Hello, Globepouncers. This is Penelope, and today I'm writing about my best friend, Toby.
Daddy can't do it because he's too sad. He and Mommy have been crying a lot, and one of the things Toby taught me was that sometimes you just have to kitty-up and do stuff for the big people because they don't know how to do it themselves.
"They might be big," he would always say, "but they can be remarkably inept."
Toby was wise like that. He taught me all the important lessons I need to be good and be happy and take care of Mommy and Daddy. He stayed with me for six months so that he could teach me all the important stuff.
In Toby's honor, I now teach you all the important stuff:
Love
"When you meet people, love them - right away, all the way. If you love them, meow little people, they'll love you, and you'll get snuggles, kisses, and playtime." Toby told me never to hurt anyone because it's not nice, and he said he didn't know why other kitties bite and scratch. "That's not how to get the good rubs," he would always say.
Lick
"Most big people don't know how to bathe themselves - I don't know that I've met one who does. They need our help. Also, how else would you know what's good and what's not? There's just no other way, meow little one." I test out all my toys this way. Never fails.
Get all the belly rubs
"Big people like cute, which is step one. Then, meow little one, you must snuggle close for all the rubs." Toby was the best at getting pets and snuggs, and I'm the best at getting kisses and snuggs.
Be furry
"The more fur, the better, and spread it throughout the house and all over the people," Toby would always say. "Fur is snuggly and pretty and nice for petting, and when you're furry, you can rub your face on everything because everything you fur is yours. Don't miss out, meow little one." Toby had the softest, fluffiest fur of any kitty ever. He was a grown-up kitty with baby kitten fur. Daddy says rubbing his belly was like petting a warm, rumbly cloud.
I'm just starting to grow my fur, and it's very soft. I hope one day mine will be like Toby's and my mommy's.
Always clean your paws
"You gotta have clean paws," Toby would always say. "You need clean paws to pounce and play and be super-sophisticated. Clean the paws all the time. Just drench them in saliva. Yes, that's right, meow little one. Forepaws and hind, that's right." I'm still a little messy about licking my paws, but I'm working on it!
If you need something, yell.
"The big people are a bit dim and often hard of hearing. You must sing your song loudly and often so that the people understand. Use that diaphragm, meow little one." Toby was so right about this one. It works great for food.
My daddy loved Toby more than anything except me and my mommy because Toby was the best kitty ever. Mommy and Daddy say "Toby made us a family and made our house a home. He taught us how to love better and showed us how much we could love." I'm especially glad for this because my mommy and daddy love me so much, and I know that they're so good at giving me love because Toby taught them how.
I am sad that I won't be able to pet Toby's soft fluff anymore, but I know that if I need him, he'll appear to me like a Jedi master in a hologram that only I can see because The Force is strong with me.
Toby loved belly rubs more than any other kitty in the world, and my daddy loved giving him belly rubs. I hope that one day I will love doing something as much as my daddy loved giving Toby belly rubs. It made both of them so happy.
Toby also loved his feather, intense snuggles, all his kitty beds, his tree, the top of everyone else's tree, and purring.
He made friends with everyone he met.
He always wanted to be near me, and I always loved seeing him. He was always so handsome in his orange tuxedo.
If you knew Toby, Toby loved you.
Even if you never met Toby, he loved you. That's just the kind of kitty he was. He was a lover, and he taught us all to be lovers, too.
I will always love you, Toby, and Mommy and Daddy will always love you. You're our best fluffy friend furrrever.
If you have a Toby memory, please do share in the comments below.
Tobias Tuxedo Tiggertail Tabby Waldraff: December 13, 2009 - February 13, 2022
Toby was such a good boy, the friendliest friend you could ask for! He stayed with us McGlinns and loved on us for 2 years like we were his own. And kept our baby Mackenzie warm in her belly house for the first 2 trimesters. Lots of fluffy cuddles. He also comforted us through the loss of our own best friend kitty, we are furever grateful for that, we couldn’t have gotten through that time without him... Thank you for all your love, yelling, and licks throughout the years Toby Toblerone. We love you so so much.
He was the friendliest little furry leg warmer/beard cleaner I've ever had the privilege to know. A warm Toby tum is about as good as it gets. I love you and I'll miss you Tobes!