Something Fabulous shares her kitties and their story with us.
There is something to be said, another time perhaps, about a feminist critique of pet ownership: Why is it “Cat Lady,” never “Cat Dude”? Why is there no similar snide pejorative about dog people? How many cats do you need, actually, before you get the title? Briefly, the answers are:
- society still frowns less on men being single and childless;
- it is much easier, logistically, to hoard, say, 45 cats than dogs in an apartment; and:
- 3 cats
So, here I am, a formerly proudly dog-only person, and my two cats: Meet Milo and Gigi.
Milo and his brother Oliver had just been returned to the rescue where I volunteer. Oliver, a tabby, was friendly and flirty, literally put his paw out between the bars of the cage to pet me. And when I sat down and opened the door, he came right out and sat on my lap. I was Chosen.
But he was a bonded pair with his very handsome but extremely shy brother Milo. And I had not been in the market for one cat, let alone two. So I went home to think about it, to talk with my landlady about making an exception to the no-pets lease, see if this could be a thing.
Two mornings later, the director of the rescue called me in tears. Oliver had died in his cage overnight. Ultimately the vet looked at his records and noted he’d had a chronic kidney disease and decided he’d likely died of it, exacerbated by all the changes and stress he’d gone through.
I took Milo home that day. Landlady, schmandlady.
Later, our director told me how black cats, shy cats especially, are the hardest to place. She was sure Oliver hung on long enough to find Milo his new home. I, who never cry, and don’t believe in spiritual hoo-ha; wept and wept.
We went on happily for a few years. I would occasionally foster a kitten or 2 (or 4). Keep ‘em in the bathtub, train ‘em up, and send them on their way.
We named her Gigi. And they became pals.About 4 years ago, Milo became diabetic. My Sweet Pootea! So sweet, we joke, he got The Sugar. But! We got on a regimen of testing, insulin, special foods, carried on. All was well!
We continued to get older. And started needing more supplemental help & support. But we carry on, one day at a time, learning new things all along the way.
Then around Mother’s Day last year, I thought I had lost him. Called the emergency final-home-visit vet to see about appointments on the holiday weekend, as he was fading so fast. Wrapped him snugly in a warm bath towel and laid him on my chest to sleep. Our last night together, I thought……And he woke at 4 am, shook himself all over, stretched and walked to the foot of the bed, where I’d put a dish of his favorite food, and started to eat. Nothing to see here, move along.
[Note: also a loyal BJ Lurker]
And so here we are now: 17, and not doing so great. And yet: doing great! He keeps pulling out another of the nine lives cards. Always a little skinnier, a little frailer than the time before, but on we go. These last few days, though, that pace has accelerated, noticeably.
We are lucky, I know, to have whatever time we have left. In my head I keep making analogies to my dad, which I realize is a little strange, but nonetheless works for me: he was a tenacious old goat with many many health challenges, but still defied all medical predictions for years, and somehow lived to be 86. I remember making a Facebook post at the time we put our dad in hospice, something like, “We don’t know exactly how the road will go from here, or how long we will be on it, but we are on that road.” And I feel something similar here, with Milo: every day is a challenge, and has some annoyances, and is a gift.
This last year has sucked so much. But fortunately, my extreme unemployment has also meant that I had all the time in the world to micro-manage his blood sugar readings, his food intake, all that. And in my extreme isolation and home-bound-ness, they have been there for me, and each other.
None of us knows where the road is going, but sooner or later we are all on that road. At least we can be on it, together.
And we will go out, I hope, holding paws.
Steve in the ATL
Speaking of cats, what’s the approximate cost of sending a cat from Atlanta to NYC?
Chetan Murthy
Another respite (in the cat theme): https://twitter.com/faayza/status/1347011666123366402
[via mock paper scissors]
P.S. Also the owner … bet he gets all the pretty girls. Or boys, whichever is his fancy.
zhena gogolia
Beautiful story.
Bandit
Seems like guys who go that route prefer non-domestic animals such as rats or raccoons.
Cf:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofp26_oc4CA
Nora
That is the sweetest story, and brought tears to my eyes. Thank you.
JeanneT
I’m glad you have such good company during the pandemic, and that they have you. Treasure the days is all we can do.
zhena gogolia
@Chetan Murthy:
So cute!
CaseyL
OK, you made me cry. You and Milo are so lucky to have found each other, and then to have Gigi join you.
I’m in awe of the diabetes treatment scribblings.
