A Tale of Two "Bonded" Kitties
Christina Lehner
I had the honor to meet a wonderful family with the purpose of helping one of their cats, Dubhan, cross the rainbow bridge. He was not doing well and we discussed everything that was going on with him.
“Dublin” and “Zeby”
While we were talking about Dubhan, I learned that he had a brother, Zeby (Zee-bee). Both Dubhan and Zeby were littermates at a shelter for over a year. They shared many physical similarities: They were both black and white medium-haired cats with white faces, feet, and chests. While at the shelter, the staff let them stay together as a bonded pair and live in a room to themselves where they stayed while waiting for their forever home. After many months in the shelter, Dubhan and Zeby were adopted together by this special family.
Even in their new home, Zeby and Dubhan remained very close. They may not have been cuddly, but they would check on each other, play, and eat together. Over the years, Dubhan became ill and was diagnosed and treated for hyperthyroidism by their veterinarian. Months later, Zeby developed the same symptoms! Lo and behold, Zeby was also hyperthyroid and soon both kitties were receiving the same medicine at the same schedule with the same bloodwork rechecks.
Later on, Dubhan developed irritable bowel disease (IBD) and their vet helped the family with treatment. Again, months later, Zeby developed IBD also needed the same therapies. These 2 cats were connected in ways that we cannot comprehend: They looked similar, ate together, had the same illnesses and treatments at the same time. They literally shared everything together. And in time they started snuggling together too.
Months after starting to cuddle, Dubhan’s quality of life began to go down. His pet parents knew it was time. They reached out to us at Creature Comfort Clinic, and I came to assist Dubhan’s passing. Although I helped Dubhan in his home, Zeby was very shy around new people and I didn’t get to meet him. After Dubhan’s pain was no more, I recommended the family to have Zeby come see his brother one last time to help with his own closure, since the two had been so close their whole life. I said my goodbyes, gave hugs, and left.
As I was driving away from their home, we received a call within twenty minutes of my leaving. The family was concerned about Zeby. He had been doing great all morning, he had eaten breakfast and was walking around just fine. But when his pet parents went to get him to say goodbye to his brother - his twin in everything - they found Zeby laying completely on his side and breathing poorly. They knew it was time for him to be with his brother on the other side of the rainbow bridge.
I quickly returned to help Zeby join his brother in kitty heaven, and finally had the honor to meet him. He really did look like Dubhan in every way, except for a couple face markings and a black stripe across his back legs like a zebra. After, they were placed in the same grave, cuddling together as before.
I was so touched to see how close the two brothers were in every aspect, and humbled to know that they were connected on such a deep level that we cannot even see. They may not have been cuddly brothers, but they could sense their time was near and cuddled while they could. And when Dubhan went up to kitty heaven, Zeby knew it was his time too and now they can be together forever.
Their pet parents even found a perfect grave marker for the pair: a flat black stone with two white stripes intersecting in the middle. Black and white, just like Dubhan and Zeby, and two individual stripes, connected at the heart. I will always remember this tale of two kitties, and be humbled by the deep connection of bonded brothers.