Gotcha Date: October 2nd 1997 Birthday: February 14th 1994 Coloration: Tortoiseshell Tabby Likes: In nice weather, she loved spending all day and all evening on the screened-in back porch, watching the birds, chipmunks and squirrels, chasing away visiting cats, and sleeping in the sun. Pet-Peeves: Abby was always underfoot and was always getting her tail stepped on and she didn't like it! Favorite Toy: She loved to play with her furry mice and toy balls, running up and down the stairs and all over the house, carrying them in her mouth. Favorite Nap Spot: All over the house but she did love her cat bed. Arrival Story: Abby spent most of her early years in shelters or foster homes. My mom saw Abby in a cage in a store owned by a woman who rescues and fosters cats for adoption and fell in love with her and told me about her. I went the next day to meet Abby and fell totally in love and brought her home with me that day. How a cat as sweet and loving and affectionate and as well-behaved as Abby lived all of her early life unwanted and unloved in shelters and foster homes is something I will never understand. Bio: Abby was between 3-4 years old at the time I adopted her and one of the sweetest and smartest cats ever. She was intelligent, sociable, friendly, extremely affectionate, alert, active and fast, and understood every word anyone said to her. She loved to play with her toys and was very quick and agile when playing. She was very polite and well-behaved and loved people. She also loved just being with me. If I was down or sad and crying or sick, there she was beside me, putting her paw on my arm and looking in my face, saying "it's ok, I'm here." Abby always came and rubbed my leg to say "thank you" after eating a meal. If I wasn't nearby, she came and found me to say thank you. But Abby wasn't above swatting me with her paw, either, to let me know when she was displeased with me. Abby was with me for an all too brief 8 years.
HER FINAL DAYS: Abby's symptoms began appearing in the summer and early fall of 2005. Her vet said she had allergies. In November 2005, Abby began rapidly losing weight and had trouble swallowing and eating. Her vet did blood tests but couldn't make a diagnosis. One week after Thanksgiving 2005, her tummy became distended and she stopped eating. On December 6, 2005, after x-rays, ultrasound and aspiration, she was diagnosed with a malignant and aggressive lymphoma. I was told her stomach was filled with fluids and she had mass tumors throughout her body. It was past the stage where chemo would help and surgery was not an option. I was utterly shocked and devastated. Abby was with us for only 16 days after she was diagnosed with lymphoma.
Abby left us for Rainbow Bridge on December 22, 2005 at 8:54 a.m. EST while I held her in my arms. Forums Motto: Guardian Angel The Groups I'm In: Hey! You Look Like Me!, Guardian Angel Cats, I'm no longer alone!, Rainbow Bridge Angel Babies, The Hazel Lucy Appreciation Society
CATSTER HONORS: Diary Pick on December 8, 2007,
October 19, 2010 and October 20, 2010 FRAGILE CIRCLE We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan. ~Irving Townsend.~
It was 6 years ago today when Abby made her journey from the pain and suffering she was enduring in her body to the peace, joy and lightness of being we call Rainbow Bridge.
Memories . . .
My beautiful sweet Abby! You were full of life, curious and playful, as smart and sharp as a whip, loving and affectionate. Your coat was shiny and beautiful: a gorgeous mixture of reddish brown, deep orange and tan-beige and you had the spirit and spunk of a typical redhead. Yet you were such a polite kitty too!
You’d sleep on my bed next to my right shoulder every night. You loved to be picked up and held in my arms. Only Miss Mittens shared both your polite manner and loved being picked up and held and carried around the house. I used to hold you in my arms and play music on the stereo and we’d dance around the room. You’re the only kitty I’ve ever lived with who has allowed me to do that! When I came home from work, you were always waiting for me at the front door. I’d greet you and then pet you. I’d be petting you as you rolled around on your back and you’d roll from one end of the room to the other. In the summer when I was wearing sandals, you’d rub and lick my toes. In fact, you had a *thing* about toes and loved to nip and bite my toes. You'd nip my toes whenever I wasn't wearing shoes or socks and you'd go for them when I'd be lying on the bed. Ouch! I had to learn never to leave my toes exposed! You hated it when I talked on the phone. For some reason, you thought it took attention away from you and you’d get jealous. You’d meow at me and butt my hand with your head as you’d try to knock the phone out of my hand! You loved it when I sat there and *talked* to you. You gave me your full attention and it almost seemed like you understood what I was saying. You loved being the center of attention and you were always there and visible when we had visitors or anything was *going on* in the house. Every night after dinner, we’d play a game together. I’d throw a ball and you’d play fetch. You loved dangly feather toys and peacock feathers. What energy you had when you played! I remember the last time we played. It was about a week before you went to the Bridge. It’s a cherished memory. You were so sick and yet you made an attempt to play. You sat there in my bedroom as I gently rolled a toy ball to you and you gently batted it back to me. Back and forth the ball went. Our game lasted for only a minute or so and then you were too tired to continue . . .
During our final night together, I held Abby in my arms all night. Whenever Abby would lay her head down and try to close her eyes and rest, she’d begin choking and gagging. She was very frightened and so was I. She purred loudly in my arms the whole night. Purring doesn’t always mean a cat is content. Cats also purr when they’re in pain or in distress or frightened. That final night, I feared she was going to die in my arms. But she made it through the night.
Abby was suffering horribly from an aggressive lymphoma which had spread rapidly throughout her internal organs. I hadn’t even known how very sick she really was until early December when she was diagnosed with cancer. That had been only 16 days ago.
It pained me deeply to see her suffering so much. There was no doubt in my mind that it was her time to leave. The next morning, with the assistance of Abby’s wonderful vet, I held her in my arms and said goodbye.
I miss my Abby boo boo girl . . .
Abby’s mom Teri
P.S. Abby and I had a very special bond. Even though it's been 6 years, I miss her very much and my heart still aches when I think about her. Thank you for remembering my sweet angel today and for your lovely comments, pawmails and gifts!
My sweet friend Greyson needs purrs! He’s very sick and his white blood cell count and neutrophils are alarmingly low. His blood tests only tell his vet what he doesn’t have. His vet thinks he might have bone marrow cancer and is referring him to a specialist to find out what’s wrong. Please purr for my friend Greyson!
Mommy just got home and logged onto Catster and got quite a surprise. I’m a DDP!
This is only the second time my diary has been chosen for a DDP honor and it feels very sweet! I can’t remember feeling so excited and I'm purring happy purrs! Thank you Catster diary lady for choosing my diary today!
The only thing marring this happy occasion is the loss of my friend Athena and knowing how sad her mommy is. Please keep purring for Athena’s mommy. Athena’s brother Apollo is not feeling well and also needs your purrs.
The first thing we noticed when we logged on is the kitty who is today’s DOTD. It’s our dear friend Skippy Skipster! Congratulations Skippy on DOTD!
And congrats to today’s other DDPs: The Kitten Crew, Nelly-Bell-May and Sampson Silver Dollar!
Thank you to everyone who sent congratulatory pmails and gifts!
Why Does My Cat Always Use the Litter Box Right After I've Cleaned It?
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