SOLOMONS, Md. — Twix, a black cat with a story of resilience and survival, passed away on Oct. 31, 2024, after a long illness. Many in Southern Maryland knew Twix as the cat who survived a fire at Solomons Veterinary Hospital in 2021. He had captured hearts with his extraordinary tale of survival and unique personality.
Twix’s owner, Toshia Gunn, shared the journey of her beloved pet, from his miraculous survival of a fire to his final days battling an intestinal blockage. “Honestly, I don’t know exactly how it happened,” Gunn said. “It started in August. He’d be okay for a couple of weeks, eating normally, and then he’d go downhill again. By the end of October, we took him to We Care Veterinarian Hospital in Waldorf, and Dr. Fox there was wonderful. We were going to put in a feeding tube, but I realized if he had given up, I wasn’t going to force him.”
Twix’s final day came on Halloween, a sunny and beautiful day, when Gunn made the difficult decision to let him go.
Twix’s story gained attention in May 2021, when he was rescued from a fire at the Solomons Veterinary Hospital. The fire, caused by a candle in a camper trailer behind the building, spread to the structure, forcing emergency crews to respond. “I was sitting at home when I started seeing posts online about a fire,” Gunn recalled. “I had just taken Twix to the hospital after he’d been missing for two weeks and had returned home dragging his back legs. When the firefighter saved him, they sent me a picture, and I knew it was Twix.”
Twix’s injuries led to the amputation of one of his legs, but he recovered with the help of donations from the community and assistance from the Waldorf Humane Society, which completed his surgery. “His nickname became the rock star,” Gunn said. “Everywhere we went, people would recognize him and ask if he was the cat that survived the Solomons fire. I’d say, ‘Yes, that’s Twix.’”
In an ironic twist, Twix was cremated at a facility in Leonardtown by John, a retired fire chief who had been part of the response team for the Solomons fire that saved Twix. “How ironic was it when I had to put him down, and John, who just started working at the crematory, was the one to do it,” Gunn said.
Twix’s story began when his feral mother gave birth in Gunn’s backyard in 2017. “She was a beautiful white cat, and I didn’t even realize she was pregnant until we came back from a trip to Kentucky,” Gunn said. “Twix was one of her babies.”
Known for his distinct meow that “sounded like a raccoon,” Twix quickly became a beloved part of the family. “He was just an awesome cat,” Gunn said.
Twix’s legacy extends beyond his family, as his story touched the lives of many in the community. “To everyone who donated to help with his surgery and recovery, thank you,” Gunn said.
Twix will be remembered as much more than a survivor—he was a fighter, a companion, and a beloved member of the community whose story continues to inspire.
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Not all angels have wings.
That Waldorf vet has terrible reviews. Bad personal experience there also.