Gem

"Angel" Gem Smith

(gone but never forgotten)

Love and shelter was all I sought,
so bravely against cancer is how I fought.
Please, beloved family, forget-me-not.

February 1, 1991 - May 16, 2001

(I love this photo of Gem in happier times)

Gem's profile contains a few words from several family members:

Gem's Alternate Names: Gem had many nicknames including "Dubious", "Mr. Don't Belong", "Little Lion", "Gemmy Gem", and in his final months I called him "The Gootch".

Mom's words:

I don't know where to begin when it comes to telling you about Gem. I loved him dearly and I'll never forget him and how he touched my life. I met Gem while working at a shelter. He had been living there already for about seven years. He had been abused and eventually abandoned in a North Hollywood alley. He wasn't a nasty feral, as many of the cats there were, but he wasn't used to being handled or loved either. He had the most precious little cry. You could hear his whole life story and all he'd been through in that little cry. I'll never forget the sound of it, it melted my heart and weakened my knees. He used to sit out on the patio in the same place all the time and I would go out and talk to him just to hear him respond.

Click on the thumbnail photo at left. His voice has been silenced now, but one look into those expressive eyes will tell his whole story better than any words I could ever write.

I have so many fond memories of that little cat who eventually would share my home. He was different than my other cats, more needy, although I don't think he realized that until the end. Over the three years I was lucky enough to have him in my home, he learned to accept love and happiness. He learned to relax and to trust, and to give love in return. I'll never understand why he was taken from me so suddenly by the merciless disease called cancer. So senseless and unfair to us and to this little guy who deserved so much more.

He loved to sleep in the bed right next to me. He would jump up onto the bed, stare into my eyes, and ask me with that pitiful little cry of his to prepare his favorite sleeping spot. He had a favorite pillow he wanted to lay on, and he wanted me to position it right next to me and fluff it up, where he would sleep in total comfort and security.

As his illness quickly progressed, he would lose that cry. He would lose his voice altogether. I wish now that I had thought to record it, but it will always remain deeply engrained in my fondest memories of him. He was my "Little Lion", and he lives on in my heart and in my soul.

Andy's Words:

I loved to wash him, hug him and hold him. I was the one that was closest to him as you will see below. We were together most of the time. I really miss you Gem.

Wilson's Words:

I was the one that spent the most time with him during his illness. I lived at the shelter where Mom worked. I watched her bring the sick little cat to work everyday and to care for him for those two long months. I knew he must have been very special to her because she no longer paid any attention to me at all. He seemed like a nice enough guy, although I didn't know him when he was well.

Ross' Words:

Well, all I can say is that we got no attention from Mom for two months. I loved Gem just as much as any of us did, so we just stayed back, out of the way, and tried to be good. We knew how it would end, Gem knew that too, but he stuck around until Mom was ready to let him go. I remember the last weekend that all of us were together on the couch watching TV. Gem was up there inside his little donut shaped bed that he loved so much. Mom took that bed away from us now, it's in the closet. Maybe we'll get it back someday.

Shelby's Words:

He was OK I guess, but that cry of his was so annoying. I usually sleep on the pillow next to Mom now, cause she needs to have someone there, but it's not the same pillow with the donut hole that he slept on. That one's in the closet I think. I try to get at it every time Mom opens the closet door, but she won't let me. I try to get over there as fast as I can, but I'll have to try a little harder. And then there's the yellow felt fish......sure I know that was his toy, but he's not here to play with it now, so why can't we play with it? Mom puts it up high where we can't get it and she gets so mad when she finds it on the floor in the living room. She wonders who's getting to it and how. Heehee, I'll never tell !!!

Rachael's Words:

I loved him too, but he always hogged the brand new beds that Mom would buy us. He thought each new bed was his alone. He used to let me share it with him though. I miss him.

Farley's Words:

I really couldn't care less about anyone around here except my Mom. The less competition the better. When he was here, she didn't even look at me. His skinny little butt did nothing for me.

Whiskey's Words:

He used to get really close to me when he was cold, and crowd me a little too much. Well, there's one less mouth to feed now. I know Mom didn't want any of this site to be sad, but she can't help herself when she talks about Gem. We have to make allowances for that, and for the times when she stares up into that vent hole in the kitchen ceiling where the animal communicator told her Gem comes to visit us through. I guess I miss him a little bit too, he was a stand up guy.

Our Ode To Gem

A little feral's what you were,
I thought I could tame you but I wasn't sure.
When soon you saw we meant no harm,
you worked us using all your charm.

So sweet and loving you'd turn out to be
when finally you loved and trusted me.

That precious cry was your claim to fame
'tho we would have loved you just the same,
whether wild and stubborn
or mild and tame.

We'll not forget our little Gem
who melted hearts like the best of them.

Gem's Photos