Friday 13 April 2012

R.I.P. Lucky


In memory of Lucky, who died last night, aged about 19 or so. She came into our lives about 1996 or 7, though we had seen her about the area for a couple of years before that, living rough. She even brought us a kitten which she left in our shed, but it was probably found by a scavenger as it disappeared after a few days of us putting food down for it. We would see her in the woods below the house, a little long haired black cat with half a tail, surviving by catching mice, voles, rabbits and even squirrels (she was fast!)

Then she turned up one winter (December is the usual month for desperate cats to seek out habitation and help) in the top of the yard, by the gooseberry bushes, half-starved. I put food out for her and she was very grateful. I can remember telling her that there was a price attached, she had to let me stroke her. I can remember she was not at all impressed! Then after a couple of weeks she suddenly pushed her little head up into my hand and began to purr. I knew she was "my" cat then. Within a month she was tame and a house cat, and in the spring presented us with three kittens. We rehomed one, and kept two (Lucy and Fluff) who are now 14 or 15. We have all cats neutered, so there were no more kittens born here after that (Banshee is another story).

Lucky was always a feisty little thing and not averse to swiping your leg if you weren't quick enough with the grub! Until recent years she always kept up the hunting too. She always had a taste for wild food. Even last week, when Jarvis brought home a dead baby rabbit, she found the body (I'd put it outside) and began to eat it and when I told her that her teeth would give way, and tried to take it off her, she growled like anything and managed to get her head high enough (she was always short in the leg department) to drag it off to a flower bed, where she had a little feast until deciding that perhaps even baby rabbit was a bit difficult for geriatric cats.

This week she stopped eating. She had been having lots of little meal for the last year or so. She got progressively more frail and then refused her heart pills - the same pills she always queued up for because they were put in butter, and she loved butter. She had some pleasant afternoons asleep in the sunshine in the garden and asked to sleep on the sofa in the living room at night. We knew she was failing, yesterday, but as it was my birthday outing, and T was going home today, we left D in charge and decided that we would take her to the vet today to have her pts though I hoped she would just go to sleep in the sunshine and never wake up. When we got back last night she was nowhere to be seen, so I followed my gut feeling and went straight to her, and found her cwtched up in a corner of one of Next Door's empty cow pens. She was as light as a feather, and her breathing laboured. She spent her last evening next to me on the sofa, being stroked occasionally so, so gently, and we kissed her good night one last time and told her how much we loved her. I prayed that she would die in the night, and she did. She lived life by her own terms, always.

Now she is buried beside Tippy and Gypsy. We have lost 3 cats in 4 months, and that has been hard.

Night-night, little black cat without a miaow . . . We'll never forget you.

15 comments:

  1. This must be so hard for you, at least you have the comfort of knowing that you gave her a loving home and that for most of her life she was warm, happy and well fed.

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  2. It's so hard losing a feline member isn't it :( she has had a loving home with you (((H)))

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  3. You gave Lucky a good life and the fact that she stayed and allowed you to be her carer proves she appreciated it.

    We have two 'older' cats, one of whom is about 19 or 20 and very thin and a bit doddery on his feet, but still determined. The other is 17-ish, but had a serious accident before he came to me and has always been frail. I dread the inevitable days in the future and can imagine how you must be feeling right now.

    {{{hug}}}

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  4. My heart and blessing go to you, BB. May Lucky scamper in sunshine and bask in the warmth with her mates. I have had heart break here at my home with the loss of five, so yes, its hard, but I find I find solace in having them pass in my arms at home, peacefully.
    Hugs to you.

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  5. You gave her a wonderful life full of love and she left you quietly. It was a good way to go.

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  6. My first thought on reading the title of your post was, "This has happened too many times recently."
    And yet, losing several pets in a short span seems to be the way it has gone for us. Our sweet-natured Eggnog has just turned 14; her half sister Raisin will be 14 late in the summer. Of the two, Eggie is in better health. Raisin is delicate--and we dread the inevitable.
    I was in tears before I finished your story---thinking both back and forwards to similar experiences.
    It hurts that there are so many stray cats--and dogs--and our loving hearts can't save them all.

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  7. I feel so sad for anyone who loses a loved pet. its an awful time to go through, we feel their loss so acutely.

    Leanne x

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  8. Thank you all for your kind words.

    Leanne - we knew it was coming, as she hadn't been quite as sprightly in these last weeks, but it is still a hard hit, coming so soon after Gypsy and dear little Tippy.

    MM - Sorry to upset you. They take a little piece of our hearts when they leave but leave a whole book full of memories.

    M & J - I think so.

    Denim - She was with us for a long long time, and nothing can take that away. You are so brave to take in those who need the greatest help and have life-threatening problems.

    AJ - I hope your cats continue to thrive and live for many years yet.

    Rowan and Mel - thank you for your kind words. Rowan - I'll try and get a letter to you in the next week or so.

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  9. sleep tight little girl x

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  10. Dear little Lucky. It is so hard when you lose them.xx

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  11. So sorry to hear of your loss,I too had tears in my eyes as I read about Lucky.It was nice that she died in familiar surroundings.

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  12. Oh, I am so sorry for your loss. We only have one of three left. The two were siblings, lived a long life and our family revolved around them.

    Have you heard of 'Rainbow Bridge'? It is beautiful and so supportive. Just google it.

    Lucky was one lucky cat to have been so loved by you and your family. Hugs and more hugs.

    I feel like going and having a good cry, now.

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  13. She passed peacefully, that is a blessing and she was indeed lucky to have been loved by you. I know how you feel having recently lost one of our dogs.

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  14. I am so sorry to hear of your loss. So many in such a short time is tragic. I know your heart is aching. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Your little furry spirits are waiting for you. Lynn

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  15. Thank you all for your kind comments. I am missing her so much. No more "nicky-noses" from Luckety-Lulu . . .

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