and proof that Rainbow Bridge does exist.
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and proof that Rainbow Bridge does exist. |
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| It is with a heavy heart that I find myself changing this to a memorial page. Katzenberg, at the age of 12, has unexpectedly crossed the bridge. Below is an illustrated storybook of Katzenberg's Journey to Rainbow Bridge. It begins at 6:00PM when his life on earth ends and shows him crossing over and entering Rainbow Bridge with the help of the The Good Fairy Aurora. The pictures comfort me and convince me that he lives on in a better place. If you have lost a pet I hope they will do the same for you. While this is a memorial page, it is also a page that celebrates the life of an affectionate, comical, intelligent and loving cat who touched everyone who crossed his path. |
The Beginning |
| Katzenberg was brouht to me by a rescuer who found him when he was only weeks old roaming the beach in the dead of winter. He was a tiny ball of fur with soulful eyes and a nose that seemed much too large for his skinny little face. As I took him from the carrier he purred loudly, climbed up on my shoulders, and put his tiny arms around my neck. Little did I know that he would continue to do this throughout his life. It was love at first sight. He was not the most regal of cats, but he sure made up for it with his personality and endearing nature. The rescuer called him Zeke, but the second the door closed behind her I told him his name was Katzenberg. |
The Middle Years |
| I quickly learned that there was no stopping him when he was intent on accomplishing a task. He had learned how to open sliding closet doors, raise the lid of the toilet bowl to drink the water, and he was able to open almost every drawer in the house. Katzenberg followed me constantly and every night he slept on my head and purred loudly. He was extremely affectionate which made me love him all the more.
With each year that passed I became more attached to him. Although this kitty loved me dearly, he had plenty of love left to shower on others. Each time the doorbell rang he anxiously ran to the door hoping to greet an old friend, or make a new one. From the pizza delivery boy, to the UPS man, to the group of Jehovah Witnesses who once rang the bell trying to convert me... he loved them all. He was always on top of me. Even while I sat at the computer he'd jump up onto my lap, stand up facing me, and put his arms around my neck. This he did whenever I sat down. |
A Few Memories | |
| Dad was so charmed by Katzenberg that after returning home from a visit here he asked me to mail him a photo so that he could do an oil painting. This is the photo he worked with and the finished oil painting. |
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| Years ago we were invited to enter our cats in a contest by submitting an essay written by each cat on why he or she should win. With much coaxing from me Katzenberg agreed to enter. His entry is below. Red-Devil who is quite conceited was eager to enter but only won 3rd place. See how upset Red Devil was upon learning the news that Katzenberg won first place. |
"Hey! Wait! Don't click me away just cuz I am not beautiful! I make up for it in other ways! My name is Katzenberg and to know me is to love me. Diabella says that I am the bestest cat on the whole planet. I am also the luckiest cat on the whole planet. I was born on the beach in the dead of winter. Mommy didn't want me. She took off with my siblings leaving me all alone. Probably cuz I was funny looking. A skinny lady with yellow hair rescued me and called me Zeke. She kept me for a few weeks till I regained my strength and then put me up for adoption in a newspaper ad. Diabella answered the ad and the rest is history. I am very affectionate and love humans. I like to hang on people with my paws around their neck and sing to them with my purrs. My manners are impeccable. I sit patiently and wait for Red-Devil and Count Dracula to get their share before I dine. I am very clever and have never met a drawer or closet that I couldn't open. When humans visit they always comment on how beautiful the other two are, but after spending a few minutes with us I am the one they invite onto their laps. Cuz I am such a plain looking cat it would mean so much for me to win the Miss Mae contest. To tell ya the truth, I was kinda ashamed to enter this face but Diabella gave me a pep talk and changed my mind. She said that my inner beauty shines through. I love Diabella. But what I would love even more is the honor of winning cuz that would prove to me that looks are only skin deep. Very truly yours, Katzenberg" |
The Beginning of the End |
| It happened suddenly. Katzenberg lost interest in food and started to lose weight. When I tried to hand feed him he would squirm away. The vet was perplexed because according to the initial exam he looked fine. A week later he was hardly able to stand up. The vet did some more tests.
