5/9/2008 TO 9/8/2013
Kissy-Cat came to F.A.T. Cat Haven at 4 weeks old. She was such a tiny girl but with a big personality. She was never up for adoption because she was helping us through our grief. She came into our lives after we had to euthanize our Twinkie and were in suffering and grief (see Twinkie's memorial). I truly suffer "heart pain" when we lose a cat, especially when they are young and it’s so unexpected, not from old age. When I cried from the loss of Twinkie, Kissy-Cat would wash my tears away and give me "kitty kisses." She gave "kitty kisses" to both of us for the rest of her very short life. That's why she was named Kissy-Cat. Unfortunately we are in grief again, at the loss of her from our life.
On Sunday, September 8th, 2013, we found her upon returning from church. She was stuck behind the hutch in the dining room, about a 5-inch space. She was a big girl so I don't know how she managed to squeeze behind it but we got her out (cats often try to go off by themselves when they know they are dying). I knew from looking at her that she was dying, but she was fine the previous night as she helped me on the computer. Now, except for her head, she was completely paralyzed. While waiting for the vet to call, we tried to give her canned food; she took two licks of the juice, which was all. So I fed her some turkey baby food through a syringe and some syringes of water, which she swallowed. Her temperature was only 86 (normal is 101) and by evening the vet had it up to 99, but he said it did not look good. She spent the next several days at Crescent Animal Medical Center in the care of Dr. Martello, but her condition never improved much. Still being unable to walk, move, or eat on her own, it was time to make that awful discussion to have her euthanized. We could do no more to help her and it pained us so. On September 12th, I held her lovingly in my arms, talked to her and gave her kisses for the last time, in return for all the “kitty kisses” she had given us over the years. Kissy-Cat was only 5 years and 4 months old, oh so young and always so healthy - never an illness in her young life.
The house is extremely empty and so are our hearts without her. The house cats that snuggled with her wonder where she is. DeeDeeDot and Willow, our youngest, wonder where their surrogate mom is. She is buried in our Memorial Garden with a plaque over her grave now. A Cardiomyopathy Embolism, like a stroke in people, which through a blood clot and paralyzed her, probably caused her condition. The vet said she never suffered and she didn't appear to be in any distress when I was with her.
These losses always leave such a void in our lives and hearts. We love these cats so very much and are so pleased when they are adopted into wonderful homes.
Kissy-Cat, you will always be in our hearts. You were a wonderful kitty and insisted on helping to care for the other house cats. They are missing you too!
You are in GOD’s loving arms now!