Mama from Hastings

by Yvonne
(Hastings, MN)

About 8 years ago I adopted a beautiful kitten which I named Athena, nick named Thingy. She was the love of my life.

She followed me around the house, met me at the door when I got home, slept on her back on my arm. She was my cuddle girl, sweet as can be.

She made friends with my 8 year old cat Xena quickly, no easy feat!! I felt I had the purrfect kitty family with Q, my 12 year old, Xena and Thingy.

I then got a call from the foster mom who told me that the kittens in Thingy's litter tested positive for FIV, and one had already died. Thingy had just turned 6 months old. I took her in and sadly, she too tested positive.

I tried my best to take care of her, to keep her healthy but at 1 1/2 years old she started having problems breathing. The vet was not sure but suspected she had a tumor in her lungs. I did the only thing I could, and that was to let her go to the bridge.

I let the foster mom know about it and they were so sad for me that about a week later they called and asked if I would like to have Thingy's mom.

Thingy looked like her Mom so I'm guessing that's why they offered her to me. Of course I took her and Mama came into my life and really changed it.

Much like her baby she followed me around, met me at the door and became my cuddle bug. Mama, unlike her babies, tested negative for FIV. In fact, they had her tested 4 times.

Mama was a healthy girl and she "mamaed" all the other cats I brought in the house, including a very shy 9 month old and a feisty 8 week old kitten.

Then about a month ago Mama started losing weight. I had changed foods and was trying to get my chunky butt, Luna to lose a little weight so I thought it was the food, but then she started acting not herself.

I took her to the vet and she seemed fine. Weight was down, but not bad, temp, everything looked good. Still, something was off and a few weeks later she started vomiting and I took her in again.

Her left eye would not dilate and she would not eat. Blood tests were done and even though I'm not sure what was wrong, it had something to do with her liver.

The vet decided to treat it as if it was an infection, so I had to force feed her and give her meds that she did not like. She tended to hide so I had to put her in a room by herself so I could find her to feed her and give the meds.

She hated it and continued to go downhill. I called the vet and we decided it was better to let her go then put her through anything more.

I wanted one more day with my baby so took her out of the room, quit forcing food and meds down her throat and let her be a cat, sitting in the cat tree and looking out at the world. I'd like to think that she was happy for at least a few hours.

The night before I was to take her in, about 1:30 am, she started going down hill fast. She could not breath and all I could do was hold her until she passed away.

It was heartbreaking... I have a new respect for euthanasia now. I would never want to see one of my beloved furrbabies go like that again.

I had 7 years with my wonderful Mama... I miss her so much. I have 5 other cats, but none of them are the cuddle bug she was.

I will miss her laying on my legs with her chin on my ankle. I will miss her meeting me at the door wanting some love. I will miss her cuddling in bed even if sometimes she drove me nuts as she walked around me trying to find that sweet spot.

I will miss her purring in my ear to wake me up. I will miss her rolling around on her back looking "cute" right where I wanted to walk.

I will miss her sweet beautiful green eyes as she looked up at me when I scratched her ears. I will miss it all and would not trade those memories for anything.

This story of Mama is truly a cat that adopted me and made me her baby. She made my life happy and full of love. She is a cat that I will never forget and could never replace. I know I will see her again.