Welcome to Ella's Rainbow Residency

Memories of Ella

I'll always remember the day I chose you from the animal shelter. The moment our eyes met, I felt you saying to me, "I'm the one you came here to get. Don't even bother to look at the other cats." I did glace at them, but went right back to your cage & asked to see you. You stood up & walked to the door, then casually stretched as the volunteer opened the door to take you out. I could tell right away that you hated other cats - you kept hissing at them, and they were every which way I turned! Dad had to stand in front of you to block your view from them so you'd stop hissing. It was a few days before I could bring you home. You cautiously stepped out of the carrier, and hid for 4 days. You came out of hiding on the 4th night as I was getting ready to go to bed, so I stayed with you for a few minutes to reassure you that were in a good home. You were about 6 months old at the time, and didn't get much bigger. You were always such a little peanut! You may have been little, but you filled our house with SO much love! You were such a funny little character - opening the door of the towel cabinet with your paw & sitting on the second shelf; opening the closet door in mom & dad's bedroom & going inside; playing "surprise" with me; playing "mouse hockey" (I think it amused you to see us on our hands & knees with the flashlight & yardstick to get the mousey out); following me around the house (mom often used to say that she thought you thought you were a dog); folliwing me upstairs at bedtime to sleep on my bed; sitting on the clothes hamper in the hallway & also the one at the top of the cellar stairs; sleeping on the towels in the bin at the top of the cellar stairs; sitting on the TV tray behind my computer keyboard - or laying down on the TV tray sometimes when the keyboard wasn't there; jumping on dad's rocker-recliner then climbing over the little table to go onto the Canadian rocker, instead of just jumping on the Canadian rocker; the night I found you sitting on the bathroom sink; the day I found you laying down on Kenny's dresser; the night you claimed my sweater; laying down on the back of the couch, or the rocking chair, or the Canadian rocker; laying down behind the towel on the Canadian rocker; having "fast paws" when laying down inside a paper grocery bag (you had to have one every week when mom & dad went grocery shopping); laying down on my suitcase when I got back from a mini vacation; watching the birds at the bird feeder outside the front door - and occasionally the squirrel; watching "Video Catnip" with me; and trying to stick your head in my bag of cheddar flavored snack mix when I wasn't looking. There were also the precious times - watching over me when I wasn't feeling well, checking on me if I was laying down when I normally wasn't or in a spot I normally didn't; running in the kitchen to greet me when I got home from work every morning; and being my lap warmer when I was watching TV on my nights off. You were so devoted to me! It was in December 2009 that your gums first started to get a little swollen - I had to bring you to the vet by mid-January 2010 when it continued to get worse. The vet prescribed 2 different medications that she thought would help. Despite the medications, the swelling got much worse by the beginning of March 2010 - so the vet performed surgery to remove swollen tissue & send a sample in for a biopsy to determine the cause. The vet who was going to perform the surgery called me to tell me it looked bad & wanted to give me a heads up on the situation. He suspected that we might be dealing with a high grade sarcoma - which is an aggressive cancerous tumor. I was SO worried that I'd lose you on the operating table that day! I cried nearly all morning. I was relieved when I called in the afternoon to check on you & the girl told me you made it through surgery just fine and would be ready to come home in the morning. I had promised you before you went to the vet that I'd be there the next day to bring you home - so I was relieve this promise wasn't broken! You were like a kitten again after the surgery - playing with your toys, which you hadn't done after the swelling started! My heart sank when it was confirmed that you did in fact have a high grade sarcoma. The swelling started to come back later that month, and continued to get progressively worse over the next few months. On July 5th, I started sharing my ice cream with you - just letting you lick the bottom of the bowl after I'd finished. How you enjoyed that! (I knew you didn't have much longer to live by that time, and wanted you to leave this world happy.) Your face would just light up as soon as I sat on the floor with that bowl! You lost a lot of weight by June - the vet thought that you just weren't getting enough calories from your food. The vet said you were an amazing cat - like the rest of us, she thought you would've been gone by then! I really think it was the tremendous love we had for each other that kept you holding on. You did surprisingly well, right up until the day you died. The morning of July 20, 2010 I knew something was seriously wrong. I knew it was time to make "the decision", and called the vet. Very sadly, you didn't make it to the vet but died here at home instead. But...knowing how much you hated going to the vet, maybe you wanted it that way? I was absolutely devastated to lose you! You were my little baby girl, and meant the world to me! I miss you terribly and will always love you dearly! You were a very special cat, and we shared a very strong bond. Thank you for sharing your life with me. And thank you for coming back to visit me now & then - this is a great comfort. I think you also come play with my new cat Teddy Bear, because sometimes he acts like he's chasing something. Please also visit Leonardo.

Ella's People Parent(s), Jennifer, would appreciate knowing you have visited their Baby's Residency. Click here to Email Jennifer a message, or to send a sympathy card click here. Email this page to a friend. Give a gift renewal of Ella's residency.

Share

What is This?

This site was inspired by and is dedicated to FiFi

Visit the Human side of Rainbows Bridge - BelovedHearts.com