Punkin’ Billy
Name: Punkin' Billy
Date of Passing: 10/24/2024
Message to Punkin' Billy: My Billy passed away so peacefully on a beautiful fall evening, resting on his favorite ottoman, surrounded by loved ones. His last day was filled with his favorite meals and music, plenty of naps and cuddles. He outlived all of his siblings. He was my constant companion, alarm clock every morning, my comforter in difficult times, and a simple, beautiful little soul who enjoyed every day. He wanted to befriend every person and animal he came into contact with. He embodied unconditional love and I was blessed to have him in my life for so many years. Rest in heavenly peace my little one....
Tell us about Punkin' Billy: He started life on 12/9/2004 as Black Tie Event, a name given by my friends who bred this wonderful little man who was solid black at birth. After he won a couple of fancy cat show awards, he was renamed Bosco and that is when I came to know him in 2007 when he was up for adoption. One of my previous cats (Lovey) had passed away earlier that year and I was looking for another Somali as I had fallen in love with the breed many years ago. I emailed a couple of local breeders, and one responded that lived only 10 minutes away from me. On the day I met Bosco he was in a room with the female matriarch somali named Ella and a sugar glider. I had another male Somali at home at the time (Denali), and he was an alpha cat, but Punkin' Boo (as I renamed him from Bosco) was so gentle and accommodating, I knew he would not mess with his new big brother. Punkin' Boo was very apprehensive when I first brought him home. He would lay in the middle of the floor and just shake with nervousness. I did my best to comfort him, and in time, he became my comforter. Later that year, my friends had another kitten born May 23rd and they offered the kitten to me. She was a "singlet", only child, with a tiny tail but it fit her perfectly. She was a little round ball, and they wanted to name her Roly Poly but I said I wanted to name her after my mother (Louise Bell), so I named her LouLou Belle. She came home with me in October of 2007. When she first walked in the door, Denali approached her immediately and she smacked him, establishing herself immediately as the alpha female. Punkin' accepted and loved her instantly, incessantly grooming her even though she didn't always want him to. Three was an interesting dynamic, and Punkin' was the peacemaker between two alphas. He wanted to befriend every person and animal he came into contact with. I knew he missed the sugar glider from his former home, so when we started putting food on our windowsills to attract birds, we instead attracted flying squirrels and he took to them instantly - looking for them every night - chasing them along the window sills - his little friends who came to visit him. Once a flying squirrel got in our apartment and landed on Punkin' - he must have been over the moon! He was a simple kitty with simple needs, and a very compassionate, vulnerable little man. In 2019 when his brother Denali was ready to pass, Punkin' cried out and tried to get into the basket where Denali was laying just before he was euthanized. My heart broke for him. He reluctantly took Denali's place as the big brother, but was never one to challenge LouLou. Then when LouLou unexpectedly had to be euthanized in October this year, Billy somehow knew - he circled around the hospice vet, then he stopped and groomed LouLou one last time, and she reached out her paw to him and he head butted her, which he had never done before. The hospice vet said it was their way of saying goodbye. He outlived all of his siblings and he was my longest lived and last kitty. He was my alarm clock and because of him, I never needed one. He always sat beside me on Monday nights when my best friend would call and she would always talk to him and he to her. He was a constant companion during Covid, always present during our office Zoom meetings and even Zoom workouts - everyone knew who he was. I renamed him Billy during this time because he was interested in watching some of the preachers I had tuned into during Covid, one of whom was Billy Graham, so I thought Billy was appropriate and somehow it fit him. He comforted me after hip surgery this year, as my best friend said he layed on my surgical leg to "absorb the pain". Hopefully I was able to do the same for him these past few years. Someone referred to Billy was my "spirit animal"...he definitely was a spiritual little guy and I have no doubt the Lord will tell him "well done good and faithful servant" when he arrives in heaven. He is so special. He embodied had all of the fruits of the spirit - Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness and Temperance. I look forward to being with Billy and all of my other kitties someday in our forever home, eternity.
