09/04/2026
HAPPY TAILS FRIDAY
Our family decided it was time for a pet and that a cat would be a good choice. We came up to Owatonna for an open house adoption event, and it didn't take long for one of the kittens to choose our daughter. His name was Taz, but we decided to rename him Chewbacca when we got home.
He was a whirlwind of energy as a kitten, and since it was December, all the Christmas decorations gave him more to explore, including climbing the Christmas tree. At times, I'd be sitting in my office downstairs and would look up and see Chewie staring at me from an opening up by the vents. He was quite a rascal.
Over the years, Chewbacca's name kept getting extended as the kids found descriptive additions, so that by the end, he was Chewbacca George Jumpster Shedding Menace Domeier. But we loved him unconditionally and were excited to see him when we came home and found him waiting. That may or may not be because he wanted a treat or to be petted, but it didn't matter.
As he got older, Chewie started losing weight and slowing down. You could tell he was in some pain when he would jump up on the bed or the couch, and he no longer had the desire to play and romp much. He would even fall down off the couch while napping on the back. Eating hard food became difficult, and he had more accidents outside the litter box.
It was a difficult decision to give Chewbacca rest, but we did a couple weeks short of his 16th birthday. We know it was the right decision so he wouldn't be in pain anymore, but we miss him every day. We still expect to see him when we open the door into the house. We still expect him to wake us up if we're not out of bed when he wants to get fed. We still expect to have our cuddle buddy join us on the couch in the evening.
We're so appreciative to the Steele County Humane Society for starting us on our journey with Chewbacca and to all the people who loved him, especially the vets in Clarks Grove. When we're ready to fill the hole in our hearts, we'll certainly be checking out cats through the SCHS again!
