Thank you so much to all of you who have sent comments and emails about Roger. Mike and I are both grateful for all the heartwarming support. It’s especially comforting to know that so many of us have gone through similar experiences, and I thank you for understanding how hard it is to lose a pet. I have such great friends out there! I love you all.
Yesterday I collected some photos of Roger through the years. Actually I regret not taking more photos of my little guy. I have tons of pictures of the dog, but not nearly enough of the cats. I treasure the few photos that I have. Most of my pictures of him were taken on film, and maybe someday I’ll scan them to share. In the meanwhile, I hope you enjoy getting to know Roger through the photos that I already had digitized. He was sweet-natured, friendly, cuddly, and laid-back. If you had come over to our house, he’d probably try to sit in your lap as soon as you arrived. In his later years, he was gentle with me as I gave him his shots, eye drops, and daily baths. He was always happy to see me. Cats don’t get sweeter than Rog.
Edited to add: Wow, thank you so much, everyone. I really appreciate all the support and compassion. It means a lot to me to know that you care. Much love to you all!
I adopted Roger and Janie in 1999, from a coworker who had found them in his barn. They were seven weeks old, and completely precious. I can’t seem to find any larger scanned versions of these photos, but I took lots of film photos of them those first few weeks.
This is still one of my favorite photos of Roger and Janie. They were only about three months old. We had moved into my apartment in Charlottesville, where I was starting grad school. I was living on my own for the first time, and they helped me through the happy and sad times.
The next several photos were taken with my webcam while I was a grad student. I didn’t have a digital camera yet, so these webcam photos are some of the only digital images I have of the cats during that time period. The cam photos are pretty fun, though!
Roger was one of the cuddliest cats I’d ever known. He loved to be cradled like a baby in my arms. Janie likes to be near me, but not quite all over me like Roger.
Roger used to sleep on my desk, with his paw on top of my hand that was using the mouse.
By this point, Mike had entered our lives. Janie wasn’t so sure at first about whether there was room for a fourth family member, but Roger loved Mike instantly.
This was the day that we moved into our house in Colorado. The cats had lived in apartments their whole lives, but now we had a fenced backyard for them to explore. This was the moment that Roger got to go outside that day.
Later in the year he learned about snow!
Our first Christmas in our Colorado home.
Ha! I always laugh at this one. This was the day we adopted our dog, Ally. Roger hid.
Roger was such a laid-back cat that he and Ally became friends soon thereafter.
It makes me so happy that several of you remember Roger’s angel food cake incident! Here is a link to one of my all-time favorite blog posts.
He was such a handsome cat.
I kept meaning to do a real photo shoot with Rog when I realized that he was coming near his end. I’m so sad that I never did it. These photos from February of this year are the last pictures that I took of him.
The last photo I took of my little Mushball.
Goodbye, Roger. Thank you for being such a great friend through the years. I’ll miss you.
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear it. I hope you had a very happy 16 years together.
I am so sorry for your loss. It hurts a lot when our pets pass away. (my dog of 16 years was put down on May 30)
I’m so sorry for your loss. RIP, Roger.
this is an amazing set of photos. i’ve always been in love with black cats, sunday i hope i have one. :>
I guess you wound up marrying Mike because Roger probably wanted a Daddy and purred to you after you met Mike “Mommy, I want him to be my Daddy!”.
Had the wedding been in Colorado Springs instead of in England, Roger would have been the Best Cat.
It seems like Roger had a wonderful life. Some animals don’t get the chance to live as happy as he did and I’m sure he is as glad that you found him, as you are that you found him.
You do have a lot of wonderful photos of him. It makes me think that maybe I should start taking my photos of my Serena, she’s been declining in her health even though she is only 5, and I don’t want to regret not documenting her life.
It seems like Roger had a wonderful life. Some animals don’t get the chance to live as happy as he did and I’m sure he is as glad that you found him, as you are that you found him.
You do have a lot of wonderful photos of him. It makes me think that maybe I should start taking my photos of my Serena, she’s been declining in her health even though she is only 5, and I don’t want to regret not documenting her life.
Roger is beautiful. he reminds me a lot of my cat Anthony who i had since kindergarten and he passed away least year of cancer. he was everything to me and i know some people cant understand how much a pet can mean to a person if they haven’t been in that situation. Roger seemed to have a good and happy life with you.
Janie is a copy of my Tommy
Charlotte, I’ve told you that I was crying with you, but now I can’t help telling your Janie is a copy of my Tommy. I wouldn’t tell one from another by pictures.
http://pics.livejournal.com/kotik_106/pic/0000ykf1
but buy character Tom is a copy of Rog (as you described him).
