I adopted Devyn, a beautiful long-haired black male cat, in November 2006 when he was 7 months old. He and my kitty Marley, a 5-month-old long-haired female tabby, became instant friends. They loved to eat, play, and cuddle together. He was a great comfort for her years later when she got ill. She passed in 2019 at the age of 13 and then it was just Devyn and me. Little did I know the strong bond between us, which I became fully aware of with Marley’s passing. I determined he was happiest being a solo kitty with me, so I chose not to adopt another cat.
Devyn was smart, playful, loving, and wise. He was calm and easy-going, but loved to play with toys, particularly feathers and other toys hung on a stringed pole, which I would drag for him. He also liked the kitty tunnel and to hide under upended boxes. He liked to chase the little foil scrunchy kitty toys that I would bat at him. The laser light was a favorite as well.
Devyn was affectionate and liked to be held against my shoulder. Later, he did find that sitting in my lap was nice. I had a large office chair I called the “huggie chair,” which I would sit in after work, picking him up and leaning back to give him hugs. We enjoyed early morning time together, sitting on the couch, me enjoying coffee and knitting and him sitting next to me peacefully.
Later in his life, he continued to be playful and loving, in spite of some minor health issues. About March of 2023, his health began to decline rapidly, with a diagnosis of kidney disease. His weight and energy decreased, along with his mobility. Other functions of his body were shutting down. In early July, I had to make the heart-wrenching decision to help ease him out of his body and transition to the Other Side.
I was blessed to find Caring Pathways to assist with this end-of-life process for my sweet Devyn, at our home, on July 4, 2023. The veterinarian who performed the euthanasia was compassionate, gentle, sensitive, and respectful, for both me and Devyn. The process felt more like a spiritual ritual than a medical procedure. He passed peacefully. He was 17 years old.
Devyn: Soul Cat, Buddha Buddy
The “besty-bestest” kitty in the world.
I love you all around the Universe and back.
I am happy you and Marley are reunited.
I will see you when I get there and know that you are near always.
