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Age: 18 Years Sex: Female Weight: 7 lbs.
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Leave a treat for Nala (March 1995-April 2008)
Nicknames:
Noop-Noop, Noop, Noopy, Mama's girl, Naja, Skinny (when she was sick)
Sun Sign: 
March 16th 1995
Coloration:
White
Likes:
Nala loved to sleep on my bed, chase the light from a flashlight, follow her mommy about the house, look at the outside world through the screen door
Pet-Peeves:
Nala didn't like to see me cry. She would leave the room! She didn't like Miguel to pick fights with her or steal her spot on the bed. She was never fond of Princess Ting who can be a brat.
Favorite Toy:
Nala had a lot of toys. Before she died, she slept on a little Valentine's Day pillow I bought her and a tiny wedding pillow my mother originally bought for my wedding
Favorite Nap Spot:
Nala loved to sleep on my bed or in the crook of my leg behind the knee.
Favorite Food:
Nala liked tuna, sardines, salmon, bacon, and oat grass. I forbade any plants in the house since she loved to nibble on greens!
Skills:
Nala would wash mommy's head. Whenever, I would lean my head down in front of her and say "wash" she would grab my head with both paws and wash my scalp.
Arrival Story:
Some family members had a gorgeous white cat who had 4 kittens. They gave us the two white kittens, a boy and girl, when they were only 5 weeks old. I named them Nala (obviously after the strong, courageous lioness from the Lion King) and Miguel (after Ricky Martin's character on General Hospital). I had always had "barn cats" because I was never allowed to have indoor cats growing up. These were my first "indoor" cats so they were really special. Nala was especially special because she followed me around the house like a little lamb and slept at the foot of my bed nearly everynight (still have leg cramps!!!). I can honestly say she was the best cat I ever traveled through life with!
Bio:
Nala died of kidney disease in April of 2008 at the age of 13. She had been diagnosed with kidney failure a year before and had to be hospitalized a few times during that year before being placed on a special diet/supplements along with a daily dose of subcutaneous fluids (which I had to administer at home). The sad fact about kidney disease is that once you start noticing odd symptoms, it is usually too late (the kidney's can be less than 25% functioning). Kidney disease is pretty much a death sentence but you never how long a cat might live with it.
I wasn't ready to let Nala go nor was I ready to put her down at that point. Nala had good days and bad days through the year. She had some really bad days where I had to feed her by hand. Eventually, she was throwing up so much that she wasn't keeping much food down and became extremely emaciated. We had to make the decision of when to put her down. We waited until after her 13th birthday. Luckily, that was a good day for her and she was able to enjoy the day with her brother and Princess.
Putting Nala to sleep was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but I knew I was doing what was best for her. She had lived a long life and I had given her the best care I could in sickness and health. She had suffered enough and I wanted her to die peaceably and without pain.
The night before I put her down, she curled up in the crook of my leg behind my knee...her favorite sleep spot. She had been too sick lately to do that but that night it was as if she knew it would be our last night together. She did not cry all the way to the vets office that morning as she normally did. I carried her in on a pink baby blanket she had as a kitten. She didn't fight or squirm even. She moved a bit when they placed the needle in her, but within seconds she was out of pain. I didn't want to witness that and it still makes me cry to this day, but I knew I had to be in there with her no matter how uncomfortable or painful it was for me.
She was buried lying on a receiving blanket and a tiny wedding pillow (it was 7 months until my wedding) in a pink and white box with tiny fabric ribbons purchased by my fiance. That may sound crazy to people that don't love animals, but I couldn't imagine doing any less for someone who had been with me through thick and thin for 13 years (heck I would've gotten her a real coffin I guess had I been able to afford it). She was a wonderful friend and the sweetest cat that ever walked the earth. If there's a cat heaven, I know Nala is there.
(FYI: Some vets advise screening for kidney problems at the age of seven. If discovered early, the cat can be placed on a special diet (fluids may or may not be needed) and the cats life may be extended. Nala lived a long time but I wish I would have known to do this screening. I do not know how expensive it is but it involves a urinalysis and doesn't have to be painful for the cat if you can collect a urine sample at home. If anyone has a cat with kidney disease and you need advice, I will be glad to talk with you.)
The Groups I'm In:
☆Rainbow Bridge Pals.•*:•.★, Welcome Waggin' for Dogsters and Catsters, Feliway® Felines, The "Nala" Club
I've Been On Catster Since:
| March 11th 2009 |
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More than 4 years! |
Rosette, Star and Special Gift History
Catster Id:
968267
See all my Feline Friends
See all my Feline Friends
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Why Does My Cat Always Use the Litter Box Right After I've Cleaned It?
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