My Song Lives On

My grandma broke into tears today when she started thinking about me. Back when I was a kitten, my mommy (then 9 years old) made up a song about me to the tune of "Jingle Bells." She used to sing it to me around the house all the time. Well, with it being Christmastime and all, the tune of "Jingle Bells" is all over the radio right now. My grandma heard it today and remembered my song and it made her really miss me all of a sudden. Well, she misses me all the time, but the song reminded her just how much I'm missed. My mommy says she's been thinking about me a lot lately, too. My old stocking has been retired and is now hanging on the tree with the other ornaments. It's front and center, too, so my mommy can look at it and feel like I'm still here in some way. I wish I could tell her I'm sitting next to her on the couch right now as she types this for me.

Big Bro, Little Bro

I was reunited with my little brother yesterday. Charlie came home to the bridge after a difficult battle with kidney failure, just like I had. I think his battle was a little easier than mine, though. Not that it matters anymore up on the bridge, but anyway...
I haven't spent a whole lot of time with Charlie yet because he's got almost 10 years of catching up to do with his original owner, Peggy. Once they're nice and caught up, I'll join them for some conversation. Seeing them together really makes me miss my family, especially my mommy. She was the best (and only) mommy I ever had. I miss laying on her at night and purring in her ear. I miss her telling my constantly how much she loves me. I miss the way she'd hold me up and let me stretch my legs waaaaay out. (I loved being Long Kitty!) I also miss my other furblings. But there will be a time and a place to see them again. For now, I must rejoin my other sisters and brothers while waiting patiently for that moment to come.
Welcome home, little bro!

Up on the Housetop

It's almost Christmas again. Just last year, I was very, very sick with my renal failure. They weren't sure I'd live to see the new year in fact. But, I showed them by pulling through and even living on for another 7 months! Not to shabby, eh?
With the tree up and decorated and all the stockings hanging up (my old stocking is now hanging on the tree), it feels like everything is in place for Santa to come. Except me. It's just so weird to think of a Christmas without me there, sitting on Mommy's lap or laying in all the discarded ribbons and wrapping paper shreds. The last Christmas my family spent without me was in 1987. Ronald Reagan was still president! (Now he's passed away, too, so I even outlived him!) I wish I could be there, of course. I wish it like nothing else. But, I'm watching over my family carefully from way up on the house top. I'll be their little shining star!

My Legacy lives On!

I'm so happy! I'm one of today's featured diaries! I'm just the third member of my family to receive that honor and the only one to do it posthumously! I'm so glad my diary is able to keep my memory alive. (Not that I'll ever be forgotten.) Thank you Catster for giving more people an opportunity to get to know me!:)

To My Old Self:

Today is my birthday. I would've officially been 18 years old today. (I probably turned 18 back in July or August but we didn't celebrate my birthday until Oct. 26 since that's when my family adopted me.) I've been gone just a little over 3 months now. It's sad that I can't be there with my family today to celebrate my wonderfully long life. But, just because I'm not there physically doesn't mean I'm not there spiritually. I'm going to sit on my mommy's lap all day and purr comfort to her. She won't know I'm there, but like most birthday presents, it's the thought that counts. :) In a way, I'm glad I'm not there physically because I would probably still be sick. Where I'm at now, I'm completely healthy and happy. That's the best birthday present ever! So, to my old self, I say "Happy birthday!" And to my mommy and family I say, "I miss you but I'll see you soon. I love you!"

