To be or not to be, a cat is the question.
Forest was a feline Marlon Brando. Stunningly attractive in his youth and a hefty bulk as the years passed.
Forest was just eight weeks old when he arrived at Villa Kitty. He was a pretty wee boy, with the quietest nature. He was quickly adopted but his new family couldn’t see what this handsome kitten was to become and they returned him to us because… “he had no personality”.
I have a fierce protection gene for those I love and I do love all those who arrive at our door. I want nothing more than for almost all of them to be adopted; some don’t want to be adopted and feel safe at Villa Kitty with our staff, but the majority want a family of their own. Forest came to live with me. Nothing ever changed except that as he got bigger and bigger he became increasingly insistent with his head butting, his signal that he demanded a cuddle or, more importantly, required his food dish to be filled with his favourite biscuits. He had an expensive taste, Royal Canin Persian. Forest never developed much of a meow. He used his grand proportions via headbutting to get his cuddles.
One morning, through a shaft of sun in my bathroom, as I was bent over the wash basin cleaning my teeth, I looked up to see Forest sitting on a ledge in an extraordinary light. I grabbed my little camera and took the photos that were to raise Forest to his celebrity status… well with us anyway. Forest became the face of Villa Kitty.
He became our Villa Kitty T-shirt image with so many wonderful quotes… “To be or not to be, a cat is the question”, and “The love of a cat is a privilege”. I was so privileged to have had Forest come into my life.
My mother died in 1982. I am the youngest of 5 girls by many years. One of my sisters was a nurse and she had read Elizabeth Kubler Ross’s book On Death and Dying. When my mother was dying, my sister brought her home to die. We have followed this example with our companion animals.
Forest died in my arms. He wasn’t at home and I will regret this forever. I was with him as he slipped away but he wasn’t in the place he loved best. Please, know when your companion’s time has come, gently bring him or her home.
Forest was my darling. RIP my darling boy.
In memory of Forest, 26 June 2022.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Henzell
Founder
Villa Kitty Foundation