It is with deep sadness we share the news that our beloved office cat, Jared, has passed away.
So many of you shared in our affection and admiration for this resilient cat, sending your inspiring messages and well-wishes as he bravely battled cancer over the last few years. It is only right that we share the story of both his life and his passing with his many fans.
Over Thanksgiving weekend, Jared’s health took a turn for the worse and he was brought to the animal hospital, where a sonogram revealed that he required emergency surgery. Because of his compromised health from his cancers, kidney disease, and anemiathe surgery was deemed extremely risky and his chances of full recovery were very slim. His condition was deteriorating, and together our president Becky Robinson and vice president Donna Wilcox made the heartbreaking but necessary decision not to prolong his suffering. After nearly 14 years together, they were by his side as he slipped away.
While our hearts are heavy over this sad news, our memories are full of more than a decade of wonderful, often hilarious moments with Jared. This bold cat distinguished himself from the beginning, when a caregiver from suburban Maryland called us for help: after officials ordered her to stop feeding her feral cat colony, a 6-month-old white kitten stole a loaf of bread from her shopping bag instead. As we worked to save the cats’ lives, Jared became a part of ours, and one of Alley Cat Allies’ first office cats. With his big personality, he quickly established himself as king of the office. Whether sprawling out in the middle of a conference table, politelyor sometimes not so politelyrequesting to share our lunch, or squeezing his large body into extremely small spaces, Jared kept our hearts and our laps warm (and was a big LOLcat favorite with our friends on Facebook). From his habit of tapping people on the back for attention to his lifelong love of potato chips, this pure white cat was truly one of the most colorful characters any of us have ever met.
We are grateful that Jared spent so many wonderful years with us. He touched so many lives and he will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by all.
Remember Jared with us on Facebook.
Visit our Remembrance Gallery.