Meet Jelly Belly: The Sweet Ragdoll Cat Who Brings Comfort After Loss

My beautiful kitty is named Jelly Belly – when he was little he loved to have his belly rubbed. He is a beautiful orange and white 16-year-old kitty. He found me a few weeks before my dad passed away when he was about 3 months old. I immediately fell in love with this beautiful boy who wanted nothing but to be loved. Right after my dad passed, Jelly would go and sleep with my mom, as he seemed to know she needed him. I do not have any papers on this beautiful ragdoll, but he is definitely part ragdoll, if not all.

During the past few weeks Jelly Belly has not been feeling well, I took him to the vet and they told me he had kidney disease. I started IV fluids on him, but he just did not seem to feel better. Over the weekend I took him to the emergency clinic and they admitted him and have been running test on him. They say he has chronic severe kidney disease, he has been on IV fluids all weekend but he is not wanting to eat much. Even though he is not feeling well when I come to visit he climbs in my lap and reaches up and puts his paws around my neck and just hugs me so tight. They tell me he will probably only survive a few months, but if love has anything to do with it, I know Jelly Belly will be with me a lot longer than that.

When he was younger, he chewed on a plant that had poison on it and it caused him to be blind. Being blind did not stop him from doing anything at all. When I would leave the room for a few minutes he would miss me so much that he would run to me and jump up onto my shoulder, never putting a claw out, he trusted me so much he know I would catch him. He loves to ride around on my hip, just like a baby would be carried. He will wrap his paws around my neck so I cannot put him down.. He loves to run and jump on the leather couch and play there, jumping on the back of it and trying to climb the wall. Because he is blind he thinks everything is a toy, I can be folding socks and he thinks that is something to play with, or I may be putting on my shirt and the sleeve hits him, so he tries to play with that, strings are too little and he has trouble finding them to hit at them.

There has never been a cat that has so much love to give, and he gives it to anyone who comes in the door. Even people who do not like cats, love this beautiful boy.

A few years after my dad passed away, my mom also passed, and my Jelly Belly was there for me all the time. In the years that followed I have had a number of serious illness and he sits in my lap and loves on me and purrs. He has been my constant companion, always in my lap or following my whereever I go. I love this kitty so much and cannot imagine my life without him. There has never been a more loving or gentle kitty and there never will be. Jelly Belly I will love you forever.

Early in the morning of May 10, 2015, I held my beautiful baby boy as he peacefully went to sleep in my arms for the last time. I have been blessed for 16 years by this gentle soul and I will never be the same again. My heart is broken and I will always have this sweet boy in my heart and all of the love he had shown me in his lifetime.

Rest in Peace by darling kitty – I love you so much.