Posted on 12/08/2006 12:54:46 PM PST by Huntress
LIBERTY, Mo. - Some humans don't have it this good.
In life, Bogie the cat had dozens of surrogate mommies and daddies along the Liberty square who each kept food, toys and litter boxes awaiting his stop on the daily rounds.
In death, Liberty's famed black cat had a funeral recently in the atrium of the Clay County courthouse, panels of photos and newspaper articles chronicling his 13 years, and around 60 persons mourning his loss.
"The last lesson Bogie taught us was to remind us of the brevity of life," said the Rev. Richard Rudd, who knew Bogie from his regular walks. "Bogie is gone and his place in the world, in our hearts, lives on."
A reception followed the half-hour service, hosted by the county treasurer's office. People lingered more than an hour and a half, filled more than 30 pages of a memory book and reflected over collages of photos, cards and mementos. News of Bogie's passing crossed state lines, and his official owner, Lainey Koepke, received cards and calls from strangers.
The dearly departed had an imperfect history. The Liberty Animal Shelter once arrested Bogie. He also struggled with bulimia, never refusing a can of tuna but often paying for it later.
Mack Williams recalled once saving Bogie's life. A vehicle charged Bogie on the street, threatening to take each of his nine lives. Bogie jumped into the arms of Williams, who protested so loudly that a neighbor called the police.
"I said well, you're going to have to run over me and him," Williams said.
Some, like Sylvia Bradshaw, shed tears. The city hall receptionist fancied herself Bogie's chauffeur. He would ride shotgun and meow directions, she said. On cold days, Bradshaw did Bogie traffic control, watching his moves out the city hall window and phoning ahead to his destinations. Koepke said he always looked both ways before crossing the street.
Six-year-old Olivia Scheible brought drawings of herself as a princess and Bogie as her companion with the words "I miss Bogie, Love Olivia".
Koepke paid $12 to have Bogie cremated. A ceramic figurine of a cat with wings decorated his urn. It still amazed Koepke that the "sweet little cat" she adopted years ago had become the unofficial king of Liberty.
"It's not like it's the mayor of the town or somebody's mother or father; it's a cat," she said. "All of the people that he was in the stores and the buildings with allowed him to develop as this little fun creature."
Kitty ping!
This is so cute!
Kitty love from here...........
Bogie bump . . .
RIP little Bogie
Bogie looks exactly like my little black cat who I had to put to sleep a week ago today. My house and my heart have a very big emptly spaces today where a little black cat used to purr.
Maybe Bogie and my kitty are playing together on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.
Reminds me of the wonderful social cat who went to meetings in the "All Creatures Great and Small" stories of James Herriot.
Oscar AKA Tiger
A large deeply striped Tabby cat. A social cat who visited everyone in town. Temporarily adopted by the Herriots but returned to the Gibbonses, his rightful owners
http://www.jamesherriot.org/animals.php
Kitty-in-need-of-a-new-home ping!
HI..I'm surprised....is this you giving your kitty away? Did you know that every 7 years your allergies change and you probably won't be allergic anymore? And that some people build a tolerance to cats once they live with them? And that there are non drowsy good once a day medications that will solve the allergic problem?
I am not the creator of the ad. If I had to choose between my cats and my (completely hypothetical) wife...well,the cats have seniority. ;)
At least Bogie was truly adopted by a truly loving family. RIP to Bogie, the Rainbow Bridge welcomes you home.
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