You are greatly missed

It has been a few days over nine months since I lost Morticia. Although life goes on around here as active as ever with the other three cats, the dog and the crazy cockatoo, there is something missing. My shadow is gone. I miss you being in my lap every time I sit down. I miss your welcoming meows whenever I return to the house. I miss watching you explore the garden for hours on end. I even miss the grass you threw up every time you came back inside. And the one thing I miss most is my little black kitty under my arm every night in bed. I still sleep on my back all night, not moving an inch, so I don't disturb your beauty sleep...

About Morticia

Morty was the best cat I have ever had. I said I'd never have another kitten because I had purchased an Egyptian Mau two months before her and he was terrible, but Morty was an angel. Never got into anything, never went where she wasn't supposed to - nothing. She didn't even mind having her toenails clipped or taking pills. A year and a half after I got her, my Mau, Horus, started being mean to her and tearing out her fur, so now he lives with my Mom to this day in her barn. We call him the world's most expensive barn cat...anyway...The only really funny story I have of Morty is when I lived in Santa Cruz. She was allowed outside because we were in an area with no cars and a small lake behind us. One day she came running back in the screen door faster than I had ever seen her run. Apparently she had either misjudged or fallen into the lake and had black mud up to her belly. My carpet in my apartment was snow white. Black mud + snow white carpet = hell. But it was funny. She never did go around the back of the building to the lake again. That was the only bath I ever had to give her, and she HATED it!

I got Morty from a coworker when I was 22 (she was 8 weeks and the runt of the litter) and I was moving from apartment to apartment so I couldn't have a dog. She's been my one constant in my life for the last 13 years. She lived with me in San Diego, Morro Bay, Santa Cruz, Marysville and two places in Sacramento. For five years during my moves I had no friends nor anyone to talk to - not even my family. There were a few times that I was so depressed I just wanted to die, but every time all I could think of was Morty and what would happen to her. She was my one and only. She was always in the same room as I was during her entire life. She slept with me, got up with me, sat on the bathmat when I showered, sat in my lap at my desk and at the kitchen table, etc. I can't remember a time (except in the last week) that Morticia wasn't within 10 feet of me when I was in the house. She was also my "protector." No other animal was allowed to be as close to me as she was. She slept under my left arm, literally on my armpit, every night. When when brought Morty to the vet yesterday we didn't put her in her carrier - for the first time. We brought the two big blankets bought for Bowie's bed that Morty started to sleep in when she got sick. We also brought the bathmat that she loved to play on. She was really good in the car. The vet let us come in the back entrance, unfortunately they don't have a special room or anything for euthanasia. We put the blankets and towels on the table for her, but she stayed in my lap. The doctor came in to see us and gave us about 10 more minutes. A tech came a placed the catheter in her leg. She wasn't bothered by it and decided she wanted to walk around the room. The vet came in and told us to come get her when we were ready...how can you ever be ready? Anyway, we had the vet come back after a while to do her thing. We put Morty on the table on her blankets, but she didn't want to be there. She kept jumping back in my lap. We ended up putting the bathmat under her on my lap and the vet let her go right there. The last thing she did was look at my husband and I then put her head down. She was gone right away. It was the worst feeling in the world. This cat has been with me longer than any person or other animal in my life. She has also done more for me than anyone else in the world. I can't even think about her without crying. Thank you for letting me tell you about my special baby ^..^

Goodbye my sweet angel

Morticia left us today at 2:15pm Pacific time. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. I love you Morticia and hope you are some place better with no pain.

Love, Mom

Morticia

Well, for the past 6 weeks we have been taking Morticia to the vet to drain the fluid off of her tumor and to pick up more medication for her every Sunday. Each time our fabulous vet, Dr. McKinstrey, drains her tumor she loses a pound. She starts the appointment and 8 pounds and leaves at 7...except for last week. The cancer has so taken over her body she started at 7 pounds and went down to 6. The last week and a half have been heart breaking. She and the other animals have started to notice that there is something wrong. The others are constantly around her, smelling her and trying to be close to her. Of course, she's always been the house "loner" and Queen so she swats them away. She's been with me a whole lot longer than the rest and believes that the others are only temporary and I am her possession. She now will only let me pet her head, whereas before anywhere was fair game. She is on a morphine based liquid medicine and we give her the highest dosage the vet can recommend. Even with all of the pain meds on board, she's in pain. She won't put weight on the leg and is having trouble walking up the dog ramp to our bed. She can't jump at all now for the last week. When she sleeps she holds the leg straight out and cannot bend it. She has also starting occasionally hiding under the bed - something she has never done and a sure sign of pain. She was borderline before her last vet visit on Sunday and we decided if the decline continued as rapidly as it did last week that this Sunday we would have to let her go. Unfortunately, she's just getting worse. Even with a diet of completely canned tuna - her favorite - and not the "chunk light" tuna but the fatty albacore, she has pretty much lost her appetite. She has stopped playing as she was a couple of weeks ago and even catnip - her FAVORITE thing in the world - doesn't even get her to raise her head. She has quit "talking" (she has always been a very vocal kitty) and following us around from room to room. Every night she slept under my left arm in bed, but hasn't for the past 4 nights. Please, light a candle for Morticia on Sunday the 25th at approximately 2pm Pacific time or think a nice thought for her as she passes. I will dearly miss my Morty forever, as she has been the only constant in my life for the past 13 years. Thank you.

Evil Cancer

Well, the type of cancer I have is a fibrosarcoma. It comes from rabies vaccinations. Unfortunately, it is inoperable. Not even by removing my leg could we get rid of it. So Mom is just taking me to the vet every two weeks to get the liquid drained off of it and keeping the pain medication handy. We went in Friday and they drained half a liter off of my lump - it weighed a whole pound! Well, here's hoping I have a lot more time with Mom, Dad and the other two kitties...and, oh yeah, the dog. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Thank you.

Cancer

Yes, it's true, I have cancer. It's a very large lump - about 5 inches round and 2 inches deep on my right hip. I will be going in for a biopsy this weekend to find out what kind. Mom is hoping it hasn't spread to it can be removed. Thank you for your sweet emails and rosettes.