Good-bye, Ponzo

Alas, Ponzo passed away from FIV-related complications on May 17th, ....

Good-bye, Quentin

When I googled my blog yesterday, a cute photo of a short-tailed kitten popped up--that was my Quentin nearly twelve years ago. Quentin, who'd been misdiagnosed with saddle thrombus at the age of two, was epileptic. Fortunately, his seizures averaged less than one per year over the course of his lifetime. (He was not on any medication for epilepsy.) But at the end of his life, Quentin was diagnosed with diabetes, and, most unfortunately, insulin didn't work for him because of something unknown. I do know he did not have kidney failure, FIV, or feline leukemia. Quentin passed away on March 29th. I had dozed off watching television, and when I woke up, my beloved Quentin was gone. Despite all the curbside vet visits, not to mention numerous omens, I hoped he was going to make it, but deep down I feared the worst. My only consolation is that my cat is no longer suffering. Still, his death hit me hard, very hard. I miss him dearly.

Good-bye, Karma

My cat Karma didn't live to see her seventeenth birthday. "My good Karma," as I called her, passed away on February 26th, after a long illness. She was an active girl until her last day. And after Godot's death years ago, I had become her special being. I truly miss my good Karma.

Squirrel or Hawk

"Why does the life of the squirrel matter more to you than the life of the hawk?"

"Because I know the squirrel. I don't know the hawk."

                                                    --T. Kat Darcy

Missing Striper

The other night, I opened the front door and Striper ran into the house. Too bad it was only a dream. Little Striper has been gone since November. I believe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got dumped somewhere as a feral cat. I posted his info on Pawboost and various FB pages for lost cats, in addition to visiting numerous animal shelters and posting flyers. I've checked out a number of Striper sightings, but they turned out to be similar-looking cats, not my Striper. It is torture not knowing where he is; there is no closure. I continue to hope that I shall get him back. It is possible that a cat colony caretaker is feeding him; perhaps Striper landed in someone's home. I just don't know. But I do believe that someone knows Striper's whereabouts, and someday I hope to see him again.

Thank You, Veronica!

Last week, my next door neighbor showed up at my door with beautiful flowers; the delivery person could not drive down my snow-covered driveway, so she asked him to give me the bouquet. Well, my first thought was that these flowers were sent because I had lost Yoda, but I couldn't imagine who would have sent them. What a nice surprise to receive flowers, totally unexpected, from a person I'd spoken to briefly, cancelling Yoda's prescription cat food delivery. It really made my day! Thank you, Veronica, for your thoughtfulness.

Good-bye, Yoda

Two weeks ago, on January 24, 2019, I said good-bye to my black cat Yoda, who left me with many wonderful memories. Three days earlier, the vet had given Yoda 1-4 months, which, needless to say, was heartbreaking. But I never expected Yoda to decline so very rapidly, especially since he had been eating well and was active until the end. There's an emptiness in the house without Yoda, my friendly boy, who was usually the first to welcome other cats into our household through the years.

Good-bye, Merlot

On September 27, 2018, I said good-bye to Merlot, a black-and-white tuxedo cat. She was the sweetest cat imaginable. Not once did I ever hear her hiss. And she was the only cat I've ever been able to bathe without fear of being scratched; in fact, she took great care not to scratch me, even though, like most cats, she disliked water. She was a real sweetheart, brought here by her best feline friend, Striper.

Good-bye, Rebel

My beloved dog, Rebel, passed away peacefully at home on November 11, 2017. Rebel was my loyal companion for nearly 14 years. There are no words to describe my grief.

Good-bye, Oprah

My sweet tortoiseshell cat, Oprah, died from a poisonous spider bite on Columbus Day, Oct. 9, 2017. I managed to kill the widow spider, but my Oprah was already gone. She just happened to pick the wrong spot to sleep for the night; apparently, Oprah was in the spider's way, when the arachnid decided she wanted out of the floor vent. What terrible luck for my sweet girl! I was simply horrified.

