Artie... Part I
How do I begin this? Where do I start... do I dare, even start?? do I dare?
How can I put down in such simple words; Artie's Being? His love?? His personality... such a personality....
As I begin writing this, it is almost 3 weeks since I last hugged him... May 23, 2018.. My last kiss to him was at that time.. I am still so upset... and will be... It is the grieving process.. I could lie and say, I am ok.. but that would be a lie.. I miss him terribly.. the apartment is just so huge, cold, empty,-- devoid of life....
Artie has saved me so many times...
I am hoping that @Anne and all the moderators will indulge me-- to break up Artie story in Parts.... I would appreciate this last indulgence...
But I digress;
Artie came to me in March of 2012. It was love at first sight for me...and I swear, a match made in heaven..
I had lost my dad, in early January of that year; being an only child, and my dad's caregiver, meant there was a huge hole in my heart. We had a cat 30 years before, when I lived at home, but now, I really wanted one. I even discussed it with my dad, who encouraged me, but wanted me to wait until after he was gone, because he was afraid of tripping over the cat.
This is where the Heaven's Match comes in:
I called the local Humane society on Saturday. Got a phone call that night. This was when they had a phone number and semi-private adoptions from foster homes. I told them my situation.
The woman said she had the perfect cat for me. I wanted a cat around 5 years old... no older.. I did not want an elderly cat, nor a sickly cat, as I had just taken care of my dad, and my last cat was a diabetic with twice daily insulin shots. I felt I needed a break...
Sunday Morning at 11AM, I was at the foster's apartment--- a madhouse of kids, animals..
She said she had the perfect cat for me... I heard Artie's Story. Artie was kept in the CELLAR!! OMG.. I was appalled! As I discovered later, Artie was in the cellar with several other cats; one of whom had begun to have seizures, that very morning of my visit... My poor boy....
Here is the Heaven's Story:
Artie was owned by an elderly couple. The Husband passed away in November.. the wife passed away in December. One adult daughter tried to sneak Artie into her apartment. I say 'sneak' because she already had a cat and a dog.
This worked for a couple months, then the landlord found out. She was told she had to get rid of one of the pets. Artie was the youngest, so he had to go. The daughter was so upset. When she came to the foster's, she brought a crocheted blanket, a litter box, a scoop and a bunch of food for Artie. She made the foster mom, promise that Artie would go to a good home....
Ok--- after I heard this, I got the heebie-jeebies... My dad died Jan 3... this was weird...
When the foster mom took Artie upstairs, it got even weirder: Artie was orange and white... my last cat was orange and white... I was getting goose bumps.... It seemed as if there was a 'heavenly' connection to Artie and me....and a plot to get us together.. forever....
I was a sucker for the story, and the connections...
The only thing was, Artie was older than I wanted... He was 8 years old, instead of the 5 years old, which I wanted.... but when I saw him, I melted....
He could care less about me...
I saw Artie at 11:10AM, at 11:30, I agreed to adopt him... ran to PetSmart for supplies... At 3pm, I was signing the papers for him... Artie was in his "Home" at 3:20pm--that same day....
I showed him where everything was: litter box, food, water... and then I had plans to go over my cousin's for supper. I left him alone, with free reign to my apartment.
I came home around 7pm.. could not find him.. but I knew he was still here.. nothing was askew.. Artie had nibbled a bit of food.. so I knew he was ok.
That night, as I was lying down, on the couch; covered with a quilt, watching TV, Artie came out of my dad's bedroom. He was hiding in there. He slowly made his way around, jumped on the coffee table, then slowly walked on top of me, where he proceeded to begin purring and kneading...
I was so afraid to move... I kept so still.. barely breathing, least I spook him away.... but no...
Very slowly, I placed my hand on his body... and Artie stayed still.. He stayed with me, until it was time for me to go to bed... until it was time that I HAD to go to bed.. I was in heaven..
Honestly, this was the best thing which had happened to me, in a very long time... I felt love..
YES!! The very first night he was home!! He wanted love, He needed love.. Artie knew that I needed love also... It was a match made in Heaven.... He knew he was HOME... and I knew that also....
Artie never left me.... he was always with me... this was the beginning of my "love"....and our bond.... The very first night... amazing..
I will type out more, when I am feeling a bit stronger... right now, tears are streaming...
