Remembering Wiley

It's the post that I knew would come at some point or another, admittedly, sooner than later. But it still doesn't make it any less painful or difficult. Not by a long shot...

Our Wiley, our Bubba, our little buddy, our little gray boy, passed quietly and peacefully on New Years Eve 2025, in my arms and with Justin and I by his side, very soon after our return from Australia. About 36 hours before we were due to return home, I got a call from Kelly, who was staying in our house keeping an eye on things. She said Wiley just wasn't acting quite right, so I said go ahead and take him in. We basically left from the the airport, picked up our car in Lexington, and went straight to the vet. Our Our absolutely amazing vet, who very graciously let us in on a day they weren't even open so we could see him, explained everything that was happening. Justin and I said basically, "so what happens next?" And with tears in his eyes, our vet said, "I think it's time for him to go to kitty heaven." 

We spent about an hour with him, petting him and telling him what a good boy he was and how much we loved him. I sang him the little song I'd made up for him ("Wiley is a kitty, and he is very pretty"). There will be a part of me that always wished we had more time with him, given just how sudden and unexpected it was, but ultimately, we could not let our boy suffer for one more second and so, while still hell, it was the choice we had to make. 

We miss him. I miss him. I was so blessed to be with him for 13 of his 15 years. He was with me through many phases and chapters of my life, and he was a special friend through it all. Of course he was with Justin and I, but in many ways, I feel like he was my cat. He always followed me around. He lived in four apartments with me and was with me throughout many job changes, family losses, Justin, Kelly coming back and forth from travel nursing. I'll be forever grateful that she was with him in the end, because she knew him and loved him as much as we did. 

He loved to sleep on shoes, or purses. I have many pictures of this. I can't imagine that sleeping on a pair of smelly shoes would be enjoyable or pleasant or comfortable, but I like to think it was just him wanting to be close to us. 

He was really good at sensing when I was sad or sick, he was never much of a lap kitty except towards the end of his life, but anytime I was sad or sick, he was right by my side, never fully in my way, but just there, quietly, purring. He had an amazing purr. I think I'll miss that the most. 

I remember a few years ago when Justin and I were still living in Berea. I had a doctor's appointment one morning and they needed to do blood work and it was an 11:00ish appointment and I hadn't eaten anything since dinner the night before. Needless to say I passed out cold after the blood draw, and got myself home. I had planned on going to work after, but decided not to, I just felt so, so off and crappy. Wiley laid with me for a few hours, including laying right beside my head, probably to make sure I was okay. I'll never forget that. I know for a fact he was looking out for me and knew I wasn't feeling great. 

Whenever we would have people over and they would meet the kitties, I always said that Wiley especially loved attention. He did! He was not shy at all...and if you got a headbutt from him, well, then you were in. He loved to give headbutts, and I never discouraged it because headbutting is a tell-tale sign of love and affection from a kitty. Honestly, he was a really happy kitty. He also did happy tail and what I called the flop, where he would flop onto his back and roll around to show you his belly. He usually did this when we got home from work or when we would first get up in the morning. He also used to do this ridiculous yowling/meowing sound, often times in the middle of the night...we called it "singing his song". Sometimes, there would be a toy outside our bedroom door, like he was saying "Hi guys, look what I brought for you!!!"  It's been a couple of years since he last done that, and it used to drive us crazy at times...Now I miss that. I loved his silly yowling.

Wiley was our little miracle kitty. I don't say that lightly, either. Back in 2019, he got really sick and was throwing up a lot, like 4 days a week or more, and it got to the point where we opted for him to have an exploratory surgery procedure, just to see if the vet could find anything that was wrong.  I remember this clear as day...It was Good Friday, 2019. He had the surgery and the vet said that he would have some pathology testing done but he was pretty certain it was cancer. We were told, essentially, take him home and love him and spoil him. So we took him home and we waited, and praise God, it wasn't cancer!! Nothing definitive came out, except that his insides were a little janky. The vet prescribed steroids...and he got better! Just like that. If we hadn't agreed to that, we would have probably been saying goodbye a lot sooner. We got six more years with our boy! I will forever be grateful for that. Anytime, though, he had a spell where he would get sick or just not quite himself, I would pray, and pray. I think I nearly kicked heaven's door down with prayers for him.  And then in 2024, maybe beginning of 2025, I don't remember, but we learned he was diabetic. We gave him some special food to try to keep it at bay and he just happily went along with life like nothing happened. He had a good life and I am beyond blessed that I was able to look after him and be with him for most of his life. 

Yoda...I think she misses him too, although of course it's hard to say. The first few nights after he was gone, she cried...a LOT. Granted, we had just returned from a nearly three week vacation, so that maybe had something to do with it, but I don't think that was the whole story. I think she knew. So I still think she misses him. They were never ones to sleep together or anything like that, but they were together a long time. I think that has to count for something. 

I refuse to believe that our fur babies go anywhere but heaven after they pass (That's a hill I'm very willing to die on, so come at me 😋)...I hope that Wiley is enjoying kitty heaven. I hope he's having lots of treats and headbutting Jesus and taking a nap on some shoes or a purse. I hope he's having fun and purring away. I wonder if he has met some of the Korb family pets: Calilu, Pokey, Tinker, Twister, Raven, Nala, Ripple...

They say that time heals, and while the sadness has lessened, the reality is that I will forever have a Wiley-shaped hole in my heart. 

Until we meet you again at the Rainbow Bridge, bubba. I love you. We love you, always. 💚