My kitty, Holly. I always tell people she saved a baby, because I bought her at the Crisis Pregnancy Center Christmas Bazaar...for a dollar. I was eleven at the time, and since we had a new puppy (Pepper), we obviously needed a new kitten too!
Today is difficult. I called the vet and scheduled an appointment for her tomorrow - to put her to sleep. It was one of the toughest calls I've ever made. In light of all that's going on in the world, I know it seems trivial. But she has been with me for nearly 17 years, and it's no easy task to say goodbye. Though she is scared of her own shadow, she's been pretty tough to live this long.
Highlights of this kitty...
- She survived eleven years living with my dad
- She's lived in Gig Harbor, University Place, Federal Way, and finally North Tacoma
- Dad gave her away twice when I was in college (without telling me) only to have them give her back to him
- He once offered Mike $50 to "find her a new home" (most presumably, in a shallow grave, somewhere in Rosedale)
- When she was little, before Pepper was spayed, she used to nurse off her (Gross, I know, but it was something to see!)
- Up until a year ago, she weighed over 24 lbs. Even now, she still weighs about three times the weight of Viper
- ...which earned her the nicknames "Tub-o-cat" and "Shrunken Head Kitty" (from Mike) and "Bulbous" from my neighbor Drew
- Mike once bought us a book entitled, "Is My Cat Fat?"
- When Viper moved in, Holly let her know who was boss - she nearly scratched her eye out.
- She still runs when she hears Mike or Dad
The picture above is from our afternoon together...just hanging out and watching movies. It's a little blurry, but it shows the best that Viper has been to her, and they were doing their little "kissing" with their noses when I took the photo. Viper has known something's been wrong with her for some time, and she's just taken good care of her.
A meow massages the heart.
-Stuart McMillan
-Stuart McMillan
3 comments:
Goodbye Holly! You've been a wonderful companion to Shelley and Viper. Hope you will rest in peace!
Shelley, I am so sorry for your loss, but happy that you had so many years of love with Holly!
Cat Poetry
St. Jerome's Cat
St. Jerome in his study kept a great big cat,
it's always in his pictures, with its feet upon the mat.
Did he give it milk to drink, in a little dish?
When it came to Friday's, did he give it fish?
If I lost my little cat, I'd be sad without it;
I should ask St. Jerome what to do about it.
I should ask St. Jerome, just because of that,
for he's the only saint I know who kept a kitty cat.
Traditional English Nursery Rhyme
Love,
Your Brother
c3v83k2n00 w9t81p5y93 o6l41d7l20 t0u03m0t85 t7c85v2c31 n2d52e0r53
Post a Comment