My family is what some would affectionately refer to as a pet family. Four dogs and four cats have come in and out of our home, some staying longer than others. Each and every one, however, was loved with all of our being.

I’m writing this because one of our cats passed away. Ziggy was a mountain of love and a bundle of joy. He was perhaps the happiest cat you would ever meet, always purring, even up to his last breath. That last breath came yesterday, when Ziggy died in my Mom’s arms.

He was nine, almost 10, years old, and until around a month ago, he had zero health issues. I started to notice some worrisome signs earlier this month, and unfortunately the symptoms worsened over time. Ziggy slightly rebounded a few days ago, but that was only after he nearly starved to death and was saved through emergency feeding.

Monday was when Ziggy took a turn for the worse, displaying obvious confusion and clearly slowing down, both physically and mentally. Despite it all, our Persian cat seemed happy, still purring when held or pet.

That’s one of many reasons that makes this all so difficult. We opted to take Ziggy to the vet yesterday, an hour so before his death. Our belief that it was best for him to be put down was confirmed by the doctors and employees there, giving us some comforting reassurance.

Still, Ziggy is gone, and from a worldly and physical perspective, that’s it. I try to lean on my Christian faith and belief in God and heaven, attempting to justify that he’ll live on. But we’ll never know for sure — at least not until our time comes. That’s uncomfortable, but it’s something we all have to live with. Belief is powerful, though, so there’s hope.

Ziggy is now reunited with his father, Bruce. Bruce and I had a special connection, more so than any other pet I’ve lived with. He was gentle, precious and loving. Unfortunately, both cats succumbed to a similar heart condition — each nine years into their fulfilling lives. Bruce passed away in September 2022, so Ziggy was surely missing him.

Life must go on, however, and we still have Bruce’s grandson and Ziggy’s nephew, Warner. Warner is almost two and an absolute ball of energy. Living without Ziggy won’t be easy, but we can witness his memory in Warner.

Death is the worst. Nobody will ever be able to process it in a happy way. That’s okay, though. We have each other — and our pets — to carry the day and give us community and strength. We love you, Ziggy.

MLB

Blue Jays receive:
RP Seranthony Dominguez

Orioles receive:
SP Juaron Watts-Brown

Playing a doubleheader against each other yesterday apparently didn’t dissuade the Blue Jays and Orioles from conducting business. In trade season, anything is possible.

Dominguez is now the third reliever dealt by the O’s this month — and the second distributed to a division foe. Bryan Baker and Gregory Soto brought back decent returns for the club, but receiving Watts-Brown is a boon for Baltimore. The No. 10 prospect in Toronto’s system, the 23-year-old has a realistic shot at developing into a future back-end starter. For a rental reliever, the Orioles could’ve done a lot worse.

The upstart Blue Jays, given their solid cushion in the AL East, are smartly being aggresive. Toronto could still look for upgrades in the lineup and rotation, but Dominguez is a nice start.

The righty owns a 3.24 ERA this season, serving the bulk of his workload as Baltimore’s setup man. For him to succeed in Toronto, Dominguez must limit walks, as 13.7 percent walk rate is poor.

Blue Jays Grade: C+

Orioles Grade: A-