The test results did not reveal good news. It was FIP. It was passed on to him by Handsome. I was in shock. This cat did not look sick! He was still sleeping on my head and purring, and he still hung on my neck every chance he got. I was not strong enough to watch him breath his last breath. This would be impossible for me to do with any cat -- but with Katzenberg the thought was insane. I called my neighbor, Jackie, and told her the time had come. Before leaving the house I spent time brushing him and talking to him. Everything was surreal. Jackie rang the bell, I put him in the carrier, we got into her car and drove to the vet in silence. Once there I sat in the waiting room. She took the cat carrier from me, walked into the exam room, and closed the door behind her. Although she loved Katzenberg, there was no guilt in laying this on her. She is a nurse and witnesses death on a daily basis. I sat frozen in the waiting room for what seemed like an eternity until my thoughts were interrupted by her sobs. I bolted out of the chair and opened the door to the exam room, thinking that it was over with and that Katzenberg had been taken into another room. But I opened the door too soon. Lifeless, he was still hanging on her with his arms around her neck. His body was limp and his head hung to the side. |
| Jackie with Katzenberg, and the email she sent that night. | |
 | "Diane, he died a peaceful death in the arms of someone who loved him. He held me around the neck even after he died. Thank you for letting me be with him during his last moments of life. I know you can't understand this but there's something very rewarding with helping an animal cross over. I told him that there was a rainbow bridge waiting for him where he would be with other animals. I told him that I loved him and that he had nothing to be afraid of. He purred as he slipped away. I never stopped talking to him. He was a very special animal. He deserved a special good-bye." |
The Story Book |
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| 6:00PM - A thousand stars fell and the moon cried. |  | 6:15PM - As the devil waits for a decision, the angels read the Book of Judgement and prepare to take Katzenberg to heaven. |
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| 7:00PM - Katzenberg arrives in heaven. He makes friends with the moon and asks him why he is crying. | | Midnight - He is awarded The Good Cat Medal of Honor by the Keeper of Heaven's Gate. |
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| Katzenberg thanks the Keeper of Heaven's Gate for the medal and tells him that he is appreciative, but that he is tired and needs to go home to his family. |
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| He meets up with a bunch of cats and asks them if they know the way out of heaven. After much thought, a cat they call Spiffy, tells him that he must find the exit door. |
| In his pursuit to leave heaven and get home he comes upon an old green door, opens it, and ventures inside. | | The elves offer him food but frightened by them he quickly backs out the door. |
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| Remembering the angels walking him up the Staircase to Heaven, he wanders around to search for it. Finally, he finds the staircase and pleads with the Red Pixie to ask The Bubble Fairy for directions to get home. | | "No," says The Red Pixie. "You are going to a better place. A place far beyond the stars. A place they call Rainbow Bridge." Upon hearing this Katzenberg climbs to the top step and jumps back onto the clouds. |
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| Exhausted from all of the turmoil, sleep comes easily. |
| Soon a new day is announced by The Sun Fairy. | | And with the new day all things beautiful awaken. |
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| 9:00AM - The Rainbow Bridge Fairies fly into Heaven. They tell him they must search for The Good Fairy Aurora who will guide him to the Bridge. | | Noon - The Good Fairy Aurora arrives. She tells him that the Rainbow Bridge boat is on the way. She tells him not to be afraid. She speaks of the wonders of life at the Bridge and promises him that a surprise meeting will take place. |
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| And so, the journey to this far-away land they call Rainbow Bridge begins |
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| Katzenberg finally arrives at the the bridge, and the Greetings Fairy who has been waiting for him encourages him to cross over. |
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| Katzenberg arrives and is welcomed to his new home by the residents of Rainbow Bridge |
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| Minutes later just as promised by the Good Fairy Aurora the surprise comes to pass... for out of nowhere Katzenberg's old buddy Handsome appears and joins him for a swan ride. |
| Suddenly, realizing that he left his medal in heaven, he asks The Swan Fairy to call upon The Good Fairy Aurora to find it and bring it to the bridge. | | The Swan Fairy leaves but within moments she appears atop an old oak stump with the medal and drops it to a swan. |
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| The swan returns the medal to Katzenberg... upon which |
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| Katzenberg presents Handsome with the Good Cat Medal of Honor. |
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Believe and all things shall come to pass. |
Be kind to your pets. Life is fragile and no-one can foresee what tomorrow will bring.
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 | If you would like to order this Rainbow Bridge Frame Graphic featuring your pet, click on the banner below.  |
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Diabella Loves Cats ... Web Site IndexThis is a brief index. The index on the Home Page has full details on each page. | |||||||
| Home | Rescue I: Kings Highway Cat Rescue |
Rescue II: The CACC | Rescue III: My Rescues |
Shelters | Red Devil | Dracula | Tropicana |
| Katzenberg Memorial |
Handsome Memorial |
Catland | Cat Cafe Series Main Page |
Cat Dance Theatre Series Main Page |
Pot of Gold Animal Welfare |
Cat Graphics Main Page |
Dog Graphics Main Page |
| About Me | Win an Award | Links | Red Witch E-cards Main Page |
Custom Web Graphics | Bannersets | Pet Frame Graphics |  |
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