Recently at MareZilla.com

Recently at MareZilla.com:
#TrumpDay – Hardcore Edition

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Grey the Cat

From the wooded area off the side of the road near the Canadian border in New Hampshire, I heard a cat meowing, it sounded scared. So I called it, the way I would any cat, and out of the woods ran a tiny gray kitten - straight into my arms. She had a a big gash across the top of her head and what looked like 'road burn' abrasions on her nose and above her mouth on one side. She was very small, quite young, and looked like she hadn't eaten in a while.
She was very sweet and totally adorable. I tended her wounds, named her Grey and brought her home. I had another kitten, about 6 months old, named Kylie, and the two kitties immediately became best friends. Kylie cleaned Grey's wounds every day and they healed quickly without even leaving a scar. The two cats played together and slept cuddled together in a little ball on my bed every night. My dog Maggie had treated Kylie as her own when I first got her, and she also did the same with Grey, carrying her in her mouth as if she were Maggie's pup and letting the kittens curl up on her front paws under Maggie's chin for naps. Everybody loved Grey, and Grey loved everybody. The year was 1998.

The kindness that Grey learned from the other pets became the strongest characteristic of her personality. In 2000, when my husband brought home Tippy, a little stray tuxedo kitten he'd found, Grey (and Kylie) immediately adopted her and the three kitties would sleep together all cuddled up in a huggy furry pile of cuteness. Over the years, every stray that my husband brought home, whether cat or dog, young or old, docile or feral and crazy, Grey welcomed with love and affection. She never growled, hissed, or scratched at anybody, and even my most ill tempered pets who appeared to hate almost everybody, loved Grey.

Over the years, as other pets crossed the Rainbow Bridge, Grey would be there, holding vigil over them, and kissing their heads to comfort them. When Tippy passed away this past June, it really hit Grey hard, she had always appeared kitten-like, but suddenly she aged very quickly. Grey was a happy fat cat, always purring, and her plumpness earned her the nickname "Blimpy". Grey started to lose weight after Tippy died, and it accelerated over the past 2 weeks. She became very thin and a few days ago, very tired. Yesterday I found her resting in the exact spot where she watched Tippy pass. Grey likes boxes, so I gave her a little box to curl up in. I carried her downstairs to eat with the other cats last night & then after supper, she sat on my chest in my bed for about an hour, purring happily, while the kids pet her. When it was time to put the kids to bed, I helped Grey into the little box she wanted to rest in. The other pets took turns going into the bathroom to check on her & kiss her as she rested. As I said, Grey was well loved by everybody.

At 5:30 this morning, my husband woke me and told me that Grey had passed. She was still in her little box and appears to have gone peacefully in her sleep. She was a very good cat, a truly special little soul, and she will be sorely missed.

Rest In Peace, Grey, Mommy will always love you.

I am not looking forward to telling the kids.


This post is linked at Blazing Cat Fur. Thank you, BCF. 

This post has been reblogged at Sally and Sam. Thank you, Thomas.  

This post is linked at Whatever.com. Thank you, Osumashi.  

This post has been reblogged at lgstarr. Thank you, lgstarr. 




Buy Ad Space


Zilla's Resistance Shop



.

24 comments:

kcduffy said...

I had a cat named Gray many years ago...and my most recent gray cat disappeared in June. I knew she was fading...I suppose a predator finally got her...thank you.

Zilla of the Resistance said...

I am sorry for your loss. My Grey was a housecat for the past 7 years or so, but she tried to get out a few times recently, I was afraid that if she got out I'd never see her again because I knew she was getting close to the end. 

kcduffy said...

Yeah, she was a tough ol broad, and there was no denying her when she decided what she wanted...I was afraid of the same thing, but not fast enough to catch her anymore. I got her as a rescue in Hawai'i, in 2002, brought her to Florida, then took her to Maryland when I was there with hubby...miss my ol biddy...I'm down to one cat now, he's not let outside. Found HIM on the playground at a church, he was about 3-4 weeks old...healthy young guy @ almost 6mos now, that's for sure!

Clara said...

I am so proud of people like you who take care of and love animals.  Thank you!!

MuniMuIa said...

So so sad. Gray had a marvelous life. I know that doesn't lessen the blow, but it is true.

SignPainterGuy said...

Grey`s personality was not exactly the norm and must have been such a blessing to have around. It`s so wonderful to have pets and people around who want nothing more than to be enjoyable. A very special critter.

So sorry for your loss, I know the whole family will miss her for years to come !

TOWG said...

I am so sorry to hear about you losing one of your furry family.What a wonderful life you and your family gave Grey. No one could ask for more.

SB Smith said...

