The Passing of a Beloved Pet

      NickNack's Favorite Reposes 

                

Lilliput was still too new to the household to object to NickNack's strangle-hold--

or was it kitty-love...

                                                                  

       (We had a stern talk about my vase)

Excerpt from the Chapter: The Passing of a Beloved Pet 

There is a lot of soft music in my home; from opera to Viennese operettas, to oldies but goodies. So I thought I should send old Tiffany off with some sweet melody. I chose Time To Say Goodbye, the soulful duet by Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli. Huge mistake. I started bawling, and we were half an hour late for our appointment at the local vet. After Tiffany had peacefully slipped away, and mainly to make amends for such a sad introduction to the practice, I babbled something about ‘most likely not remaining too long without a cat.’ So, if they came across a needy kitten, perhaps they could let me know.

Tentatively, tactfully, Sheilah, the vet’s assistant, piped up with “I have one.”

My hand was on the doorknob. “That’s nice.”

“Would you like to see her?"

I shrugged half-heartedly. More polite than interested, I sighed, “Okay.”

Out she dashed holding a snow-white, black-tailed bundle that sported two black patches on top of the head.

"Would you like to hold her?" That's what is known as ‘a closer.’

The then already six-month-old kitten, she told me, had been found in a box, abandoned outside a high school together with her four two-day-old siblings. The soft-hearted veterinary assistant had bottle-raised all five of them. Amazing, but not surprising once I got to know her. Besides, she certainly worked at the right place for her good deeds. It took exactly one night in my empty house before I went back to collect the silky water-loving Turkish Van, my NickNack.

        Instead of mourning and enduring emptiness of home and heart, I was thus able to celebrate my Himalayan’s eighteen loyal years, thanks to a spunky new companion that stepped deftly into Tiffany's paws. Growing into an elegant, high-legged and high-spirited creature, NickNack truly became my cat. Deep in my heart though, I still think of her as Sheilah's Kitten.

        * * *

       And now, NickNack is gone as well. We miss her.

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Raising Foster Kittens

Pasha's Buddies from the Shelter and some of the

35 Foster Kittens he helped raise

*

Before anyone cries ‘yikes,’ let me tell you that of the thirty-five kittens I raised over the span of four years none ever messed in the house—which was something I could not have tolerated, being a bit ‘on the prissy side’ when it comes to cleanliness. I was always amazed (and thankful) how quickly those kittens learned to use their first tiny litter box (an old nine by nine baking pan that was no longer of any use to me—for baking). The messiest task was to wean them from the bottle to start eating from a small dish. No telling how many towels I washed before I had a brilliant idea: Newspaper!

That's how Liz and Harold arrived at my house ...

And that's how they went back to the Shelter for Adoption

(without the Elizabeth Arden Perfume)

Pasha'a Best Buddy Puffin (Smokey now) at two weeks old

Mikey came to us also very, very young. His manner of sleeping caused me some heart-stopping moments as he lay in his cage, quite still with all fours stiffly held up in the air. Only when he broke into a big yawn did I know all was well.

He too left for the Shelter and a good Adoption as a darling healthy kitten, feisty enough to nip at the bigger cats--with the result that NickNack paddled him about the ears.