Also, gotta say, Milo looks pretty damn good for an infirm old guy. Skinny, maybe, but fur still sleek; he doesn’t seem to have that sides-caved-in look elderly cats (in my experience) get.
Here’s to all three of you; and here’s to Milo continuing to defy the odds!
Chetan Murthy
@zhena gogolia: And the cat, too!
MazeDancer
Such a wonderful, beautiful story. Well told.
Thank you for letting us have a peek on the road with you and Milo.
cain
What a great story – my two critters are a bonded pair and they are both black cates. It seems that a lot of us have ourselves of some black panthers. I feel bad for Oliver though, who reminds me a lot of Khush already. Lav is a lot like Milo, a shy cat – I guess an extrovert and introvert pairing. You probably missed out having both of them at that time.
But so glad that MIlo made it out and managing himself thanks to a doting dad. Good on you!!
And of course happy to hear of Gigi as well!! :D
something fabulous
@CaseyL: Aww, thank you. Standing up, he is super skinny like that, and has become so light to pick up. But his handsomeness is seeing him through!
Benw
Huzzah for Milo and Gigi!
Wonderful story and pics.
something fabulous
@MazeDancer: Thank you! So glad. Water Girl kindly held my (virtual) hand that it would be ok to post, and not too much. And a separate shout out to WaterGirl in fact for all her help in layout and proofreading, as well as encouragement to do it!
JPL
What is love!!!
zhena gogolia
@something fabulous:
My first cat was a black male and I adored him. He was so wise and cool.
No name
I’m crying, thank you for sharing, so much love. Those little white toes on Gigi and those magnificent white whiskers on Milo!
West of the Rockies
I love black cats!
No name
@Steve in the ATL: depends what class he wants to fly.
Miss Bianca
Awww…Milo and Gigi and WaterGirl. BFFs.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
Also, too, it’s annoying how dogs are always assumed to be male and cats are female
eddie blake
what a wonderful story. beautiful furbabies. so awesome when they bond like that.
i dunno about ‘cat-dude’ but i prefer cat botherer. it feels more accurate.
AliceBlue
So sweet… thank you.
The Fat White Duchess
Thank you for the lovely story, and for rescuing handsome Milo.
Lyrebird
@Chetan Murthy: That is awesome, thanks for sharing!
Things I don’t get about Twitter:
The “sensitive content” block has come up for… the young lady who did a celebration dance in the parking lot after her interview, and now for one of this Ryann fellow’s pictures of his cat. The cat is on two pedestals looking very relaxed.
Twitter shows all sorts of awful things that I won’t list out, but it blocks the potentially sensitive view of a cat on two pedestals. Go figure.
ETA: Thanks so much WaterGirl for the beautiful story!
Ralphie
Barbara
Thanks for sharing. I hope the road goes on for a while longer for your happy duo.
Chetan Murthy
@Lyrebird: I’m guessing it was Odie’s private parts …. y’know, the ones that most adult humans can’t actually distinguish. Or maybe it was his owner’s razor-sharp cheekbones …..
CaseyL
@Steve in the ATL: I don’t have the answer, but some here should. BJ has crowd-sourced relocating animals thousands of miles. Besides the East Coast jackals who might be able to drive, there are professional services – even animal airlines.
It could be pricey, but you might be able to get some of us to kick in towards the expense.
CaseyL
@Steve in the ATL: Here is an article reviewing pet transportation services.
MagdaInBlack
What a sweet story. Such sweet babies. Thank you =-)
stinger
Lovely story and great pics, especially Gigi Rising from the (Soapy) Waves. Thanks for sharing!
Damned_at_Random
Milo has been a lucky kitty – a loving brother and a good home. That was sad and uplifting. when his time comes, you can be proud of earning the love of such a shy, loving little guy
Amir Khalid
That picture of you and Milo holding hands says so much. Every day that a cat loves us and we get to love it in return is precious. May you and Milo and Gigi have many more such days, all that Heaven will allow.
Another Scott
Great story and pictures. But I notice the tags say Guest Post. And it doesn’t really “sound like” Watergirl. Was this a shy guest? Or am I wrong (again)?
Thanks very much.
[eta:] D’Oh – It’s from “Something Fabulous”, right?
