The Story of a Cat

She had a hard life as a Kitten.

The first record of her life is in the notes taken by the Human Society. She was found by the side of the road, with open facial wounds. Maggots were present. She was treated by the human society and eventually adopted.

Her first adoption did not go well. She liked to claw the furniture and her adopted human had her declawed, both in the front and the back. Declawing is a surgical procedure which during the healing process makes litter boxes a problem. She soon developed a dislike for litter since it causes her pain to do her business.

Her adopted human decided she couldn’t handle the result and returned her to the human society.

Enter My Wife and her decision that we needed a cat.

She wanted this to be her cat and went to the shelter by herself and found DeeDee. My wife decided it was time to let me inspect DeeDee. Because of a infection at the shelter, we were unable to actually adopt DeeDee since the cats were quarantined. The quarantine lasted a month at which time we completed the adoption and brought DeeDee into our home.

Because of her clawless state it was clear she needed to be an indoors cat. That said DeeDee was not a cuddler. She would find a spot in the house where she could watch both of us but would come up to neither of us. This lasted for a full year.

My wife had a recurrence of Breast Cancer.

By the time we met, she had both breasts removed and been through chemo multiple times. Her decision was enough is enough and she insisted on using diet to control her cancer. I will never judge her as anything but brave.

As we entered the final stretch we went back to the oncologist. He began his diagnoses by saying that I know that what every you have done over the last couple of years is correct. I know this because you are here now.

What he was saying was my wife had enjoyed life for several years past where his treatments would likely have given her. Not only that she had enjoyed that time without the rigors of cancer treatments.

As my wife got sicker DeeDee wanted to be closer. DeeDee’s definition of close is to cuddle near the face. Because breathing was hard this did not comfort my wife as DeeDee intended. But to this day, I do not believe that was my wife’s intent in adopting DeeDee

She knew her remission from cancer was temporary.

She already started feeling the pain. My wife never let on to me until she could hide it no more. She adopted DeeDee for me. DeeDee was to be her gift to me when she passed away.

Her sister visited often in the last weeks prior to her passing. She was a help, a gift to me as I tried to care for her. She also helped take care of DeeDee. At one point DeeDee let her pet her. My sister-in-law suggested that DeeDee should come home with her.

I regret my response for its firmness to this day. My response was “THE CAT STAYS HERE!” I do not regret the decision, only the tone which indicated my displeasure with a woman who was helping me when she didn’t have too. I thank her for her generous nature. She made a time of pain so much better.

My Wife passed in late December…

My mother dispatched my brother and sister to make certain I was okay. After going away briefly for a private gathering I returned home, my brother and sister left to report to my mother. I found myself alone in my house on a Sunday afternoon.

I lay down on my couch to start to watch football…

For the First Time.

DeeDee not only joined my on the couch. She came up onto my chest and looked me in the eye as if to say your my human now.

I never considered DeeDee my cat, but myself as her human. It worked better that way.

That day on the couch cemented a bond which last’s to this day. DeeDee helped my through my darkest hours.

That Day was almost 12 years ago.

Through most of those years, she has been my sleeping companion. As with my wife she sleeps near my neck and shoulders as close to my face as I let her. For a brief time we were joined by Adrianne, my sons cat. Adrianne wouldn’t let me sleep at night, so both cats were banished from my bed.

But it was seldom that I would sit in a chair or on the couch when DeeDee was not in my lap. She enjoyed being close, but not held.

DeeDee would play catch…

I know she was not a dog, but DeeDee loved her toys. She would chase a ball all over the house. I expected it will be years before I find them all.

On some occasions, I would join in. I would get a ball and roll it to DeeDee. It didn’t take long before DeeDee would bat it between her pawns and bat it back to me. My response would be to repeat the process.

I’ve never know a cat who would play catch, but DeeDee would and seemed to enjoy the game.

I Lost DeeDee One Time

I noticed my back door was open and could not find DeeDee. After a neighborhood search, a neighbor provided me a small game trap/cage which if DeeDee entered it would safely close her in. Overnight DeeDee was still missing.

Periodically I thought I heard her call. I checked all the closets in the house, still no DeeDee. Finally after about 2 days I again heard her muffled call. I checked out back and out front. No DeeDee, but I was sure I heard her.

Finally, I opened the hall closet and out popped DeeDee. Apparently I overlooked this closet in my previous searches, since I seldom opened this door.

DeeDee’s Response was Amazing

I immediately made certain she had food and fresh water. I figured she needed both. But what DeeDee needed to let me know I had failed her. She lectured me. DeeDee never meowed, she bleated her displeasure. It was the only sound she ever made.

I got it the first time when I lost her.

I retired in December 2016.

My main reason for retiring was so I could visit my 96 year old mother more often. She was still living at home under the care of my sister and friendly paid assistance. My mother knew everyone. She had a routine.

Over the next couple of years I would spend about 3 weeks, 3 to 4 times a year visiting my mother. DeeDee did not travel with me. I had someone come in to make certain she was fed and the litter box was cleaned.

DeeDee lectured me each time I returned. It was clear DeeDee expected me to be there for her. Once she knew I was there, she would always forgive me and we would go back to normal.

In fall of 2019, after retirement.

I moved to Florida. DeeDee came with me, but Adrianne was adopted by a new owner. I now live in a condo with a screened in porch. DeeDee liked to porch and fresh warm air. The sliding door has been left open so she can come back and forth with out begging. It gave he a place to look out at the wild life, small lizards and birds which visit the hedge out front.

DeeDee has enjoyed Florida.

Over the last couple of months.

DeeDee’s appetite became more finicky. On Saturday she stopped eating anything. We took her to the Vet Hospital. They took blood work and examined her. The report was that her heart was strong and blood work clear.

Her teeth were in rough shape. We returned home with antibiotic, pain medication, an ointment to stimulate her appetite, and an anti-inflammatory pill. Once a day we would hold DeeDee against her will to medicate her so she would eat.

I also made a requested follow up appointment to have her teeth examined.

That appointment was yesterday. She also was again not eating well

The vet found a cancerous growth under her tongue.

It was clear that the daily treatments would be part of her life for as long as she lived. It was time to let DeeDee go. I cuddled her for the last time and she passed peacefully in my arms.