# Smokey Jefferson Albert Thomas Laurent-Prater (3/32/09-1/14/11)



## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

As some of you already may know, I lost my sweet Smokey on Friday, January 14, 2011 at 11:20 pm PST. What follows is Smokey’s life story:

Smokey Jefferson Albert Thomas Laurent-Prater showed up outside our back door sometime in late September, early October 2009. He was with Dusty, a semi-feral cat that I was feeding. Dusty would eat his fill and saunter off when he was done. Smokey would sometimes stay for a bit, and then leave to go find Dusty. Since it was still warm at that time of the year, we would sometimes leave our back door open. Eventually, Smokey would eat, and then walk up to the screen door to see what was going on in our kitchen. After a bit, my cat, Lucky, and sometimes his brother Star, would sit by the screen door to see if Smokey would come to visit. Smokey got so comfortable visiting us and with Star and Lucky sitting on the other side of the screen door, that he would curl up outside the door and take a nap. Even though the weather started to get colder and I couldn’t leave our back door open as often as I did before, Smokey and Dusty still came by for their food. Since Smokey would sometimes sleep in our garage if we left the garage door open (just enough for a cat to squeeze in), I made him a makeshift shelter out of two cardboard boxes (one very large box and a smaller box to used as a bed) and a bunch of blankets. I put the larger box on its side, put the smaller box inside, and lined it with a few blankets. The rest of the blankets I draped over the box to help keep the heat inside and to also block the cold air. Every morning, after the kids had left for school, I would feed my indoor cats, then get Smokey and Dusty’s food ready so I could take it out to the garage. I could always count on Smokey to either be in his shelter, curled up outside the door or, more often than not, sitting outside the door, waiting for me and his food. When he saw me, he would meow as if to say, “Good morning! Is that for me?” And if I wasn’t fast enough in bringing out his food, he would head butt the screen door so it would rattle against the back door, and meow for me…loudly. Lol!

As November changed to December, I started thinking about bringing Smokey inside. He was already familiar with my other cats, and was acting like he wanted to come inside. I had already decided that I was going to have him neutered. It was just a matter of where he would he recover from his surgery. I knew that I was supposed to receive some money from my ex-husband, David, so I could move out, so I decided that I would bring Smokey in and keep him secluded in my son’s room until he had healed from getting neutered. On December 23, 2009, Smokey was brought to the vet to be neutered and to officially become my cat. I dropped him off in the morning and the vet told me to pick him up after 4:00 pm. They told me that they’d call me if there were any problems. I asked them to test him for FIV and FeLV, the two deadliest viruses that cats can get. About two hours later, I received a call from the vet with the news…Smokey did test positive for both viruses. She wanted to know if I wanted to have him put down. I told her no. I wanted her to continue with the neuter. Smokey was still healthy and not showing any signs of either viruses. I wanted him to live out whatever remaining time he had left in a house with people who loved him. He was still fairly young. We never did find out when his exact date of birth was. But judging by how he looked and acted, my daughter and I figured Smokey to be around 9 months old. The vet thought he may have been closer to a year, but gave Smokey the birth date of March 23, 2009.