Cheers,
Scott.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
That was a sweet story, WG. I know what it’s like to have a diabetic cat, and it’s a lot of sacrifice and work. But they’re always worth it : )
My cat Bilbo has been diabetic since he was 12 and’s nearly 20 now. He’s in stage 2 kidney disease and had 3 UTIs last year, but is in great health otherwise. He’s not much different from the time we first adopted him nearly 16 years ago
Benw
@Amir Khalid: word
something fabulous
@zhena gogolia: Yes! Wise and cool sums it up, exactly.
WaterGirl
@Another Scott: oh shit, yes, i forgot the lead-in sentence! will remedy that.
edit: added!
CarolPW
Milo is beautiful, and not showing his age – skinny yes, but look at how clear his gorgeous eyes are and how sleek!
danielx
Friends, family members, companions all in one.
ETA: Milo reminds me of our late boss cat Zoey, save he lacks the white patch she had on her chest.
WaterGirl
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): The story is from Something Fabulous. I didn’t stop to think that it wouldn’t be obvious that it was a guest post!
TomatoQueen
Merlinus Ambrosius pauses just long enough from the Evening Zoom to give an approving BRRP.
Ralphie
I’m a widower going on 4 years now, and my life has been enriched by the love of a 4 year old panther. Our previous cat lasted 20 good long cat years and I was left alone for a couple of months until my son decided I was ready for a new companion. We went to the local shelter where I made the acquaintance of beautiful, friendly black cat who decided to come home with me and we bonded quickly. They gave him the name “Smooch” at the shelter. We kept the name because it seemed so appropriate.
I’m no longer alone at night. When I wake up Smooch is usually at my side sound asleep. I’m pushing 80 and very content with the little guy.
Amir Khalid
How not to show love for your cat.
Mary G
Oh, that made me cry in a good way. My former cat Sophie, picked me at the shelter. She was already grown, but apparently not too old. About 15 years later, she started having all the same problems, matting, bad kidneys, blah, blah, blah. Not diabetes though, thank Dog.
We started having to rush her to the vet, terrified that he would advise the end. He was able to fix her maybe four times. The fifth I was sure she was a goner, and he told me to bring her in when she didn’t want to eat or use the litter box.
Sophie hated all people who weren’t me, even my mother when we moved in with her. My poor mother was so hurt. She got very sick the last time Sophie did to, and I was astonished when Sophie jumped up on the couch my mom was lying on and snuggled in like she’d been doing it forever. Sophie got better and better as my mom got worse. I called the vet and he said “They know when they’re needed” and sometimes just ask for that 10th life.”
My mom wanted to come home for hospice when she got her terminal diagnosis, and we set up the hospital bed in the living room with Sophie at her side. All Mom’s friends came to see her and say goodbye and Sophie was very gracious and let them pet her a bit. When I saw the ears go back, I would say the petting had to stop.
Sophie stayed pretty good until about eight months after Mom died. I’m not sure I would’ve gotten through that time without her. One day she just looked at me and I knew she was ready. I had had her 21 years. That was 10 years ago and sometimes it feels like yesterday.
zhena gogolia
@Miss Bianca:
This confused me too, but the cats live with something fabulous — WaterGirl just posted it.
Barbara
@Ralphie: Another nice story!
seefleur
Mary G and Something Fabulous: Thank you for sharing your stories. My family has gone through similar events with several of our furry offspring – diabetes, kidney issues and the like. Most of the events happened after our 4 two-legged offspring were old enough to share the whole situation with us (their parents). In a very weird way, it was a bonding event for all of us – sad though it was. In many ways, it allowed the kids to mature through dealing with losing life-long (to them) companions. Isn’t life in all it’s forms a weird and wonderful gift all the way around?
MoCA Ace
Thank you.
Beautiful kitties.
Beautiful story.
Wonderful memories.
A Good Woman
Damn onions.
Jay
Thank you so much Watergirl,
it’s really dusty here right now.
phein61
We had the world’s greatest cat, or maybe just the best cat in Urbana, IL, but he was a survivor. An outdoor cat who adopted my wife and her housemate in grad school, then showed up on her door a week after she had moved a mile and a half away, Kai was a scraggly orange cat with one front tooth and many scars. He lived with us for 10 years, but we have no idea how old he was when we first met him. Anyway, he was very sick on a couple of occasions, and wouldn’t eat — a bad sign in cats. What got through to him two times was the smell of roast turkey. He roused himself to nibble off the carcass, and after that we would feed him bits of dark meat, or small amounts of turkey broth if he was feeling small. A friend at Vet Med told us cats will only eat what they can smell, and turkey must have been Kai’s ticket. So, if you have a cat whose not doing well, you could try heating some bite-size turkey pieces or broth for them (can’t hurt).
