Tuesday, April 06, 2010

A FLOWER FOR KRISTIE

As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows, cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind.
~ Cleveland Amory

Kristie, a calico, came to us in the fall of 1991. She was a stray who was hanging around the school playground where I taught. One cold, wet day the recess aides carried her into my library and said she needed a home. I took her home and found a family who was willing to adopt her. In the meantime my mom had fallen in love with her and wanted to keep her, so she never left. Kristie was always really my mom's cat. She would have been 19 in June which made her the cat we'd had the longest of any. She was always shy and did not like to be picked up. However, she loved attention and sat on mom's lap by the hour. She was also very vocal and talked alot.

I have had cats since 1972, and Kristie is the last one to leave. These pictures were taken recently when she was still thriving. The end came quickly. She suddenly started losing more weight. Her appetite dwindled, and one evening a few days ago I saw her walk into a chair leg. I then noticed that her pupils were dilated and did not respond to light. It took me a few days to get up the courage to take her to the vet who affirmed that Kristie was blind and that her health was failing.

She was gently ushered into a sleep while I held her in my arms. Goodbye Kristie. Godspeed! Thank you for gracing our lives and home for so many years. Here are Spring blooms that celebrate rebirth -- just as your soul will fly free.

2 comments:

Fiona's Mom said...

Ahh, Deb, now I know why I was thinking of your kittie a few days ago. Out of the blue, I wondered how she was. And now this.

"Thank you for trying to save me. Thank you for letting me go. I tried so hard to stay. And when at last I had to leave your loving arms, I didn't know you'd cry so much for such a little friend."

Hugs,

Fiona's Mom

Honeygo Beasley said...

So sorry to hear of your loss. Kristie was a beautiful kitty. And those eyes, while she was thriving, show such a sweetness. Like the flowers ...

A touching memorial.