This post is to honor our beloved Shadow, the oldest cat and alpha female of our 'herd', who departed this life on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, at the ripe old age of 13 years.
In 2000, the same year Martin and I got married, we kept being accosted in the parking lot by a small reddish brown kitten with no tail who shot out from under parked cars and yelled at us to feed her. After feeding her several times, we decided she was too cute to stay out there and offered her a home, which she graciously accepted. Her two favorite activities while growing up were to jump on a kitchen chair and swat at all the tails as the other cats came in to breakfast, and to ride on Martin's shoulder.
Since then, she has been the undisputed queen of the herd, keeping order with steel claws wrapped in a velvet glove. The last two years, however, have been very hard on her, and we finally took her to the vet tonight because her quality of life had gotten so low. We found that she had developed hyperthyroidism, which prevented her from gaining any weight no matter how much she ate, so that she was literally nothing but skin and bones. It had spread to the point that it had affected her heart, and we were told that the kindest thing to do would be to let her go. So tonight we watched her depart for the Summerlands, or the Rainbow Bridge, or Heaven, or wherever it is that cats go when one of their nine lives reaches its end. She will soon be buried on the hill in the local regional park where all our fur family members are buried together.
Shadow, we love you; may Bast and Sekhmet guide you to the Field of Reeds, and may you be united again with your loving Rocket!
Aw, what an adorable cat. She'll be happy in kitty-Heaven :). I'm dreading the day that my seven year-old cat passes- she is my baby.
ReplyDeleteThank you, and yes, she was adorable. It's always hard to lose our fur babies... At seven, your kitty is just barely a senior. I hope she spends at least another happy and healthy seven years with you!
DeleteOh Lucretia, it's such a difficult thing to have to make that decision. Farewell, Shadow. :o(
ReplyDeleteIt is, even though there was really no other loving choice, considering her condition, and it was a blessing watching as her spirit was released from a body that no longer worked. For me, it's signing the paperwork allowing them to do it that's truly hard. Thank you.
DeleteSo sorry to hear about your loss :( this brought tears to my eyes. I love fur babies. Your kitten was so precious. Thank you for posting such a sweet tribute and sharing it with others.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Winter. They're all precious, aren't they? That's what makes it so hard...
DeleteI'm very sorry to hear that Shadow is no longer with you. I know from experience what a difficult decision it is when you have to put such a wonderful furry friend to sleep. My heart goes out to you.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. She was the first fur child we brought into our home as a couple, so she was extra special to both of us.
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