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@WaterGirl:
Whoops! Now I feel silly ^^;
SkyBluePink
Thank you for sharing your wonderful kitties and their stories.
Nutmeg again
Sending love and warm wishes.
Dan B
My partner took our BaBu to the vet for lumps around his neck. He was afraid it was cancer and would have to be put down. BaBu cried all the 30 minutes drive to the vet – a big bridge is out from severe and expanding cracks so it’s a much longer drive. The diagnosis is healed over scars from fights and / or flea reaction. He was so scared when he got home he wouldn’t come out of the carrier.
BTW wonderful story about your saga of loss and love. Thanks for sharing!
Ann Marie
Even if it made me cry, what a lovely story, about lovely cats — who clearly chose the perfect human! My older boy, Louie, is 18 and still looks good, but his kidneys are declining, he has cataracts, so his eyes are always wide now, and I think he has some dementia (doesn’t always recognize my younger cat, who has been with us for 2-3 years now). But as long as he eats, drinks, eliminates, and enjoys being cuddled, we’re good. I can’t imagine my life without him, or maybe just don’t want to. I hope Milo finds a few more lives.
Rob
never mind
something fabulous
@Amir Khalid: Og gosh, thank you so much. Your stories of Bianca were an inspiration! With your loss especially, your comment means so much to me. thank you.
WaterGirl
@Jay: This was from Something Fabulous.
I didn’t stop to think that Something Fabulous wouldn’t be recognized as her nym .
jnfr
Thank you for sharing him with us.
CaseyL
@phein61: My very elderly Siamese, Shayna, went into renal failure at 16. The vet left the IV shunt in her arm when I took her home, expecting me to have to bring her back for euthenasia.
I took her home, she was like a limp little rug. I put her on my pillow and for two days hand-fed her her very favorite foods: crabmeat, chicken meat, more crabmeat. Used a syringe to get water down her throat. Barely slept keeping an eye on her…
So I take her back to the vet, and as I’m opening the carrier to take her out, the vet is saying how sorry he is, and how we had done everything that we could…
And I had the absolutely grand, inexpressible joy in saying, “No, you don’t understand. I brought her back so you could take the shunt out” – as Shayna came out of the carrier, full of piss and vinegar, and furious that she was back at The Bad Place.
That darling old girl lived another 2+ years, *and* moved with me across the country to Seattle.
They can bounce back, sometimes.
mayim
My two rescues (who mostly tolerate each other ~ one’s a grumpy old man and the other one still acts like a 4 month old kitten, even though he’s 4 years old) have their own Twitter account.
In the summer, I’m often able to foster kittens. My specialty is those without a mother; Hobbs and Scout are very good at teaching the fosters to cat. Hobbs is especially good at teaching them to respect older cats. Gently but firmly ;-) If you are on Facebook, I document my fostering adventures at Backwoods Fosters.
phein61
@CaseyL: Cats are tough, no doubt. We inherited an ex-roommate’s cat who we were sure was on her last legs — we knew she was 16 years — but Madeira hung on for another 5 years, and many scratches later.
Kattails
That is a sweet story, I’m glad you shared it with us. I have had several black or black/tuxedos, all wonderful. My current older one has a hyperactive thyroid–used to be pretty chunky, now too thin. Getting meds but they might need to be upped. She also needs dental work but can’t do that until the thyroid gets regulated. She’s 14.
I’m sorry to step on this lovely thread but really sad and worried. I’m waiting on news of my best friend of 50 years. He had terrible back problems, they tried various things and finally operated a couple of weeks ago. He was hoping this would alleviate the terrible pain and get him mobile again. However he got a blood infection. Back in the hospital for a few days to clear that up. Home, then this past weekend ran a 102º fever. Back in the hospital. They found an abscess, did more surgery, we thought he’d be home this weekend but he took a turn last night. His wife called me at 8 AM and I haven’t had any news since then.
We’ve barely been able to visit all year, and now haven’t dared do so even when he was home. She tore a rotator cuff while trying to muscle him back into bed when he was delirious with fever; and her brother has COVID. If he needs hospitalization there are no regular beds available where he is. She can’t see her husband even though she herself is a nurse. It all just sucks.
CaseyL
@Kattails: That’s what we’re for, to share what’s going on in our lives, the bad and sad along with the good and great.
