This new year is so different than last New Year’s Day. In 2015 we were a household of 1 humom, 4 cats and 1 dog. Now, in less than 6 months, we are a house of 1 humom and 3 cats. Piper and LadyBird are sorely missed. We are sad but also looking forward to what the future holds. Here is a little retrospective on our sisfurs. Happy New Year, evfurybody!!! Love, Toby, Simon, BobbieSue and Momma Sabina
Piper came to our family a long time ago. She was named Piper because our auntie (mom’s sister) and her sons found her living near water pipes close to an amusement park. She was pretty skinny as a youngster. After she was spayed she packed on the pounds!!!
As she got older she became more sensitive to the cold and loved snoozing close to any heat source available.
She raised BobbieSue, our formerly feral sister. Piper taught BobbieSue what it means to be part of a household because she knew what it was like to wander the streets.
Piper was the quiet member of the household. She never made a scene, rarely ever meowed, and was a strong and stable presence in our lives.
And then, in her last year, she started preparing to cross the Bridge. She lost interest in food and only wanted to sleep. She was never in any pain; she seemed happy all the way to the end.
I miss her a lot. She was like a mom to me. She would always put me in my place when I got too snooty!! (I think she is the reason I like Torties so much!!)
And then, this last July, she went to sleep and woke up over the Bridge. We all miss her so much but are assured she is with our other sis- and brofurs who are waiting for us all to be a family again, forever. We all love you, Piper.
LadyBird joined our family when mom’s auntie died. Mom’s uncle was gong to live with his son and couldn’t little Lady with him. He was going to take her to the pound but mom spoke up and said she was too old (10 years, at least) and no one would ever adopt her so she would take her home. At that point mom didn’t even know what kind of dawg Lady was – she just wanted her safe. This picture was taken in the car ride on the way home from Georgia.
She blended in with us pretty well. There was a lot of hissing and growls at first but we eventually learned to tolerate each other.
She went on lots of adventures with mom and Granmama.
She and mom fell in love really quickly.
She was a little sneak, too! She LOVED people food!!
Like the rest of us, LadyBird HATED visits to the doctor!!
But she always got a puppy latte afterward!!
She loved taking sunbaths!
Some times LadyBird wouldn’t be very friendly!
We both loved getting outside in the summertime.
She even recovered really well from her spay. Little did we know . . .
Her belly started to grow, she wasn’t as jumpy as she used to be, and she seemed to slow down.
We went outside one last time on a warm November day.
She went back and forth to the doctor 3 times in December. Something was wrong and mom wanted to know what it was.
To make matters worse she was bit by a spider and ended up with a huge abscess on her belly. Funny thing, the abscess healed beautifully. But not so with her insides. (Mom thought she was extra cute when her ears were folded back!)
Then, the very day before she left us, she and mom – and Granmama, went back to the vet for test results and found out she had a very aggressive liver cancer. It was so fast moving the vet offered to send LadyBird to the Bridge right then but mom (who collapsed into tears) said no. She would take her home and make her comfortable.
LadyBird left our little family after barely 14 months with us. It is a time we will never, ever forget. She brought so much excitement and selfless love into our lives. We love and miss you, LadyBird.
So, now it is just the four of us. We are a small family but a loving one. And, when or if it is time, we will welcome a new brofur or sisfur the Universe decides to send us.
Toby In Charge 