Softly & Tenderly - in memory of my beautiful cat Tiger

In memory of our beautiful Tiger Cat. He passed away on Friday November 1, 2024.

Tiger would frequently come by, lay next to where I’d be seated and purr away to the music - while I’d be playing guitar.

Softly & Tenderly (Jesus is calling) is a song Tiger Cat liked a lot. He specifically came into the room when I began playing it.

This is very impromptu but I am playing it for Tiger. He was more than just a cat. This video represents a good chunk of time we had together. A cat, of course really any loved pet, is a good listener. He always listens to me with others didn’t.

I recorded this video hours after his death.

Thank God for the gift of music. In the grieving process it has and continues to focus my mind on the moment and doing something that gets me outta myself. Know what I mean.

—-back story on our cat haus

We have 11 other cats in total and they too love hearing that song and other gentle acoustic guitar music. They are a great audience to practice in front of. And they are part of the cat family Tiger was in.

In Costa Rica there are thousands of street animals due to limited resources, public apathy also and no humane society system. The cats that decide to be with us, we take feed and shelter. Give medical care and hopefully find a forever home. But some kitties don’t adopted out. So far we have had 8 cats pass away here. I have been present for most of it. My wife also when I can’t be there in the final moments. Tiger was number 8. Chances are a number 9 be happening soon (there is a kitty flu virus making its rounds; we are in rain season). We got some medicine and all that. Chances are they’ll make but we always have to be ready because like a thief in the night, a cat can suddenly take a turn and die in within hours. As Tiger did.

We love all our kitties but we were most attached to Tiger. Mainly because he was abandoned and we got him when he was two hours old without a mom. My wife and I raised him.

Anyways, he was just buried in the yard he loved playing in and now our attention is very much on the other kitties. We’re hoping some of them will be adopted out to people who love cats.

In Costa Rica dogs are culturally preferred yet even they are terribly mistreated by so many - who likely seen a Disney Mbvie and are led to think they’re so cute but have no idea the love and responsibility needed to raise them.

#rainbowbridge #fingerstyle #livemusic #hymns #music #acousticguitar