Duchess

nwfn · Oct 6, 2013

My cat Duchess passed away last Monday. She was 11 years old, so people keep saying "at least she had a good long life", but it didn't feel long enough to me. We got her from an adoption event when she was just a 2-month-old baby, and she was really the cutest kitten I've ever seen. She was always agile, elegant and independent. I am trying to remember the good times when she played, cuddled and explored because the last few weeks were so hard for her.

Duchess had a pretty great career. We had a big house by the lake for a while, back when we let kitties outside (which I know now we shouldn't do, but they did love it). One time she made an amazing leap from part of the roof to the patio, sliding between the rails in midair. She had long, athletic legs and could jump to or through anything. And we had a huge tree in the yard that she decided to climb up one day. She meowed for help for a while, and as we were trying to get her down, she decided to just climb down on her own. My dad had a few choice words for her that day

She got along well with my mom's small dog Digby. She would let him do just about anything to her, but she wouldn't hesitate to walk right over him to get to your lap if she wanted to. And she'd lie down half on him if he hadn't left enough room for her! I feel bad that Digby won't ever see his kitty friend again now.

But the times I'll miss most are the quiet moments where she would sit next to me, or on my lap, and purr as I watched TV or played a game. She was a very gentle cat who never scratched or bit anyone in her life. She wouldn't even knead on bare skin - somehow she just knew it would hurt. I'll miss her a lot, and I'll always regret that I couldn't help her more through her health troubles at the end.

I've decided to get another cat soon, not to replace Duchess but to help soothe the hole she's left behind. I know there are other cats out there that need homes, and getting another cat seems like the highest compliment I could pay to my Duchy. She was so sweet that it's hard to imagine living without a cat for long.

nwfn · Oct 6, 2013

Oh, another great moment. When she was young, we had a bulldog named Loompa, who passed away years ago. When we brought her home, we took her upstairs so she could get accustomed to the house slowly and explore at her own pace. The first time she went down the stairs, she saw IT. She had never seen a dog in her life. Their gazes met. He walked over to see what the heck she was -- we had two other cats, but this one was new!

And at the sight of him, she ran back upstairs in terror. Her fur was standing on end from neck to tail, making her look like a little poofball. I've never seen a cat do that outside of cartoons, before or since. They later became friends, with Duchess sleeping on top of Loompa near the fireplace

But that first meeting was hilarious.

It's really helpful to think of those good times. I know that's what she'd want to be remembered for.

di and bob · Oct 7, 2013

You're right to remember the good times, our babies would never want us to be so sad remembering them. I'm so happy you are going to give another precious cat a life full of love and contentment. Please accept my condolences, the loss and the void it creates are very hard to fill. Keep busy and God bless. RIP beautiful Duchess.