Guest star: A tribute to Honey the Maine Coon

Hi everyone,

A while ago we were running a competition for Mural’s Wallpaper during which the prize went to a beautiful Maine Coon by the name Honey.

It only came to light after the competition that beautiful Honey had passed away over Christmas. 🙁

Please find below a few words of their parents and some of her photos as a tribute!

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Honey was indeed a special girl. Being a Maine Coon, she was larger than life, and loved living at a thousand miles an hour! We live in a rural setting, and she, and her brother Dexter had full access to the fields and woodland. And spent most of the summertime outdoors chasing butterflies and mice (never bothered with birds thankfully) and most of the winters curled up with us.

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She started loosing weight late last year when she was just six years old, and after several trips to the vets, she was operated on for exploratory surgery, where a large tumour was found. We were given the option of removing as much of it as they could and extending her life for a few more months with regular vet visits and lots of pain meds, or let her go… So we had to make the heartbreaking decision to let her sleep on without waking her up ;-( It hurts us so much not being there for her, and not being able to say goodbye. But feel it was best for her not to suffer any more. Her wonderful winning picture was taken on one of her butterfly hunting missions. She sat on the top of the wooden fence in the pic and has her eyes on a particularly tasty Cabbage White. Her wonderful Mural will go on our daughters bedroom wall, where she will continue to keep watch over us.

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Anyone who keeps pets must one day say goodbye, and having kept cats for over 25 years, we’ve said goodbye to several. But it never gets any easier… But time heals, and after a while you tend to smile and laugh about their antics, rather than feel sad. This poem always helps us feel better about the whole experience though:

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm
and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health
and vigour; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again,
just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and
looks into the distance. Her bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers.
Suddenly she begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, her legs
carrying her faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your
special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.

The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head,
and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your
life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together

Ian, Tracy, Natasha & Jessica

We hope you are looking forward to many more stories here and don’t forget you can also follow us on Bloglovin now by clicking here or sign up to our email newsletter here.

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55 thoughts on “Guest star: A tribute to Honey the Maine Coon

  1. billythetimecat says:

    We are so sorry for your loss. Letting go is not easy but sometimes it’s something you have to do.
    Sadness will go away and only good memories will stay.
    Kisses & Purrs
    Billy The Time Cat

  2. Mrs D says:

    That’s so sad! Losing a pet, part of the family, is always hard however having to make that decision, which we have done, makes it even harder. Heartfelt sympathy!

  3. cyberfyn says:

    Thanks Marc for featuring Honey on Katzenworld. Honey (Full name, Loncoon Sunny Honey Girl) was pretty special to me in particular as she was a proper daddies girl. We had a special bond her an I 🙁 Dexter, her Maine Coon brother was pretty distraught after she died, and walked all over the house and garden calling for her for a few weeks. He’s settled down now, but has taken to sleeping in her old bed instead of his own. Bless him (He can be seen in the pic of them sleeping together on the grass)

    We have scattered her ashes around her favourite ash tree in the garden where she’d often be found sunbathing, or chasing the resident Squirrel!

    Ian F.

  4. weggieboy says:

    The joy they bring into our lives isn’t cancelled by the sadness we feel when they pass, but six years just isn’t that long a life. I feel sad, too, because I lost a cat — Louie — at that same age to lymphoma, and your story reminded me of that sad time.

    In his case, though, he showed no signs of illness until his very last day, didn’t eat supper, and died in his sleep that night. I was spared the sadness of deciding whether to try to save him for a little time more or not, perhaps Louie the ginger cat’s last “gift” to me.

  5. loisajay says:

    I am so very sorry about Honey. What a gorgeous girl. No, it never does get any easier. But that means they are so very loved. Hugs to you.

  6. lawjic says:

    WOW! My heart goes out to you. I have no words. I will tell you my 19 year old DSH calico cat has spent the last 4 days at the veterinary hospital as she got EXTREMELY constipated from her renal diet and they could not operate. They used multiple enemas and tons of fluids. I brought my cat home with a pharmacy and bags of SQ fluids…..We may NOT make it through….and if Ms. Cali also crosses the Rainbow Bridge, I will be “BROKEN” for a while, but I will tell her PLEASE to send all YOUR LOVE TO YOUR BELOVED AND GORGEOUS, SWEET “Honey”. Yes, she is in a better place; yes she was FAR, FAR too you. NO, life is not fair….my cat is a domestic at 19, living well WAY past a normal life span….is THAT fair to Honey? No….but I love the things you wrote and the absolutely STUNNING tribute to Honey.

    Thank you for SHARING your beloved Honey with us, because or lives have been DEEPLY TOUCHED. Mine has….and I your pain is palpable, but you are VERY STRONG…..I pray for solace and comfort to bring you peace during these MOST DIFFICULT times. I honestly understand, as Ms. Cali is standing at the BRINK of that Rainbow Bridge too. And, I will NEVER keep her here for ME; I promise her DIGNITY AND RESPECT and she will be granted that, just as you did with Honey. Your story is heartbreaking, but very positive and INSPIRING to people like me…..

    My thoughts and prayers go out to all of Honey’s cat guardians and family….

  7. saymber says:

    Reblogged this on As I see it and commented:
    Good-bye is not forever. For those who have lived and loved pets you know this part of the journey is the hardest for those of us who have to also wait to be reunited.

  8. saymber says:

    Shared with a friend who’s just lost her dear cat and grieving. Good-bye isn’t forever but for us with our clocks and sense of time…seems far too long!

      • saymber says:

        Yeah unfortunately she has 3 more in the wings – just had a dog diagnosed with two different kinds of cancer. Writings like the Honey Tribute really help people going through things like this – don’t feel so alone!

  9. pilch92 says:

    That is so sad. It is always sad to lost a cat, but especially sad when they are young and bonded with another.

  10. JUNO's VIEW says:

    Thank you very much for sharing this post. I lost Juno around the same time, so the feelings you reflect on, and the lovely poem strike a familiar chord.

  11. niasunset says:

    I am sorry to hear this, always something happens in my heart when a cat leaves us… I know this feeling and I remember all my cats in the past too… They areall, stars now… Thanks and Love, nia

  12. natjtan says:

    I have tears reading this. The poem’s a beautiful way to remember Honey. My boys are 13 and 10 and I don’t like thinking about those 2 days to come.

    • Ian Finney says:

      Thanks for your kind words. It’s truly heartbreaking to lose any member of your family, no matter how long they’ve been a part of it. But over time, you find yourself looking back and laughing at their past antics more than crying over their loss. No matter how long we are together, it’s a blessing.

      Ian F.

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