Goodbye, Leo

In 1995, some kids in a Bremerton street were playing with kittens like they were toys. Let's leave it at that.
Leo and FearlessLeo was one of them. Tiny, white, with wispy soft fur and sore sunburned ears. Got him home, and he ate, and then drank and drank water, ate as much as he could hold, and passed out on the couch asleep. 
Reason for name: He had a charcoal upside-down V on his head, a "mark," and St. Mark's animal is the lion, so, of course - Leo. I'm a Leo, too. The mark faded over the years, until he was completely white.
We had a lot of desperate rescue cats underfoot. Food and water sat on the kitchen floor. We were busy. By the time anybody noticed what had happened, Leo had ballooned up into the Fat Boy he'd be the rest of his life. In his last days, he was called regal.
Leo and BluebearMany of you remember the lordly, bossy, white - and possible - Turkish Van who purred up at you from the couch or floor when you came in the door. He terrorized a block watch meeting with great glee and verve. And a dead bird. More on that, later.
He was mother to all the new cats, especially to two tiny kittens nicknamed The Potatoes - Fearless and her brother Shadow. He even let Shadow suckle on him. Shadow and Fearless kept him warm and snug until the end.
Fearless and Leo.


On March, 2, 2015, he passed from us in front of a wood stove, on an old Marine blanket, after a year of fluids and medication and treats. He got a last summer in the sun in the back yard. A local store drained beef-liver blood so he could have it to lap up in a bowl. It did him good.
He probably died as the sun topped the ridge. His blanket was still warm.
So many people in social media  - old friends and new -  wished Leo well, and genuinely helped with suggestions and instructions. 
We miss him so much.
Maybe more later. Leo sleeping in the yard.
Goodbye Leo. Goodbye, sweet man.



Big Mo, Leo, and Jim in the yard.
Leo in bed. Red is his color. Vampurr!
Beef blood drained by a local store for the old man.
Note the tiny red Van Dyke.
The Little Store: http://donnabarr.blogspot.com/2007/04...