With Smokey testing positive for both FIV and FeLV, David was concerned about our other three cats getting them. I told him that FIV was only transferred between cats by either a deep bite wound or from mama kitty to baby kitty. FeLV, on the other hand, was more easily transferable. It could be transferred from sharing food and water bowls, grooming, and in some cases, litter box sharing. At the time, I didn’t what else to do. David suggested that I just give Smokey to a shelter. I think I practically shouted NO! to that. I told him that if I did that, Smokey would almost certainly be put down because of his FIV/FeLV+ status. I even suggested that we just keep Smokey in our son’s room for the majority of the time, and let him out while supervised. But it wasn’t fair to Smokey to keep him cooped up in my son’s room. So I called the local cat rescue group to see if they had any suggestions. Karen, the person I spoke with, suggested that I could have him fostered until I got my money and I could take him back when I moved. I reluctantly agreed. So, on February 13, 2010, Karen picked up Smokey and brought him to his first foster mommy’s house. He stayed with Vickie for just about three weeks when Karen called and asked me what was going on with the money situation. I told her that there was a delay and that I didn’t know when I going to get it. She told me that Vickie couldn’t keep Smokey anymore because she was getting complaints from her neighbors about how much he meowed. She said that she could keep Smokey for me, but he’d have to stay in a large cage in her barn because of his FIV/FeLV status. She couldn’t run the risk of exposing her cats (both fosters and own) to Smokey. Smokey went to live in Karen around the middle of March 2010. He stayed there until late May when Karen called and told me that she had found another person who could foster Smokey for me, but he could only stay with Joanne until the end of July. While I was happy that he was finally going to be let out of that stupid cage, I was back to where I was back in February…how was I going to be able to keep Smokey? Karen told me she had an idea, but she’s get back to me when she had more info. About a week after Smokey went to Joanne’s, Karen called and said that I could have my other cats vaccinated against the FeLV. It would take two shots and they had to be administered 3 weeks apart. We set up the first shot for June 15 and the second one for July 6. After the second shot, I asked Karen when I’d be able to get Smokey back home with me. She said that the vaccine needed a week to fully get into the cats’ systems, so I could get Smokey anytime after July 13. I asked her if July 18 would be good. She told me she had to check with Joanne, but it should be okay.

When July 18 came, I was so nervous. Would my Smokey recognize me? Would he still be the same love machine that he was before he left? And more frightening…would he be mad at me for abandoning him? Before I had left to pick him up, I made sure that my son’s room was set back up to receive him—food, water, litter box, some toys, and a makeshift bed. When I brought him in the room and let him out of the carrier, he walked straight to the litter box and used it. No hesitation, no sniffing around…nothing. He knew where the litter box was. He knew he was back home! I didn’t want to overwhelm him, so I shooed everyone out of my son’s room. After everyone left, I had laid down on my son’s bed and just talked to Smokey. I wanted him to come to me on his own terms. I was lying on my side and Smokey was walking around me, sniffing at me. Finally, he balanced himself on my right hip and laid down on me. I cried tears of joy. All my fears about whether he’d remember, whether he’d be angry were all unfounded.

I knew that since Smokey had been gone for so long, my other cats may not remember him and may not welcome him back right away. I slowly re-introduced all four cats to prevent any animosity and cat fights. While he was more or less accepted by the other cats, Midnight and Lucky made their displeasure about him being here known by hissing at Smokey whenever he got too close. My scaredy-cat cat, Star was the only one who would let Smokey get close without hissing.

Things were going pretty well with everyone for about a month, when I noticed that Smokey was feeling a little lighter than usual although he was eating all his food. I realized that he had worms. I brought him to vet who gave him a shot to get rid of the worms. She also prescribed some antibiotics since Smokey’s gums were a little red and swollen and some liquid vitamins to add to his food to make up for the nutrients that the worms stole from him.

Smokey was a quirky cat, though now I can see that his quirks where actually warning signs. He used to lick metal. Anything metal in the house, he was licking it. He’d sometimes lick the lime scale in the bathroom. He’d lick plastic bags. He’d lick the walls. He licked just about anything. He also wasn’t a very active cat. He preferred to sit on the sidelines and watch the other cats play. He was constantly on the kitchen counters and the dining room table. If there was a clean pot left out in the kitchen, he’d sit in it. I once found him in the dish drainer next to the sink. He even tried to get inside the dishwasher…while I was unloading it! He loved to be cuddled. He was the only one of my cats who I could cradle in my arms like a human baby. In fact, he used to snuggle deeper in your arms so that you and he would be more comfortable holding him. Once he was comfortable, he would put his paws on my mouth and ever so gently knead my lips. He’d gaze at you with his beautiful green eyes with such love. Another thing he liked to do was to sit in people’s laps. Star was already our lap cat, but it was nice to have another one. Smokey would sit in your lap for hours, unlike Star who would only stay for 30 minutes, tops. And if you were lying down, Smokey would lay on your chest with his face >thisclose< to yours. Smokey didn’t believe in personal boundaries. LOL! 