I’m so sorry for your friend, and the hell his family is going through. Keep us posted, ok?
mayim
@Mary G:
Wonderful story!
Five days after my {much-loved} father died, I had to put my then-cat Jezebel to sleep. Talk about the Universe adding insult to injury :-(
I’d had Jez my whole adult life ~ adopted her my last year of college (she chose me ~ reached out of her cage at the shelter and literally grabbed me) and she lived to be 21.
Jez definitely loved her ebil weed :-)
Dad and Jez a few weeks before they both died.
Like you, it’s been 10 years, and I still miss both of them so much!
Kattails
@CaseyL: Thank you. I’ve been holding it in all day and the wonderful cat stories opened the floodgates. The couple are both cat adorers, they usually have 6-8 at a time.
@mayim: I see Jez was a tortie–I’ve had three of those, all with the “tortitude’.
Rileys Enabler
Lovely story, wishes for good health to Milo for as long as he likes. I had a diabetic sugarbaby a few years ago. He was 17 when diagnosed and lived to a fine 21. He LOATHED his daily insulin shots and every morning our chase began anew. I think those epic chase battles gave him the Will (and cunning) to live all the extra years….
something fabulous
Thank you so much, everybody, for all your kind words. Occurs to me, those of you who were on the New Years Zoom had a view of him as special guest star! (Gigi was camera-shy; not like her usually.) So he is a Juicer too. (Can cats be Jackals?)
He just turned down the big guns tonight: Roscoe’s Fried Chicken! So may be saying goodbye soon after all. Or who knows for sure; he may yet pull out another of the nine! But this great community is already helping to make the thinking about it, that much easier, and I am grateful to you all.
Percysowner
Great story. My guy will be 18 this year. He gave me a scare this month. He started throwing up every day. Off we go to the vet who examines him, runs blood tests and says it’s either IBS or Intestinal Cancer. An $800 MRI will tell me for sure She gives me steroids which will definitely treat IBS and would be the treatment for the cancer, and can give them another year or two. I go home convinced that I will be losing my old guy because the steroids don’t always help with this cancer. 10 days later, not vomiting, and he’s eating like a horse. I’m going with it being IBS and he’ll be around for years. Other than this he’s really healthy. Every 6 months they tell me his kidney numbers are not great, but still within the normal healthy range. He’s a good cat and I’m glad he’s sticking around for a while.
Mary G
Just had this Twitter exchange, it must be cat day today.
Steve in the ATL
Thanks everyone for the cat transport advice!
Ohio Mom
Kattails:
I can only imagine how anxious you are, not having heard anything all day. And I guess there is no way for you to call BFF’s wife so all you can do is continue your interminable wait.
I’ll send some good energy your way. It is awful feeling so helpless.
BethanyAnne
My last cat passed at 19 sometime in 2014. I waited a few months, and then went to the no kill shelter near me. They had a bonded pair that was continually being passed up as they were too old. Dilute tortoiseshell female, and solid black male. I got permission to open the cage, and the girl cat came out, and sat on my lap for a few seconds. Got some pets, and then moved on to explore the room. The boy cat came out, and paid me no nevermind. I took them both. You’d have thought I was killing them from the yowling that miss Clio did that day on the way home. Got them there, and let the travel cages open. They disappeared for a day or so, and then slowly came out and claimed me and the place.
The shelter had warned me that Clio would be active, but Louie would likely just sit around and hang out. Nope. He’s not chill, he was bored out of his skull. He gets some time with Da Bird almost every day, and leaps and flies after it. I had to move in with Mom to care for her a couple of years later, and she has totally seduced Louie. He’s smitten to have his very own reader to sit on the lap of most of the day. Clio still wants to be held and played with, but very gently. Gotta be careful to not scare her. Louie is a bounding Alpha cat, with a paw in everything.
They said my kiddos had been in the shelter sixteen months, and they were found taped in a box in a parking lot here in Houston. Neither cat wants to be in a box at all, and I guess it’s from that. But I am so lucky to have them. They both will come up and meow when they want some cuddles.
Msb
They give us so much.
Thanks for this.
Mookie
Thank you for the wonderful post.
ET
Is it a thing to name black cats Milo – that was the name of my first cat – a polydactyl that picked me when I went to throw out the garbage. I still miss him. He was the Purfect First Cat.
Miss Bianca
@zhena gogolia: d’oh! Something Fabulous it is! Still a great story, no matter whose. : )