Micky, our neighbourhood friend

[Killearn Kitties]

I am sad to report that Micky, our ginger neighbour, is no longer with us. Micky was a larger-than-life character with a wonderful laid-back personality. His family are missing him terribly of course, but everybody misses him. It is just not the same to get home at night and not have Micky run to meet me at the front doorstep to see what's for dinner. His family did feed him, he just preferred to know what my girls were eating before he committed himself.

He had 18 wonderful years of life. In the last two or three years he had been diagnosed with a heart condition and he took a tablet night and morning – stuffed inside a prawn.

Micky thought he owned our road. He seemed to like sitting on his front step in the morning and watching people leave for work. Often when I opened the curtains on a grey winter's day, seeing Micky lovely ginger and sparking white fur brightened my whole morning. No matter how awful the weather was, Micky’s white paws were always spotless. He kept himself scrupulously clean in the most horrible grey slush. His family thought it was because he was always curled up in somebody else’s house, and he certainly did like to visit some selected neighbours every day.

Years ago one of my neighbours came across to tell me that after we left for work in the morning Micky used to let himself into our house, and he sat on the front window ledge watching the world go by. We have a magnet on our catflap which is only intended to allow our own cats through, but Micky had figured out that he could stick a claw in the rubber seal and pull it out the way then climb under it. We did eventually see him do this – made a noise like someone was breaking in!

The people we bought this house from obviously told Micky that we ran a restaurant, because he was under that impression right from the beginning – always stealing my girls’ food he was.



He loved it here. He found our garden so comfortable …


(Notice Jessica grimacing in the background?)

… and our car





… and our settee, complete with auntie Vio's fleecy pad



… even our bed!

[Killearn Kitties]

Micky was always around to help out with the household tasks. He helped me wrap Christmas presents



and was always willing to help out with the garden work. Please excuse my dirty fingers.



Well he was usually willing to help with the gardening. I do remember one time when he decided just to watch me work from my front windowledge.



Micky was such a big personality. Who could forget the times he would break in to play with auntie Tracey’s catnip cushion





or just come round to hang out with the girls.



The lure of uncle Gary’s catnip mousies had nothing to do with it.





Remember the time he came running through the flap to show off his new Tshirt?



and his pathetic let-me-in look?

[Killearn Kitties]

People do tend to come to our house expecting some quality cat time, but our girls are so anti-social that Micky was often the only cat they saw. He was certainly the most gregarious one around here. Once we were having a large number of people and we had brought in the garden bench and chairs for some extra seating. Guess who was the first one to find it?



This was the photo he enclosed in his Christmas card last year



and the last photo I took of him this summer



Farewell beautiful Micky. We will always keep your memory.

[Taz_Zoee]

That was a wonderful tribute to a beautiful cat. I laughed at some of the pictures even with the tears in my eyes.

I am so sorry for Mickys family and your whole neighborhood.

RIP Micky

[Prairie Purrs]

Wonderful tribute indeed! What a delightful boy Micky was. Running the entire neighborhood for all those years was quite a job, and Micky performed his duties exceptionally well. I'm so sorry about his passing.

RIP, handsome Micky. I'm sure you're getting things organized and under control at the Bridge.

[Cataholic]

So easy to love him through your tribute. What a special boy. My deepest sympathies to ALL that knew and loved him.

[Queen of Poop]

Wow, he was some kind of cat. I can see how he will be dearly missed by everyone. Thank you for your wonderful tribute to him. I feel like I knew him and miss him too. Have fun at the bridge sweet boy.

[Pinot's Mom]

RIP, sweet Micky, and play well at the Bridge. You'll be sadly missed by your family and friends; pop in every once in a while to let them know you're OK.

[bowlkat]

Wow, carrying out all those neighborhood-watch duties at EIGHTEEN years old!!! What a guy-- and what a loss.... my condolences to you and his 'owners' (a.k.a. staff) and your other neighbors-- and play well and be comfortable at RB, Micky- you did a very good job for a LOT of humans for a LONG LONG time...... look up my Shadow-cat and Max and Mouse and so many other fur-kids over there--

[Edwina's Secretary]

I have always loved "cheeky Micky" stories and am so sad to hear of his passing after a long and fun life. He will be missed.

I believe a little bit of Micky lives on in Eddie's friend Mozart - who would be only too glad to "come on in" if he could just find the cat flap!

Godspeed Micky.

[kb2yjx]

18 years old and such a handsome orangeman, with such panache!!! Sleep soflty, dear sweet Mickey.....

[catmandu]

And now Micky has his Wings of Silver and Gold and is strutting his stuff as a Greeter with the Awesome Angel Army in Reno Nevada the biggest Little City in the World!!!
He will be a Great Loving Cat Angels and will plaese wherever he goes, and go wherever he pleases.
I wish I had a Great Neighborhood Cat like Micly although Prange Blossom was well liked too.
I know that Micky will drop by in spirit to see You and the Gray Gorls and seem how mis neighborhood is doing.
And you will all convene in Paradise in Love.
One Fine Day.

[Medusa]

Now there's a life well lived! What a loss for you and your neighborhood but what a gain for the Rainbow Bridge. RIP, handsome Micky and peace to all who loved you and whom you loved right back.

[katladyd]

It's cats like Micky that leave the biggest hole in your world when they leave. R.I.P Sweet Little One.

[Genny]

I'm sorry about Mickey. I think it's neat how even though he belonged to your neighbor's he still came over and let so many others love him too. He seemed to have lived an awesome life and was loved every minute of it