Good-bye, Locksley

On the morning of August, 16, 2017, I was shocked to discover Locksley's lifeless body on the floor, apparently the victim of a heart attack during the night. I still can't believe my Locksley, formerly a feral cat, is gone, especially so soon after Harry's death. It's been rough. Nevertheless, I am grateful that I just happened to take an interesting photo of Rebel and Locksley together on the last morning of my tuxedo cat's life. One thing for certain, Locksley left me with many good memories.

Good-bye, Harry

My elderly cat Harry passed away on July 23, 2017. I'd been trying to prepare myself for his inevitable demise since December 6, 2016, when he gave me a scare. But Harry must've had more than nine lives--or else he simply loved his life and stayed as long as he possibly could physically. He had been a great tree climber in his younger days, and he was my dog's favorite cat, his buddy since the day he arrived in our yard years ago. With one exception, the occasional black bear visitor, Harry was always fearless; he never allowed the neighbors' dogs to chase him off his own deck and, when it came to other cats, our yard was his domain. By the last year of his life, Harry had even overcome his fear of black bears, treating them with total indifference. Harry was most certainly a cool cat. 

Good-bye, Mikey

My beautiful Himalayan, Mikey, passed away on August 30, 2016, approximately two hours before her scheduled vet appointment. After waking Mikey that morning, I got her cat carrier ready, and returned for her. But after saying something to me, Mikey positioned herself in a flying Superman pose (front paws straight out, hind legs straight out, and tail straight out); Mikey seemed to make herself as comfortable as possible, and welcomed death. She passed away quickly and peacefully. I have never witnessed anything like it. Mikey was a very unique cat and, needless to say, she is missed.

Good-bye, Tonto

Tonto, who was only three years old, passed away two weeks ago, on June 21, 2016. Although this sweet black cat was FIV-positive, he died from liver disease, rather quickly. Tonto had been a happy, playful member of my household a little more than half of his short life. He is survived by his mother, Belle, his brother, Catsby, age 3, and two half-siblings, Walden and Petula, both age 2. 

Good-bye, Ginny

On March 7, 2016, my four-legged girlfriend Ginny, the mother of five kittens who turned eight years old yesterday, passed away. My household simply isn't the same without her presence. But since Quentin inherited his mother's coloring, I am always reminded of Ginny, who was the last surviving member of the original feral cat colony in my neighborhood. 

Good-bye, Mark Twain

On February 11, 2015, my beloved cat Mark Twain died suddenly of an apparent heart attack. No two cats are alike, but Mark Twain was truly one-of-a-kind. The author Mark Twain, with his sense of humor, could not have asked for a better namesake.

Still Smiling

"Do you know how to get people's attention?" a man asked me a little while ago, as I was entering the post office. "No, how?" I asked him. I smiled when the man told me how he'd laughed when he saw a dog supposedly driving a car. Rebel and I, in my right-hand-drive vehicle, have put smiles on many faces over the past ten years. And it still warms my heart whenever the sight of Rebel in my car makes someone smile.

Waiting for Godot Nevermore

My Godot, my pretty boy tuxedo cat, passed away yesterday on the Fourth of July. I had the privilege of sharing my home with him for twelve years, which does not seem like a long time at all right now. Since he was my cat Karma's one and only true companion (her choice), sadly, she is waiting for Godot's return. Needless to say, it is a heartbreaking situation. As for myself, I am in mourning, waiting for Godot's ashes to come home sometime next week.

Still Here

We're still here, all of us, including bushy-tailed Ponzo. I had him retested, and he's still FIV-positive, although nobody could ever guess by looking at him. For more than a year now, Ponzo has been eating regular cat food with no special supplements, and he's doing great. He's got a fantastic coat, and his hair even seems to have gotten longer. He's playful and no longer timid around strangers--in fact, he's become an occasional little rascal.

Taking one day at a time, and not making any commitments I can't keep. I'll continue to post on this blog when I can.

Extreme Close-up of a Black Bear

It's a shame this black bear didn't provide a close-up of his face instead of his back. Maybe he was examining the camera.