Misty Kitty

Misty died this morning. She was my very first pet. When she was a kitten, she slept in my bed. Not on it; in it. Looking through my elementary school journals. It's just drawing after drawing and story after story of this little white and spotted fluffy thing. She was my world and I was so proud of her.

 

We got her a little bit before Christmas time. We went to Wal mart as a family and we spent an awful lot of time in the cat isle. I was cool with this. I was about 8. I was obsessed with cats. I wanted one SO bad. I always begged to hang out in the cat aisle and dream. The fact that we were in that particular aisle was not odd to me. The fact that we were looking at cat stuff was not odd to me. No one said anything about getting a cat. I was just thinking this was another day dreaming expedition. Until Mom and Dad actually picked a litter box, a light blue one with gray latches, and a scratching post and little furry mice rattles... Then I took Brenton aside and we both looked at each other and I said to him in excited whispers, "Hey! Are you thinking what I'm thinking???" And then together we smiled and whispered loudly, "We're getting a cat!" Then we skipped to catch up with Mom and Dad.

Right after, we didn't go straight home, "We're taking a little detour. Mom just needs to pick something up really quick, before we go home." Dad said. We didn't think much of it... we figured it was a visiting teaching something or other. It was pitch black and we pulled into a driveway that felt like a dirt road in the woods. We waited for a little bit. then mom came back to the van, holding something small in her arms... It was Misty. We always called that driveway "kitty lane" after that. And oh, how she cried that first night... But I had read everything there was to know about cats... I knew just what to expect. She was truly my favorite Christmas present I ever got. I love this next picture... cause it kinda represents that.

I remember one time we took her to a neighbor's house because they said they had a mouse in the garage. The neighbor had called us and ask if they could borrow our cat's catching abilities, assuming that Misty would be interested in a game of cat and mouse. We took her over there and the mouse came scurrying along the wall and she flipped out and ran home terrified. :) Scardy cat.

She had the silkiest white fur with gray striped spots and a gray and black striped tail. one of her eyes was surrounded by gray stripes, but the other one was surrounded by white. She always looked so funny in the mirror because her eye patch was on the wrong side. I wonder if she realized that she looked much different to us than she did to herself in the mirror at the sink where she had to drink from running water. She had fur that could compete with rabbit fur in softness. And she let us have a rabbit for a little bit. Ashley - gray with a white star on his forehead. Misty was much softer than Ashley, and smelled better, and used the litter box better... she was happy when Ashley had to go somewhere else... so I could have a puppy, Garcelle. I don't think that's what she had in mind when Ashley went away.

She got chubby and ornery after she got spayed. I'm sorry, Misty. I wonder if you just never forgave us or if they did something to you there at the clinic. Maybe you wanted to be a mommy cat and when you knew you couldn't anymore, that hurt you deeply. I know people that could feel that with you, Misty. You would have been a great mommy cat. Maybe in heaven you can have that chance. Maybe when I meet you in heaven, you'll lay on my lap like you did before and purr loudly.

Misty, I remember watching Percy follow you all the way down the stairs and your belly flopped flopped flopped to the next one and the next one. He waited til the bottom step to reach out slowly and carefully tap your heel and you fell down the last step. I know that was humiliating and Percy is really good at being the little brother you never wanted, but it was a little funny. So patient Misty, so patient.

She's always been the root of family jokes and neighbors too found her an easy target because she was so ornery. She was NEVER EVER hostile! She never scratched or bit anyone. She didn't even run away if you tried to pick her up. But if you looked at her the wrong way or picked her up, she'd just casually growl like she was really annoyed. We used to tell her that she wasn't fooling anyone. We knew she actually liked the attention, she just pretended not to (we all know those ornery old people that love when you visit but give you a real hard time the whole time you're there). Despite all the jokes, we always took them back with a "we still love you Misty Kitty." She pretended to dislike us. And we pretended not to notice. She always seemed to be in a depressed state. She never played and never wanted to be held - but she couldn't stand to be alone.

Below is what my Dad calls the "Sleep-in Club. I love the sleep in club... Notice how King Percy has a nice soft fluffy bed. Misty would never get near anything we gave to her, be it a tunnel, a condo, a bed... she'd have none of that mushy spoiled pet cat thing, a blanket was fine.

 

I also love this picture with her face smashed into the bed... It must have been a very long day. Maybe that was the day we brought Percy home...

 

 

But if you did not intend it for her, it was hers and no matter how many times you told her to get out or get off, she'd be right back there the next moment. Below, that is a suit case mom found her in one day. Like my mom said, I guess she got to go on that trip she wanted.

 

 

She just gave up this week. She stopped eating and drinking. She wouldn't even lift her head. She wanted to go. It was like old kitty suicide. So mom and dad helped her out when she finally asked them for help last night with her moaning. 14. Not bad "pussy willow." Thank you for hanging in there that long as the dogs came into your kingdom one at a time, we took you across the continent, then we made you share a litter box with a cat who thinks he's a dog and liked to tackle you for kicks... As ornery as you were, you were also incredibly patient. Thank you. We really do miss you already. And though right now, you may pretend not to miss us. We're going to pretend we don't feel your eyes rolling as we cry and miss you anyway.