Forever in Spirit

Hello, beloved friends. It is with mixed emotions that I announce to you all that I was issued my pass to the Rainbow Bridge this morning. It had been a long, exhausting battle against CRF, but my kidneys finally caught up with me and I succumbed to it early this morning. I spent the last 2 weeks or so of my life in seclusion, more or less. I found comfort in my grandma and grandpa's shower, so I layed there and only came out a couple times to get water. They continued feeding me and trying to keep me alive, saying it was the only way they knew how. But, Mommy did give me permission to let go if I was ready to. I wasn't ready just then, but as of 5:30 or so this morning, I was. Grandma checked on me then and I was still there. But, when she checked me again at 7, I was gone. I'm going to miss seeing my family everyday. But, I'm trying to tell them that it's silly to cry over my lifeless body because I no longer occupy it. It's just my shell, like a snake who sheds his exoskeleton. I'm not in it anymore and I'm glad. I'm sorry for leaving them, but it was just my time, and you can't do anything to change that. The good news is, I get to see my little brother Mini again! I haven't seen him in 14 years! I also get to see Joy, Brandi, Chrissy, and Kizzy. I wonder if Kizzy even remembers me. I was just a kitten when she died.
Well, now that I don't live at home anymore, I have passed my torch along to my protege, Michael. I hope he rules the roost as fairly as I did. He's the alpha male now. I'll be checking in periodically to see how he's handling the responsiblity. In the meantime, I hope he takes care of Mommy and the rest of the family. It's hard to leave them, but I'll be keeping plenty busy until we are reunited. Thank you, Mommy, for eighteen years of immeasurable love and devotion! And thank you to my catster (and dogster) friends for your support. I couldn't have done it without you all!

When it Rains...

I went to the doctor today to get some fluids put in me. I was very good on up through the inserting of the needle, but I still gave them a piece of my mind. I don't do anything without putting up a fight!
The way there was kinda scary because it was pouring down rain and Mommy could hardly see 20 feet in front of her due to the terrible rain storm. When she took me out of the car, I got soaked! I was in a carrier, but the rain just flew right in past the mesh on the side. She told me I needed all the water I could get, though. (Funny, Mom.) We'll see how these fluids help me. Fortunately, the vet said I'm doing as well as can be under the circumstances.

Fighting an Uphill Battle

Hello, my fuzzy friends (and not-so-fuzzy friends)! I had been doing very well lately with my struggle against CRF. I'd been eating very heartily, finishing off any left over morsels in the other kitties' bowls. But, today, my mommy and grandma came home for lunch (a very late lunch...but I'm not complaining about that!:P) and saw me laying down on the rug in front of the sink. When I tried to move away, my leggies appeared to buckle under my own meager weight. I also had been throwing up all over the living room. They let me go outside to the park, where I basked in the sun for a little bit. But, I was refusing to eat my food. So, mommy forced that mushy stuff down my gullet, but I pretty much spit most of it out (and Kirby promptly slurped it right up!). Then, I threw it up a little while later. So, either I'm coming down with something, or my health is slipping again.
I'm sure Mom's going to make me drink those icky brown vitamins and force me to eat more mush. I know she's trying to do what's best for me, but I sometimes wonder if I have enough fight left, especially for an uphill battle.

The Great Outdoors

I had such a wonderful afternoon Sunday! My family decided it would be nice to let me out into the back yard to roam around. I used to be an indoor/outdoor cat in my youth. But, after 2 of my siblings met tragic or mysterious ends, my family decided never to let us roam like that again. I know we're better off, but my wild side can't help missing the great outdoors.
Anyway, the only place we're allowed to go outside is the deck. It's protected by a gate so we can't leave, but Sunday my family decided to break down the barrier that has kept me cooped up inside for so long, and let me roam free around the backyard. They figured I'm too old and wobbly to go jumping the fence or get into any trouble. They're right. All I even cared about doing is chewing grass and rolling around in the dirt. They kept a close eye on me during my romp. Mikey and Baby even joined me on the leash and harness for a little while. It was just like when I was little! What a wonderful trip down memory lane!

Nine Lives to Live

My health has been slipping lately. I'm not eating as much (even though I drink from the faucet every chance I get) and my skin is still very dry and elasticky. Mommy's been trying to get me to eat some of that feline k/d but I just don't care for it that much. And, it's not syringe-able so there's really no way of forcing me to eat it. Mommy thinks she's gonna have to stop by the vet's sometime today or tomorrow to get some more of that feline a/d, since that's the stuff I ate well. Kirby seems to love the k/d stuff, too, so she'll probably just have to finish it off for me. I know I'm old and don't have much time left (I'll be 18 in 5 months!) but I want to prolong my days on earth for as long as possible. I haven't used up all my purrs yet!