Thank you for your indulgences
How do I begin this? Where do I start... do I dare, even start?? do I dare?
How can I put down in such simple words; Artie's Being? His love?? His personality... such a personality....
As I begin writing this, it is almost 3 weeks since I last hugged him... May 23, 2018.. My last kiss to him was at that time.. I am still so upset... and will be... It is the grieving process.. I could lie and say, I am ok.. but that would be a lie.. I miss him terribly.. the apartment is just so huge, cold, empty,-- devoid of life....
Artie has saved me so many times...
I am hoping that @Anne and all the moderators will indulge me-- to break up Artie story in Parts.... I would appreciate this last indulgence...
But I digress;
Artie came to me in March of 2012. It was love at first sight for me...and I swear, a match made in heaven..
I had lost my dad, in early January of that year; being an only child, and my dad's caregiver, meant there was a huge hole in my heart. We had a cat 30 years before, when I lived at home, but now, I really wanted one. I even discussed it with my dad, who encouraged me, but wanted me to wait until after he was gone, because he was afraid of tripping over the cat.
This is where the Heaven's Match comes in:
I called the local Humane society on Saturday. Got a phone call that night. This was when they had a phone number and semi-private adoptions from foster homes. I told them my situation.
The woman said she had the perfect cat for me. I wanted a cat around 5 years old... no older.. I did not want an elderly cat, nor a sickly cat, as I had just taken care of my dad, and my last cat was a diabetic with twice daily insulin shots. I felt I needed a break...
Sunday Morning at 11AM, I was at the foster's apartment--- a madhouse of kids, animals..
She said she had the perfect cat for me... I heard Artie's Story. Artie was kept in the CELLAR!! OMG.. I was appalled! As I discovered later, Artie was in the cellar with several other cats; one of whom had begun to have seizures, that very morning of my visit... My poor boy....
Here is the Heaven's Story:
Artie was owned by an elderly couple. The Husband passed away in November.. the wife passed away in December. One adult daughter tried to sneak Artie into her apartment. I say 'sneak' because she already had a cat and a dog.
This worked for a couple months, then the landlord found out. She was told she had to get rid of one of the pets. Artie was the youngest, so he had to go. The daughter was so upset. When she came to the foster's, she brought a crocheted blanket, a litter box, a scoop and a bunch of food for Artie. She made the foster mom, promise that Artie would go to a good home....
Ok--- after I heard this, I got the heebie-jeebies... My dad died Jan 3... this was weird...
When the foster mom took Artie upstairs, it got even weirder: Artie was orange and white... my last cat was orange and white... I was getting goose bumps.... It seemed as if there was a 'heavenly' connection to Artie and me....and a plot to get us together.. forever....
I was a sucker for the story, and the connections...
The only thing was, Artie was older than I wanted... He was 8 years old, instead of the 5 years old, which I wanted.... but when I saw him, I melted....
He could care less about me...
I saw Artie at 11:10AM, at 11:30, I agreed to adopt him... ran to PetSmart for supplies... At 3pm, I was signing the papers for him... Artie was in his "Home" at 3:20pm--that same day....
I showed him where everything was: litter box, food, water... and then I had plans to go over my cousin's for supper. I left him alone, with free reign to my apartment.
I came home around 7pm.. could not find him.. but I knew he was still here.. nothing was askew.. Artie had nibbled a bit of food.. so I knew he was ok.
That night, as I was lying down, on the couch; covered with a quilt, watching TV, Artie came out of my dad's bedroom. He was hiding in there. He slowly made his way around, jumped on the coffee table, then slowly walked on top of me, where he proceeded to begin purring and kneading...
I was so afraid to move... I kept so still.. barely breathing, least I spook him away.... but no...
Very slowly, I placed my hand on his body... and Artie stayed still.. He stayed with me, until it was time for me to go to bed... until it was time that I HAD to go to bed.. I was in heaven..
Honestly, this was the best thing which had happened to me, in a very long time... I felt love..
YES!! The very first night he was home!! He wanted love, He needed love.. Artie knew that I needed love also... It was a match made in Heaven.... He knew he was HOME... and I knew that also....
Artie never left me.... he was always with me... this was the beginning of my "love"....and our bond.... The very first night... amazing..
I will type out more, when I am feeling a bit stronger... right now, tears are streaming...
Thank you for your indulgences