Toby the Tubby Tabby

It’s funny how animals, even strays, can bond with their owners so much, they can become the family we needed. Just when we think we have things figured out, some stray comes in, and changes our lives forever.

But first, let me start from the beginning.

It was two years away from friends and family that I made the decision to adopt a pet to keep me company. I was 70 miles away from home, and I didn’t get the opportunity to visit home all that often. So, I wanted a furry friend to keep me company. I worked a steady freelance gig, doing film/broadcast work for a mom and pop telecoms consulting firm, and my roommate at the time worked for an insurance agency doing IT work on and off-site. I didn’t want a dog, because of the maintenance they need, as well as the sound they produce. (I sometimes needed to keep things quiet for recording voice work.) I had a cat before when I lived alone years ago, and since I was living with a roommate who also loved cats, we decided to get one each. We knew going into this, we wanted black kittens.

I did the research on available breeds in the area using Petfinder.com, and only found kittens during the month of November at a Petco, forty five minutes away from where we lived. For those unfamiliar with cats and their breeding habits, they tend to breed all through spring, so finding kittens during the fall is somewhat difficult. We didn’t care though. My roommate had recently lost his childhood pet, a black tomcat named “Blackie,” and I wanted a pet to keep me company during my freelancing work. So, we made the long trek to seek out these ‘off-season kittens,’ to keep us company as we worked independently in our apartment.

Petco’s cat adoption agency’s selection did not disappoint. They had practically every kind of kitten color pattern you could think of, plus some adult stray cats. Of course, I didn’t pay any mind to the adults at first, but there was one enormous brown striped, short haired, tabby cat that caught my eye. He kept staring at me with a peculiar golden set of eyes, as he laid completely at ease. His arms and legs fell where they wished, as he didn’t seem to care. I figured this seemingly lazy cat just took note of everyone. Even as I met with all the kittens, and other visitors came and went, he continued to keep his yellow orbs fixated at me. “Weird cat,” I thought.

We handled the kittens, trying to make a decision on which one would fit our personality best. My roommate ended up bonding with an all-black “kitten” that was a tad older. She was about maybe a year and a half in age, but she had a floating rib. It was easy to see why she wasn’t adopted immediately. She was definitely the runt in her litter, but my roommate didn’t care. All he saw was his deceased cat, despite her petite size measuring in at about one quarter Blackie’s size. She followed him everywhere he went in the adoption room, ignoring other cats. He decided to rename her Shadow, which I think was a good fit.

I had almost decided on a small black kitten as well, when the large, behemoth of a cat with the golden eyes started meowing at me. I started to wonder what was wrong with this cat. On a whim, I decided to ask to visit with him, and the associate in charge of the cats obliged. She let me know beforehand however, that his canines were broken due to a past incident with a horrible owner who abandoned him, so to be careful. I began to think this was going to be a mistake! I know some animals can hold grudges towards certain kinds of people. I hoped I didn’t fall into that category.

This humongous, twenty two pound, twenty six inch cat, however, immediately crawled into my lap, got on his back, and fell asleep in my arms. I immediately bonded with this immense cat, and my roommate couldn’t believe his eyes. The associate could barely contain her laughter at the ridiculous sight, but was probably as relieved as I was. He was obviously older, which wasn’t what I wanted, but how could I refuse such a great cat! Besides, what was two years in the lifespan of a cat? I made the decision to adopt Toby the Tubby Tabby immediately.

Toby turned out to be my spirit animal, figuratively of course. He was a super relaxed cat, unless squirrels would invade our balcony, which he would then seem to bark at them in frustration. He definitely had a bit of pudge, but you could tell when you held him that he had a lot of solid muscle. He was full of personality, and would talk back at you if you talked to him. At some point, he learned to open cabinets, much to my annoyance. It made midnight bathroom breaks a whole lot more interesting when you think you’re alone in the restroom. Then all of a sudden, the silence breaks, and a giant cat just walks out from under the sink, with a loud meow!

He was generally low maintenance, even by cat standards. He found ways to entertain himself, whether it was running laps around the apartment, or batting at loose network cables hanging from some wood beams we put up. He would perch on the back of my computer chair when I felt really alone, and begin to nap. I came to love that cat immensely. He became the family I couldn’t be around during the holidays. He became the friends I couldn’t talk to when they all went their own ways. He was an excellent cat, and an excellent friend.

I was diagnosed with renal carcinoma (kidney cancer) a few years after I adopted Toby. I didn’t have health coverage then, which meant I had to move back home, as well as lose my steady gig. It also meant I had to surrender Toby. I gave the decision more thought that I should have. Of course I needed to get my cancer treated, but I found it very difficult to leave my new furry friend behind. He had been there when others hadn’t. Truthfully, I never got a chance to properly say goodbye to him. To this day, that fact messes with me. Thankfully, my roommate took him in, which made the decision lighter, but still very painful.

Months after treatment, my now prior roommate informs me that Toby also had issues with his kidneys after I left. He spent a few grand to get him treatment, which I am incredibly grateful for. I know I would have been a wreck if something happened to him after I left. We’re both doing much better now. We’ve both lost some weight, our kidneys are well, and we both are happy. I’d be lying though, if I said that there isn’t a void in my heart where Toby once occupied.

It’s funny how animals, even strays, can bond with their owners so much, they can become the family we needed. Who knew this behemoth stray cat with golden eyes would win my heart? His adoption was a complete accident, and to this day, it has taught me to give everyone a second chance. Animal or person, sometimes life doesn’t get it right the first time. Sometimes you need that second chance, or maybe even third, fifth or sixth chance to get it right. Doesn’t matter how old you are, you fit in somewhere. The right opportunity just needs to come by, it seems. I’m glad I was able to give Toby that place, even for a few years. Even now, he’s with my old roommate, living it up nicely! To this day though, I miss Toby, the now once Tubby Tabby, and I think of him often.

Give strays a chance. You might find your own Toby.