But things started to go wrong just before Christmas. Smokey started peeing on different things around the house. He still used his litter box, but occasionally, he’d pee somewhere else. Then he started peeing on David’s bed. He didn’t have a urinary tract infection that I knew of but Smokey was off but not showing any symptoms of anything. He stopped jumping up on the counters, too. But he was still eating, drinking and more or less still using the litter box. He felt a little lighter than usual, but still…nothing that would tell me that something was seriously wrong. His gums and tongue were pale, too. But again, nothing that screamed “Smokey is slowly dying!!” The last time I truly remember Smokey being his old self was Monday, January 9. He and Star both slept in my son’s room. By Tuesday, he was just nibbling his food, but I figured that it was because he didn’t particularly like the flavor I had given him. Late Tuesday evening, he would just sit in the corner, like a little kid in time-out, but he was facing the corner. He still walked to his litter box in my son’s room, but by Wednesday afternoon, Smokey was in bad shape. I couldn’t get him to the vet on Thursday, but we took him in on Friday. She told me that Smokey was severely anemic and all she could really do was to give him a vitamin shot and a shot of something called Epogen. We took him home and he did seem to perk up a bit. We had been feeding Smokey baby food to try and jumpstart his appetite, and he even ate that with gusto. He drank water on his own. Around 7 pm, I tried to feed him, but he wasn’t interested and he looked worse than he did before we went to the vet. My daughter tried to feed him again around 10:30, he again refused to eat. He started gasping and panting; his breathing was really ragged. His eyes were also very wide, and didn’t respond to my daughter waving her hand in his face. He was making sounds like he was coughing, and making motions like he was trying to throw up. He was flopping and rolling around on the floor, making moaning like noises. David and I rushed Smokey to the emergency vet at 11 pm. They took him to the examining room. The nurse came out and told us that Smokey was in full cardiac arrest. She asked me what I wanted to do… And as much as it hurt, I decided that he had suffered enough. I told them to end my baby’s suffering…and at 11:20 pm, he was gone… A large piece of my heart went with him. They asked me if I wanted to see him. I did. I had to say good bye. He looked so small on the examining table. He was wrapped in a towel, so I pulled it down a little so I could feel his fur one more time. I stroked his cheek and kissed him and told him I loved him. I told him that we would all miss his quirky mooing, yowling meow of his. Then I left, but before I did, I took his collar off. I wanted to have something to remember him by.

Good- bye my sweet baby. Know that I loved you more than words can ever express. I know you crossed the RainbowBridge and are now the healthy cat that you should have been on Earth. I hope you’ll come visit my dreams so that I can pet you one more time and gaze into your beautiful green eyes again while I hold you in my arms again.


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

wow!! what a wonderful story, so sorry it had to end so short . smokey is in better place with no more pain and the short life he had you made it wonderful for him. your story is reminding of my orange tabby NAZZY which is felv positive.
RIP smokey


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

Please, please, keep an eye your Nazzy. If you notice ANYTHING, take Nazzy to the vet. If I could redo the time I had with Smokey, I would have been living at the vet's office. What I wouldn't give to have him back here with me.


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## sephi (May 9, 2010)

my4kitties said:


> Please, please, keep an eye your Nazzy. If you notice ANYTHING, take Nazzy to the vet. If I could redo the time I had with Smokey, I would have been living at the vet's office. What I wouldn't give to have him back here with me.


thanks and i will, she is 4 and half years old, she is doing well i gave her immuno dmg tablets, she just needs more often dental cleaning.
we all do our best for our little friends but we can not change their destiny. we enjoy each other's time the best we can because we never know what tomorrow will bring.
you hang in there..time will heal your pain but never fades the great memories. 

here is little note for smokey and you:

when i come to the end of road
and the sun has set for me
why cry for a soul set free
miss me a little but not for long
and not with your head bowed low
remember the love that we once shared
miss me but let me go
for this is a journey we all must take
and each must go alone
it is all part of the master's plan
a step on the road to home
when you are are lonely sick of heart
go to friends we know
and bury your sorrows to good deeds
miss me but let me go...