Date of Passing: 10/24/2024
Message to Punkin' Billy: My Billy passed away so peacefully on a beautiful fall evening, resting on his favorite ottoman, surrounded by loved ones. His last day was filled with his favorite meals and music, plenty of naps and cuddles. He outlived all of his siblings. He was my constant companion, alarm clock every morning, my comforter in difficult times, and a simple, beautiful little soul who enjoyed every day. He wanted to befriend every person and animal he came into contact with. He embodied unconditional love and I was blessed to have him in my life for so many years. Rest in heavenly peace my little one....
Tell us about Punkin' Billy: He started life on 12/9/2004 as Black Tie Event, a name given by my friends who bred this wonderful little man who was solid black at birth. After he won a couple of fancy cat show awards, he was renamed Bosco and that is when I came to know him in 2007 when he was up for adoption. One of my previous cats (Lovey) had passed away earlier that year and I was looking for another Somali as I had fallen in love with the breed many years ago. I emailed a couple of local breeders, and one responded that lived only 10 minutes away from me. On the day I met Bosco he was in a room with the female matriarch somali named Ella and a sugar glider. I had another male Somali at home at the time (Denali), and he was an alpha cat, but Punkin' Boo (as I renamed him from Bosco) was so gentle and accommodating, I knew he would not mess with his new big brother. Punkin' Boo was very apprehensive when I first brought him home. He would lay in the middle of the floor and just shake with nervousness. I did my best to comfort him, and in time, he became my comforter. Later that year, my friends had another kitten born May 23rd and they offered the kitten to me. She was a "singlet", only child, with a tiny tail but it fit her perfectly. She was a little round ball, and they wanted to name her Roly Poly but I said I wanted to name her after my mother (Louise Bell), so I named her LouLou Belle. She came home with me in October of 2007. When she first walked in the door, Denali approached her immediately and she smacked him, establishing herself immediately as the alpha female. Punkin' accepted and loved her instantly, incessantly grooming her even though she didn't always want him to. Three was an interesting dynamic, and Punkin' was the peacemaker between two alphas. He wanted to befriend every person and animal he came into contact with. I knew he missed the sugar glider from his former home, so when we started putting food on our windowsills to attract birds, we instead attracted flying squirrels and he took to them instantly - looking for them every night - chasing them along the window sills - his little friends who came to visit him. Once a flying squirrel got in our apartment and landed on Punkin' - he must have been over the moon! He was a simple kitty with simple needs, and a very compassionate, vulnerable little man. In 2019 when his brother Denali was ready to pass, Punkin' cried out and tried to get into the basket where Denali was laying just before he was euthanized. My heart broke for him. He reluctantly took Denali's place as the big brother, but was never one to challenge LouLou. Then when LouLou unexpectedly had to be euthanized in October this year, Billy somehow knew - he circled around the hospice vet, then he stopped and groomed LouLou one last time, and she reached out her paw to him and he head butted her, which he had never done before. The hospice vet said it was their way of saying goodbye. He outlived all of his siblings and he was my longest lived and last kitty. He was my alarm clock and because of him, I never needed one. He always sat beside me on Monday nights when my best friend would call and she would always talk to him and he to her. He was a constant companion during Covid, always present during our office Zoom meetings and even Zoom workouts - everyone knew who he was. I renamed him Billy during this time because he was interested in watching some of the preachers I had tuned into during Covid, one of whom was Billy Graham, so I thought Billy was appropriate and somehow it fit him. He comforted me after hip surgery this year, as my best friend said he layed on my surgical leg to "absorb the pain". Hopefully I was able to do the same for him these past few years. Someone referred to Billy was my "spirit animal"...he definitely was a spiritual little guy and I have no doubt the Lord will tell him "well done good and faithful servant" when he arrives in heaven. He is so special. He embodied had all of the fruits of the spirit - Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness and Temperance. I look forward to being with Billy and all of my other kitties someday in our forever home, eternity.