Linked over here from Blazing Cat Fur.
My deepest sympathy for your loss of Grey.
I've been thru the loss of 2 dogs, Tina and Rusty - and 2 cats, Zephyr and Zeke.
For me and many people I know, losing furry family members is as hard (sometimes harder) as losing human  family when they pass on.

rosalie said...

That was a beautiful tribute to your beloved Grey. It brought tears to my eyes because I know what it's like to lose a pet.   Grey should have been named "Lucky"  because she was rescued by a wonderful, caring family.  

quite_rightly said...

So sad . . . .

ibdancin said...

Ahhhh! I'm so very sorry for your loss.

I lost the love of my life my little grey cat 3 years ago and I'm still not over it. I think of her every day. She was my "kid", feline , but still a prime member of my family.

May you find solace in the belief that you will meet again some day and get to love each other all over again.

Andy said...

Grey's story is a sweet and lovely one.  A sad ending doesn't change that as we know that this is what happens, eventually, with our kitties and pups. 

Still, it hurts, and I am sorry for your loss, Mare.That Grey passed away peacefully in her sleep was a blessing.  The only thing more you could ask for is to have a pet pass away in your arms, when the time comes.Having a pet disappear with its fate unknown is unbearable.

Ute Hopp said...

I'm so sorry Mare :(
Thanks to you, Grey lived a full and happy live filled with love, Have you not found her, she would have most likely never seen adulthood. I bet she is looking out for all the other pets that went before her now on the other side.
(((HUGS)))

sablegsd said...

I'm so sorry for your loss.    We haven't gotten another cat since our beloved Japanese Bobtail, Patti, got out of the house one day and never came back.

Our 9 year old N/M Pomeranian Teddy started having seizures, no reason found.  The vet said that is idiopathic seizures.   He hasn't had any for about  month now. thank G-D.  What is so amazing is his litter mate Emma and Emma's daughter Squirt somehow knew when he was going to have one and would sit on either side of him and lick his face.  They would move away during the seizure and then return to his side to lick him and comfort him until he became aware again.  It made me cry to see their compassion and bonding.  What a different world we would have if humans had a smidgen of the loyalty and love that animals have.

Kim Harrison said...

I am sorry for your loss. Grey had a wonderful life with a wonderful family and you all learned a lot from each other.

Kim Harrison said...

So very true. Most cats live brutal and short lives

BlueJeansandLace said...

We lost Josh's Shroomie this spring and Meagan's Moe looks just like him. I mess up the names and the kids yell at me. My furry friends stay with us always.

I'm sorry for your loss though I am so glad you both didn't have to struggle that I know you went through with Tippy. Peaceful is how Tippy would have wanted her friend to join her.

Peacef-illed moments filled with happy remembrance being sent to you and the family. Give the kiddos a hug from Aunt Blue.

portia72307 said...

I knew when I saw the title that reading this post would make me cry. But curiosity got the better of me, so I began to read about this precious little soul. God bless you for rescuing her. It sounds as if she repaid you many times over. God bless her little soul and keep her until you're reunited on the other side.

1389 said...

So sorry for your loss!

We have an old cat who spends nearly all his time with me when we are home. I will give him another special hug to let him know how much he's appreciated!

rosalie said...

I was especially close to my cat Hobby.  She was on the chubby side so when she jumped on our bed at night to sleep with us, believe me, I could feel it.  It was so strange when after she died,  I could still feel that bounce at the foot of my bed for a while.  You just might be right about us reuniting with our pets. 

adogzilla2 said...

Zilla, I am sorry for the loss of your beloved Grey, and can definitely empathize with the pain in your heart. What a smart kitteh she was to find you on the road that day in New Hampshire. What a good life you've enjoyed together ever since. Thank you for sharing this tender passage with us.
God bless~
dogzilla

lgstarr said...

Just saw this--breaks my heart (have lost three cats to old age or cancer in the last 20 years)

Posted here:
http://lgstarr.blogspot.com/2011/11/grey-cat-beautiful-true-story.html

lgstarr said...

You can really tell a story--sad and beautiful (I've lost 3 cats in the last 20 years so I know how you feel).

Posted here:
http://lgstarr.blogspot.com/2011/11/grey-cat-beautiful-true-story.html

Zilla of the Resistance said...

Thank you. Every time I call the pets for dinner there's a pain in my heart when I have to omit her name after all of these years.

Post a Comment

Trolls: Tired of seeing your comments deleted? Pay Me and I'll let you stay!

Subscription prices to be whitelisted as an accepted troll
Username to be Whitelisted

The Famous A-C Page!

Zilla of the Resistance on Facebook