Lars passed away peacefully on Monday, March 2nd after a brief illness. He was approximately 14 years old and a family member for over 7 years.
Lars came into my life a few months after my mom passed away. He was a senior cat with a contagious upper respiratory infection at a shelter running out of quarantine space. I was a recent college graduate who boomeranged back home. Everyone seemed to have moved forward with their lives but I felt stuck and overwhelmingly alone. Knowing very little about cats, I signed up to foster on a whim. Lars, who went by Snowball at the time, narrowly escaped euthanasia.
When we were driving home from the shelter Lars put his paw out from the crate that was sitting on the front seat of my car. It was reckless on my part, but I opened the crate. He walked effortlessly across the center console and sat on my lap purring for the entire ride home. We were best friends ever since.
Lars was resilient and strong, but equally vulnerable and loving. He was found on the streets, declawed from his prior owners, scraping for food and covered in fleas. Although he faced hardship early on, he pushed forward and still had love for the world. He would jump on the lap of a stranger and always enjoyed a nice belly rub. He rarely left my side through out the day and always slept close to me at night, oftentimes resting his head on my pillow. There were times when his unconditional love felt like the only stability I had as I navigated my way to adulthood. Crossing paths was our lucky break, now I think my mom had a hand in this.
Lars enjoyed walks through Sewickley. He didn’t care about the occasional glances when neighbors realized what was actually in the stroller. Lars was too busy feeling a fresh breeze on his nose and listening to the buzz of nature.
When he was not outside Lars enjoyed watching Birds and Squirrel videos on TV, playing with string, listening to NPR, taking warm catnip infused bubble baths and napping in the sun. Lars tolerated dressing up for holidays but drew the line at the groomer. I’m fact he had a spunky side and got kicked of 3 local salons in his lifetime.
In the same token, Lars was not found of the vet, but we were lucky enough to have some of the best veterinary professionals by our side.
Lars was loved by many, especially people who thought they weren’t cat people. He formed a special bond with my dad who still loved Lars despite the fact Lars peed on his bed and came into his home unannounced. Lars also enjoyed watching sports and reviewing collegiate football film with his dear friend, Vince. Vince made sure Lars was always cared for, all the way up through his final days.
After he passed, Lars’s body was donated to PVSEC for surgical training. It is our hope that this hands on experience helps veterinary residents navigate challenging surgeries with ease.