Well Bred - In Memory of Sidney

by Patti Storms

In November of 2002, a very skinny, buff-colored tabby cat appeared at the home of one of my close friends named Karen. Thanksgiving was right around the corner, Karen had just given birth to her daughter Emily, and Karen's beagle (George) was not overly fond of cats. Unable to keep the cat for herself, Karen contacted me right away—as I am the only one of her friends who is a cat lover!

By the time I saw Sidney (he was named for the road where he was found), he was tucked away in Karen's garage, very hungry and grateful for the litter box. We secured the garage, made him as warm as possible, and set out enough food until I could bring him home. We put the word out to see if his owner would come forward. A vet checked him over and determined him to be between 4 and 8 years old, already neutered and declawed. Dangerously malnourished, Sidney had a long way to go before he would be fat and happy. He became our shop cat after my two Jack Russell terriers, Jack and Daisy, were not thrilled to have him in our home!

Sidney would sleep in the window of the store showing off his life of leisure to all who walked by. He accepted adoration from his many friends and was the official greeter for the store. At night, he walked the sales floor inspecting what went on during the day and sometimes tested the catnip! Sidney was the surrogate fur child for many visitors who no longer had a pet for one reason or another. His best friend, Kathy, would visit him regularly and was just about the only person who was allowed to scratch his belly and pick him up to love him. Sidney would go to “camp” at Aunt Kathy’s house when there was an event in town which made it too crazy for him to be safely in the store. She loved his visits.

Sidney crossed the Rainbow Bridge in November of 2007. That year for Christmas, we celebrated Sid’s life by initiating The Sidney Angel Tree. Customers were invited to purchase an ornament in honor of their pet and hang it on the Angel Tree. Proceeds from the ornaments went to Tabby’s Place Cat Sanctuary in Ringoes, New Jersey. We raised over $300.00 for Tabby Place.

Many months later barely a week goes by that someone doesn’t ask about Sid. He is still missed fiercely by all who knew and loved him.