As you can tell by the title of this post, we lost our cockatiel Caesar on New Year’s Day. He was 27 and a half – and I had had him in my life for 24 years. I never thought that I would get close to a pet bird or have one be a big part of my life.
I met Caesar on my wife Lynn’s and my first date on December 14, 1997. He was interesting – I though he’d be flying around but Lynn had his wings clipped so as to prevent him from flying into a ceiling fan or a window. He was not too fond of me at first – after all I was competing for attention with “his mummy” Lynn. He lived on top of his cage – but the door was never shut – he had full reign over his domain.
Over the years, he got used to me and I to him. He could talk – saying “Caesar is a pretty bird” or “pretty bird” or the whistle commonly associated with cartoon wolves seeing a pretty girl. He also could “almost” do Jingle Bells (badly), mimic a barking dog, a landline phone ring (he was that old), or the sound of a construction vehicle backing up. I posted a video of his jingle bells and a finishing “pretty bird” on Instagram here. Take a listen.
He loved being in closed spaces (cockatiels in Australia live in holes in trees so I supposed this was instinctual). Out of old shoe boxes, I cut out houses for him and mounted them to the top of his cage. These were his “apartments” and he loved to make them his own by chewing them up. We also got him straw tepees and boxes designed for gerbils and he loved being in them too.
We spoiled him – he got more than bird seed – he like “people food”. His favorites were lobster and steamed clams (just the necks). Whenever he got them, he’d warble in excitement as he ate them.
He’d cuddle with Lynn and get his head scratched. I could get to scratch his head, but only Lynn could get face to face with him. She called Caesar her son, and loved the hell out of him. So did I.
As he aged, I looked to see how long he might live – after all, we knew his loss would be devastating to us. I think the world record is 35, though rarely wo they make 30. Most times it’s 20 and done, if not shorter. Still, he was always there. As I went through multiple surgeries over the years, he kept me company as I recovered.
I said goodnight to him every night, and greeted him every morning. Until last night and this morning that is.
He was the equivalent of a human at 103 years old.
On New Year’s Eve, we usually get lobsters and steamers and this was no exception this year. Caesar was so happy he ate three clam necks and some lobster – warbling his happiness. On New Year’s Day, Lynn took a selfie with him (see photos below), and cuddled with him. By later in the day, he had started getting listless and had trouble walking. He had been arthritic, but this was worse. Lynn cuddled him, and soothed him. Within an hour and a half, he breathed his last and died in her arms.
We are broken hearted of course, but are somewhat comforted in that we know he had a good pampered life. We rarely left him with babysitters (I think only 3 times in 27 years), as Lynn (and I) did not want him to be stressed. Even then, those times were with family he knew.
It has been unseasonably warm here in Massachusetts. To bury him, I had to buy a new shovel as mine was broken. I drove to Klem’s store in Spencer and got a new D-handled shovel – and on the way out looked at the 4 cockatiels in the pet section and cried even more.
Lynn put him in a nice cedar box. For his grave, I dug the hole in the garden by the house in the front yard, right below the window that he looked out of every day. I used some concrete pavers and 5″-high edgers to put in his grave – such that his little coffin was not resting on or under dirt. Basically, I created a little stone box by putting a 16″ x 16″ paving stone in the bottom of the grave with the edgers making walls on top of it. My daughter Ellen and my granddaughter had come by, and we all surrounded his little box with decorative landscaping stones, then I covered it with another 16″ x 16″ paving stone as a gravestone. Then we decorated the rim with the pretty stones.
I’m going to share some photos below – as this is cathartic for me in a way, but I will never stop remembering my little birdie friend. Love ya buddy.
Goodbye my little birdie friend, love ya to pieces. I’ll miss you until the day I die.
Mark A. Morin 
Hugs to you and Lynn.
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Thanks Dave
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Maree and I share Lyn and your sadness for the loss of Caesar. You have many great photos to remember your twenty four years together.
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Thanks to both of you.
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Very sorry to hear the news. It’s very hard not to get attached to the animals in our lives and it can be much more upsetting than we expected it to be when they leave us. RIP Caesar.