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## LilRed (Jul 16, 2008)

He was so pretty. I am sorry your time together was so short and it is so painful to lose him. I know he must be thankful for the love & care you gave him. You had so many opportunities to turn your back on him but you didn't. Many people would never have let him in the door to begin with. I am glad he found you but I am sad he couldn't stay longer.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

sephi said:


> thanks and i will, she is 4 and half years old, she is doing well i gave her immuno dmg tablets, she just needs more often dental cleaning.
> we all do our best for our little friends but we can not change their destiny. we enjoy each other's time the best we can because we never know what tomorrow will bring.
> you hang in there..time will heal your pain but never fades the great memories.
> 
> ...


Nazzy must be one the lucky kitties who naturally built up antibodies to the FeLV. 

And thank you for the poem. It is hard letting go...


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

That sweet sweet face! 

What a special life you were able to give him, with so much love in it. He was a lucky kitty. 

Fran atback


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

What a lovely tribute. Smokey sounds wonderful, and I hadn't realized he was so young. Your story hit home when you said the doctor picked a birthdate of March 23, 2009, because that's Muffs' birthdate. I would be devastated to lose her so soon. My heart goes out to you. atback


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

I'm so touched by your care and dedication to Smokey over the months you had him. You did so much for him, and gave him every possible chance to live in a place where he knew he was wanted and loved. He was a sweet boy and so lucky to have you, and you him. Rest in peace sweetie.


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

I am so very sorry for your loss of beautiful Smokey, my4kitties. He seemed like a wonderful boy, from the way you write about him. I didn't realize he was so young either... I wish you all the best in getting through this difficult time. atback


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## Miso (Dec 5, 2009)

Thanks for sharing his wonderful story with us. I'm so sorry for your loss. RIP sweet boy.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Tears started streaming down my face when I saw the threads title. I cried thru the whole tribute. You fought so hard for him. I dont think everyone knows all you tried to do. He was truely one of your "heart" cats. He couldnt of found a more dedicated compassionate person to be his mom. 

Just know my heart goes out to you at his loss. I know he took a huge chunk of your heart with him. He will come back and visit you and one day you will be with him. Cyber hugs (((()))).


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## kittywitty (Jun 19, 2010)

I am so sorry for your loss. Your Smokey was a very special kitty and it was wonderful that he had you in his life. Keep all those memories in your heart as they will last forever.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

I just got back from the emergency vet clinic. They've been holding Smokey's body until I could pay the cremation bill. I did that today. The company that does the cremations will pick him up from the clinic tomorrow and I should have him back in 5-7 business days after that. It was so hard walking in there knowing that the clinic is the last time I saw my baby alive. I couldn't help it, but I started crying as the receptionist was taking my payment. I'm still a bit teary-eyed now. And as sure as I know my name, I *know* I'll be a blubbering idiot when it's time for me to go pick up Smokey for the last time. :-(


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## katlover13 (Apr 15, 2008)

I understand what you mean. They called me today to say Tweezer is ready to be picked up and I'm a little afraid to go. 
Just think of it that you are bringing him home and at least he will be close to you.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

That's what I'm telling myself. But I don't think I'll go alone. I don't think I can handle going alone. That was my mistake today. :-(


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## Digikid (Feb 27, 2011)

I know this is a little late but I also wanted to pass on my wishes for Smokey as well. He looked like a wonderful kitty.

I bet that my Mena and him and playing in the Daisies at the bridge waiting for us.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

Digikid said:


> I know this is a little late but I also wanted to pass on my wishes for Smokey as well. He looked like a wonderful kitty.
> 
> I bet that my Mena and him and playing in the Daisies at the bridge waiting for us.


Smokey was certainly a wonderful kitty. And I'm sure Mena and Smokey are having a grand old time playing in the daisies.  I'm glad that Smokey was there to help guide Mena over the Bridge.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

Today marks two months since my Sweet Shmoo Boo crossed the Bridge. I wanted to post some pictures of his resting place:

His cedar box. His name is engraved on it. 