Thank you for your pics
We’ve been out of town so this is my first chance to comment but I am so sorry to hear of Roger’s passing 🙁 I’m so dreading this day with my Baby. Looks like Roger had a wonderful life though 🙂
Janie is a copy of my Tommy
Charlotte, I’ve told you that I was crying with you, but now I can’t help telling your Janie is a copy of my Tommy. I wouldn’t tell one from another by pictures.
http://pics.livejournal.com/kotik_106/pic/0000ykf1
but buy character Tom is a copy of Rog (as you described him).
Thank you for your pics
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved cat Roger. The photos are precious and funny.
grief
I’m so sorry, losing a beloved pet is sooooooooooo hard. I can see what a wonderful companion he was and I hope you will find comfort in the immense amounts of joy his life brought you.
Sharon Gutowski
great of you to share these with us- and i’m sure it felt really good to be able to go through them… 🙂
Those are beautiful. We’ll miss you, Roger.
i hope the rest of your furry family are coping with the loss. very pretty photos of roger. *hugs and condolences*
He is so adorable, and reminds me a lot of a black kitty I had growing up (his name was Moonbeam). 🙂 You all are in my thoughts.
What a handsome boy cat 🙁 I’m so sorry for your loss, I have two cats as well, and I lost my childhood cat a few years back. It hurts a lot, but I’m so glad you have so many pictures to remember him! My condolences!
Awww, Charlotte, I love these. The link to the angel food cake made me laugh through my tears! Roger was definitely loved, and I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope Janie is doing okay and not missing her buddy too much. You and Mike take care… I’m glad you have all these sweet photos to look back on and smile at.
What a handsome boy cat 🙁 I’m so sorry for your loss, I have two cats as well, and I lost my childhood cat a few years back. It hurts a lot, but I’m so glad you have so many pictures to remember him! My condolences!
Awww, Charlotte, I love these. The link to the angel food cake made me laugh through my tears! Roger was definitely loved, and I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope Janie is doing okay and not missing her buddy too much. You and Mike take care… I’m glad you have all these sweet photos to look back on and smile at.
I’m very sorry for your loss. Roger was a beautiful kitty and I can see from the angel food cake incident had quite the sweet tooth like myself.
awwwwwwwwwww that was too sweet. i love the webcam pictures. i’m sorry sorry, charlotte. he was so loved.
*hug*
These are awesome. I’m so glad you have so many great pictures of him.
aw i hope janine is ok! i bet she misses roger
OMG, they are both so sweet and adorable. How’s Janie holding up without her brother? When i had to put Jeeves down, Lucky (the other kitty in icon) was so depressed until i got him another kitten…
Losing a pet is so difficult. My heart aches for you. Dogs and cats make such wonderful friends.
I am sorry for your loss, Charlotte. He looked like a sweetheart and a dear friend to you and Mike. 🙁
Beth
aw i hope janine is ok! i bet she misses roger
He’s adorable. He reminds me so much of my kitty – a very friendly cuddler who will climb into your lap the moment you sit down, and she has to sleep right up next to my face every night. I’ll be a wreck when her time comes. So sorry again for your loss.
My older kitty, Sneaky McGhee was born in Feb of 98, so I’ve had her a bit over 10 years and I just have no idea what I’d do without her. She’s one of the only constants in my life. I’m so sorry you lost your little buddy, but at least you have records of your time with him, and you know he was a truly happy little man. Keep Janie close to your heart, I’m sure she misses him too.
Roger was beautiful– and quite the cutie. Both he and Janie look absolutely clueless (but adorable) as kittens. I hope he’s in a better place now.
Wow, he really was the most perfect cat! I’ve always wanted a snuggly one like him.
Those web cam pictures are so funny. What a character he was!
I knew he was the cake sneak! 🙂
Such great photos. Thank you for sharing!
*tears*
what great memories. love that photo where he has the toy in his mouth, his eyes are so big!
dear roger, hope you’re playing with loads of toys in kitty heaven and i hope you’ve found smokey, quincy and oscar — the cats i grew up with!
I’ve only just gotten to see your post about Roger – I’m so sorry for your loss.
Looking at the beautiful pictures of both cats, I don’t know whether to smile or cry. The pictures are all gorgeous, and I’m sure Roger had an absolutely wonderful life with you.
LOVE the cam shots on 3/27/00 and 5/3/01 and the one with the feather thing in his mouth. SO CUTE. It’s amazing that you have all these pictures to remember him by! Thinking of you and yours!
What a wonderful cat! ::sniffles::
awwwwww…I’m again so sorry about Roger. It really sucks that they dont live as long as we do.
thanks for linking the angel food cake photos/story again…I was thinking about it when you posted yesterday and hoped you’d relink it.
