Joey’s Story

Joey was a gentle senior brown tabby cat; his beautiful, fluffy coat had majestic golden swirls along his sides. Once, he roamed the streets of San Francisco. Was Joey always a stray? Or perhaps, in another life, he had a family who loved and cared for him. Maybe his elderly owner passed away, or Joey was a birthday gift to a child who soon lost interest in a new “toy”. Perhaps someone moved on, leaving behind the cat they once called their family. Whatever the reason was, Joey found himself alone and unwanted and went to survive on the streets.

His story might have remained unknown, just another forgotten life, if not for a spring day in May 2019. Someone brought Joey, frail and struggling, to San Francisco Animal Care and Control. His fur was severely matted and caked with mud. The cat had multiple puncture wounds, suffered from a skin disease, and was dehydrated and malnourished. The veterinarians estimated he was about 13 years old. Yet even after all he’d endured, Joey amazed the staff with his sweet, affectionate nature.

As Joey regained strength, Animal Services reached out to the community, hoping to find him a second chance. A few months later, he arrived at a sanctuary for special needs felines. There, Joey finally received the love and care he had long been denied. His wounds healed, and his spirit revived. The quiet, noble tabby quickly captured the hearts of volunteers and staff. Joey, it seemed, had finally found a place to rest and to be loved.

One day, a woman came to see Joey. She had watched him on the live camera feed and was drawn to his calm presence. The hope of adoption fluttered in the air. But when she arrived, her eyes landed on a young, snow-white, energetic, playful cat recovering from surgery. The lady left the rescue with two younger cats, convinced they’d make good companions. Joey remained behind.

Joey’s Journey Home

Joey and I had known each other for some time. I volunteered at the rescue and brought treats for him and the other cats. I watched Joey eating and wanted to be sure the other cats didn’t steal his food. Joey was gentle and sometimes easily pushed aside by more aggressive animals.

The day of Joey’s missed adoption happened to be my birthday. Work had been overwhelming, and I arrived at the shelter feeling emotionally depleted. When I heard what had happened, tears welled up. Joey sat quietly on the kitchen floor, his head lowered, his body still. He looked tired, fragile, and heartbroken.

Animals have an extraordinary ability to sense and absorb the emotional energy around them. I can’t say whether Joey understood the details of what he’d lost that day. I am certain that he knew that something precious had passed him by.

Later that day, as I prepared to leave the rescue, I went to say goodbye. Joey looked at me with his mysterious, sparkling olive eyes. He silently watched me. His gaze reached a place deep within me I didn’t even know was there.

“No more cats,” my husband said after I told him the story.

“I know,” I replied. “But… can we give him a chance to have a true home? This may be his only one.”

Ten days later, we brought Joey home. We set him up in our office, his quiet sanctuary, with a beautiful Tiffany-style lamp and the best view a cat could ever wish for.

Ordinary Days, Extraordinary Love

From then on, we settled into a rhythm and a life filled with small joys, occasional frustrations, moments of laughter, tears, and continuous soul-searching. Joey became a constant presence in my daily life.

Whenever I walked into the room, Joey would lift his head and watch the door, waiting for me. Sometimes he would slowly rise from his bed and walk toward me as if my arrival was the best part of his day. He gave us everything: his gentle presence, quiet wisdom, and kind, unconditional love that felt boundless.

I was often too busy, and I was telling myself I’d have more time later. I thought Joey would always be there. During this time, I began dreaming of starting a health writing business. Life was full, complicated, and hopeful.

Last February, I enrolled in a course to help launch my health writing business. One of the modules focused on organizing your workspace to create a professional environment.

I looked at my desk and saw blankets strewn across it to help Joey walk, as well as a large cat bed perched on top by the window, his favorite sunbathing spot. The bed had been Joey’s birthday gift a couple of years earlier.

At that moment, I saw clutter, and I told Joey we might move the bed to another place. I felt that my desk looked unprofessional.

The Unthinkable

Not long after, I noticed a lump on Joey’s side. He was lying on the desk, looking up at me with his usual soft, trusting eyes. I noted how thin he had become and realized his appetite had faded.

My heart sank. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to.

From that moment on, all I cared about was saving my friend. I begged the veterinarian for options, for anything. Because of Joey’s advanced age and fragile health, aggressive treatments weren’t possible. We began managing his thyroid disease in hopes he could be reassessed for possible surgery. However, within three weeks, Joey stopped eating. Then he stopped getting up.

Our beautiful boy passed away in April 2024…

What Joey Left Behind

Since Joey’s passing, I’ve carried a heavy, restless grief. I took Joey for granted and was too busy for him. I was preoccupied with meaningless tasks, had never had a present moment, and believed we’d always have tomorrow.

I still have Joey’s bed and his blankets on my desk. I no longer see them as unprofessional clutter. Joey’s items are precious, and I cherish every toy and everything he touched. I placed a small butterfly figurine beside the bed, a quiet symbol of our continuous love and connection.

Joey’s life, presence, and loss have brought me closer to my true self through Joey’s unconditional love and acceptance. I realized what truly matters: love, freedom, authenticity, and time with those we cherish. I’ve begun shedding the weight of a hustle mindset and empty striving. I’m no longer chasing someone else’s dream.

I’m gradually returning to writing. I’m preparing to begin an Animal Chaplaincy program this fall. And I feel more aligned with my true purpose than ever before.

Joey’s story continues not only in my heart but in a mission. He awakened my calling to advocate for the non-human world and to help shift how our culture treats animals. His life taught me how to love more fully. His departure from the physical realm reminded me how fleeting time is.

And I walk forward with a deep sense of meaning and with Joey’s quiet love carried close.

For Joey, my teacher, my friend, my heart.

You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.