A better view of his box. 









A close up of the lock on his box. 









An imprint of his paw, with his name engraved below it. 









His bed, his paw print, and his box. 









Another shot of his bed, paw print and box. 









I wanted to display this on top of our ancient big screen TV, but David is completely squicked out about the idea of me having Smokey's ashes. He told me to put them someplace inconspicuous because he doesn't want to see them. So, I have everything on top of bookcase in the living room.


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## Maggie the Cat (Mar 13, 2011)

Please accept my condolences. Losing a cat is so hard... they're part of your heart.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

That is so true. I didn't have him for long, but when he died, such a big chunk of my heart went with him.


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## tigressbythetail (Dec 1, 2010)

I am sitting here sobbing after having read your story of Smokey. He was beautiful, and my heart goes out to you. I just realized my Nellie has been gone now for exactly a month but it seems like just yesterday. I have Nellie and Lady's ashes but I've yet to decide exactly what to do with them so they're both on a bookcase with my two dogs. I know I want their ashes blended with my own when the day comes, but what to do with them in the meantime?


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

tigressbythetail said:


> I am sitting here sobbing after having read your story of Smokey. He was beautiful, and my heart goes out to you. I just realized my Nellie has been gone now for exactly a month but it seems like just yesterday. I have Nellie and Lady's ashes but I've yet to decide exactly what to do with them so they're both on a bookcase with my two dogs. I know I want their ashes blended with my own when the day comes, but what to do with them in the meantime?


Thank you. Sometimes, before I go to bed, I will take his box down and talk to it. I tell him how much I miss him, how much his buddy - Star - misses him, and how empty the house feels without him here. Then, when I'm done, I'll kiss the top of the box, again tell him that I love him, and then say good night.

Once I get a place of my own, I'm either going to keep his bed on my dresser, or maybe display it somewhere in the living room. We'll see.

And in case I didn't say anything in Nellie's thread in this section (I honestly don't remember)...my condolences to you on the loss of your beautiful little girls, Nellie and Lady. I hope the poor excuse of a human being that did this to them gets served with a large serving of karma.:cussing

*hugs*


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## kittywitty (Jun 19, 2010)

That is a beautiful memorial you put together for Smokey. I am so sorry you lost him. My cat Pumpkin Patch died a year ago March 20th and had a custom made urn with a sleeping kitty on top with wings. I keep it on my wall unit and talk to her all the time. Our furbabies will always be in our hearts.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

kittywitty said:


> That is a beautiful memorial you put together for Smokey. I am so sorry you lost him. My cat Pumpkin Patch died a year ago March 20th and had a custom made urn with a sleeping kitty on top with wings. I keep it on my wall unit and talk to her all the time. Our furbabies will always be in our hearts.


Thank you. If I had more room on top of the bookshelf, I would have put a picture of him next to his bed. I have a few pictures of him that I'd love to have framed, but that will have to wait until I have more room or a place of my own.


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## CherryPie (Oct 13, 2009)

Oh Renee atback
Smokey sounds like he was one of those awesome cats - the ones that change who you are as a person and stay with you forever.
You worked so hard to make him yours and he obviously knew that and loved you for it. A part of you went with him when he left but also - a part of him will always stay with you too. These soul cats of ours never truly leave us.
And now I'm crying for your loss and my loss and knowing that so many of us will go through this over and over again - and willingly. No matter how long or short a time they are with us, it is never long enough


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

CherryPie said:


> Oh Renee atback
> Smokey sounds like he *was one of those awesome cats* - the ones that change who you are as a person and stay with you forever.
> You worked so hard to make him yours and he obviously knew that and loved you for it. A part of you went with him when he left but also - a part of him will always stay with you too. These soul cats of ours never truly leave us.
> And now I'm crying for your loss and my loss and knowing that so many of us will go through this over and over again - and willingly. No matter how long or short a time they are with us, it is never long enough


Oh yes...Smokey was definitely awesome. Thank you for your kind words. You described him perfectly. He was a part of me and I was a part of him. And he will always be in my heart. :heart


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