LOVE The webcam shots. Those crack me up, esp with your commentary 🙂
hugs to all of you guys, and a special one to Janie
great post, you really are making me want a pet! Roger was so loved and totally was a happy cat I can tell. Precious memory post
I’ve only just gotten to see your post about Roger – I’m so sorry for your loss.
Looking at the beautiful pictures of both cats, I don’t know whether to smile or cry. The pictures are all gorgeous, and I’m sure Roger had an absolutely wonderful life with you.
Yep yep yep… must get a new kitty! 🙂
It’s so wonderful that besides your memories of him, you have so many beautiful pictures of Roger, and especially of special moments like discovering his backyard and snow.
Aw, I’m so sorry for your loss, Charlotte & Mike. Roger looks like such a sweetheart.
what wonderful photos! I’m so sorry for your loss, he looks so very soft and loveable. 🙁
These are great photos. I wish I’d had my kittyboys in grad school — I really needed the love and support from them during those hard years. I love the photos of Roger next to you as you work on the computer (no doubt on another VB assignment!)
such fun pictures! I have a whole scrapbook devoted to Skratchers. I love the one of Roger in the snow, I can’t believe he would go out in it! he looks good in snow, I guess because he’s so black and it’s so white. He was the perfect photo shoot subject!
I hope Janie is not missing her buddy too much. So sorry for your loss, but lots of happy memories there. He was lucky to have someone to care for him so deeply in his later years!
aw, what a sweetheart!
I laughed at some of those pix because they remind me of our three monkeys – Ebony (in icon) Savannah and Helen.
They’ve been with us nine years now and are woven intricately into the pattern of our lives.
Thanks for sharing. Thanks to your great pix, you can have his lovely face with you always.
beautiful tribute
Aww. I’m glad you have so many pictures to remember him by.
I’m so sorry for you loss…I can’t even imagine the pain that you feel! 🙁 I have a little kitty who looks exactly like your other golden colored one and I know I am going to be a mess when I finally lose him because has been such an important part of my day to day life!
*thinking of you lots at this time*
Aww Charlotte… I’m sorry to see this Charlotte… he looks like he was a bundle of joy to enjoy while he was here.
Cherish the memories and the pictures. May the warmth help you in this time of sorrow.
the one of him sitting on top of the computer is so cute. 🙂 i’m really sorry for your loss. my dog, lady, passed over six years ago and i still miss her. i still even forget from time to time that she’s not around.
what a sweetheart. I never met Roger but feel like I have with all the great pictures. He had loving kitty parents. Thinking of you guys.
It’s so wonderful that besides your memories of him, you have so many beautiful pictures of Roger, and especially of special moments like discovering his backyard and snow.
What a beautiful cat. Thank you for sharing all of your photos. So sorry for your loss!
I’m glad you have so many great photos to remember Roger by.
I really enjoyed reading about your relationship with Roger. He seems like such a great cat, and it’s awesome that he was so close to you. I understand losing a pet that’s been with you before you now husband / wife. I lost my golden retriever for 18 years last year, and always joked he was the first man in my life. They truly are like your family members, and will always have that special place in your heart.
What a sweet and sad post! I miss my cat who lives with my parents while I’m at school – I feel so much guilt about not being with her because she’s getting older. It is so hard to say goodbye to a pet and Roger looked like a wonderful, sweet kitty. <3
*so glad I’m close to the tissue box*
Thank you for posting all these. I loved seeing them, and I hope you had some joy from going through them, too 🙂
What a wonderful journey! It’s amazing how much you guys shared together … so much love. *hug*
opps. forgot that I don’t keep myself logged in on the computer at work.
Oh, this made me cry. I know so well what it’s like to have a cat who just can’t get close enough to you. It’s almost like holding them isn’t enough, hah.
I just added you, Charlotte, but I’ve admired your work for a while, and I look forward to reading your entries in the future. Animal lovers are the best kind of people. 🙂
I remember several of those web cam pics from waaaaaaay back when!
Thinking of you, Mike, Janie and, of course, Roger.
aw, what a sweetheart!
I laughed at some of those pix because they remind me of our three monkeys – Ebony (in icon) Savannah and Helen.
They’ve been with us nine years now and are woven intricately into the pattern of our lives.
Thanks for sharing. Thanks to your great pix, you can have his lovely face with you always.
What a beautiful cat. Thank you for sharing all of your photos. So sorry for your loss!
Oh, this made me cry. I know so well what it’s like to have a cat who just can’t get close enough to you. It’s almost like holding them isn’t enough, hah.
I just added you, Charlotte, but I’ve admired your work for a while, and I look forward to reading your entries in the future. Animal lovers are the best kind of people. 🙂