Candace and I both got over there to try to get him out of that state. I think he was comforted by the shows of love. He did not get up, though. He barely woke up. We got him ready to transport. I sent him off with my daughter with my heart breaking for both of them.
The vet said he was both anemic and had low blood sugar. He would need transfusions to diagnose the problem, and it was likely something bad even then. Erin and Britny made the tough decision. Charlie passed away at roughly 6 p.m. that day at the age of eight-years-old. My birthday will never be the same having lost him on it.
I'll see you at the bridge, my special cuddle buddy!
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