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I appreciate that. Still missing him and yes, he was my buddy.
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Oh mate! I,m so sorry to hear that your little mate has gone, I feel for you both as that’s a long time to have a little mate, every time I see one of his distant relatives over here I will think of your Caesar.
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Pat, thank you, warms my heart greatly to think of you seeing his relatives and remembering our little guy.
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There are a little rare around here but when we go a
Little further north we spot them 😃
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There’s not much I can say, Mark. My condolences to you and Lynn, and I know it doesn’t mean much right now but you can at least go on knowing that Caesar had a good, long, pampered life and was happy and well fed right up to when it was his time.
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Thanks Az, you are right about his life. It was his time, as eventually it will be for all of us. I’ll never forget him, his passing left a big hole in our lives. My wife has now decided to retire at the end of the month as sadly as she is she now wants to turn the page.
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Very sad Mark but you and Lynn have some great memories and those photos are simply fantastic. As and when you’re ready let’s see if we can arrange a chat.
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Thanks Dave, yes let’s get together soon.
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Such sad news and so sorry to hear this. Always a sad loss, and particularly so at this time of year (I can speak from experience here), but you’ll always remember the time you all shared fondly.
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Thanks John, time hopefully will heal our pain, and you know this I’m sure. We do have a lot of good memories.
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Really sorry to hear that Mark, he sounds like he was a wonderful little bird and had a great life thanks to yourself and Lynn.
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He was indeed, thank you.
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So sorry to hear this mate, he looked like a right little character, and I used to love seeing him pop up in shot’s on your blog now and then, all the very best to you and Lynn at this time, thinking of you and him.
Cheers Roger.
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Thanks Rog, means a lot.
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Condolences mate. It is never easy to lose someone you care about, no matter their species.
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Thank you.
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Sorry for your’s and Lynn’s loss, to have been a part of your lives for so long, he may have been small, but from what I just read, had a huge character.
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Dave, much appreciated. It’s amazing how big he was in our lives for being only 6 ounces. I’m still finding myself talking to him.
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So sorry for your loss, Mark. Losing a pet is like losing a family member, it’s just awful. Hugs to you and Lynn.
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Thank you Matt. Awful indeed, big hole in our lives
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Big hugs to you all, it never is easy losing a pet/part of the family. He did however have a good innings and this shows how much he was loved.
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He was indeed loved a lot. Appreciate the kind words.
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Really sorry to hear this Mark- the loss of a beloved pet is always a terrible thing. You and Lynn and your family are in my thought.
Regards,
Pete.
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Cheers Pete
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Pets are family and it’s hard but at least you know he had a great life. Those are memories to cherish
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True words to be sure.
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So sorry for your loss, Lynn and Mark. Our pets become part of our lives. I think the greatest tribute is spoiling them endlessly and giving them the very best life they can have. Until the end. We have two kitties, and one is getting up there in years. He waits for me to sit on the couch and climbs up to sprawl on me like a big beanbag, and get his tummy and neck scratched. I don’t know what I will do when the big guy is gone. You have written a wonderful tribute, and given him a fine send off.
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Thanks Harry, and cherish that kitty. I’m glad you liked Caesar’s tribute. We knew he was on the back nine for quite a while, but the loss was still a big shock. Not going to be replaced, as Lynn says we can’t go through another loss. Besides, if another lasts 27 years, I’ll be pushing 90.
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So sorry for your loss, Mark. This was a fitting tribute to Caesar and I appreciate you sharing it with us. As a fellow pet owner, you’re in my thoughts as I know how hard it is to lose a member of the family.
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Thanks Jeff.
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It looks like Caesar had a long life worth celebrating Mark. Losing a pet is awful, but most of us can only hope for a life as nice as Caesar’s.
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Nicely said, he was pampered! Thanks much.
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Sorry to hear about your loss Mark.
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Thanks Anthony, he was a good bird
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What a sweet farewell post. Sorry for your loss Mark, sounds like Caesar had a great life though!
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Thanks Mikko, he was very dear
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