Though I have mentioned my dear Petunia in other threads, I feel that I need to devote one to her as she was truly a special cat. I lost her a couple of years ago and still miss her.
She was my first pet, the one I chose and took care of. She was also the one subjected to my ignorance as a cat owner. I found her in the local shelter, just a tiny kitten in a cage by herself. When I held her, she just purred and purred.
But when I got her home, she just hid and hid. Not understanding her, I grew upset with her because she wasn't the little cuddly kitten I imagined. I seriously considered taking her back. But I calmed down and knew that I had made a commitment to her. I was going to name her Pansy because she was so skittish but that didn't think that was PC. So she became Petunia or Pet or Tunia depending on my mood. And this tiny little creature taught me patience. Petunia never did become a lap kitty. Sometimes she would precariously balance on my knee and launch herself off at the slightest noise. She also never was seen by anyone else as she hid the minute the doorbell rang. There was one time she got outside and when I rang my doorbell, she ran directly inside to hide.
I also made the error of declawing my poor baby not understanding its implications. Yet through all of this, she became devoted to me and never gave me any problems with the litter box or aggression.
She even forgave me when I foisted another cat on her when my husband and I moved in together. Petunia never did like the other cat, Much, but they worked out a truce. Especially when there was a sun spot.
Also, if Petunia didn't see Much she was happy. Much would be hanging out on my lap and Petunia would jump up to lay beside me. If I held a magazine or something so Petunia wouldn't see Much, she would settle down and the two of them would be back to back perfectly content.
It took longer for Petunia to get used to my husband, probably because he wanted to make friends whereas Much just made peace. There was one time when he grabbed Petunia's tail loosely while she was walking away. She started hissing but never turned around to look at him. We figured that was quite the insult in that he didn't even deserve to be hissed at directly. But eventually, he started to get Petunia used to brushing and she grew to love the brushing. She even gave him a head-butt a couple of times. And Petunia could really head-butt forcefully for a little 8 lb cat.
Petunia had the most wonderfully loud purr. You could hear it across the room. In the last few years, she began sleeping with my arm wrapped around her and her head on my hand. When she was purring, it was like a large truck idling, echoing in the bed springs.
We don't know what exactly took my love's life. One night she layed down in front of me on the bed, unusual behavior, and for the first time in her 15 years, growled at me when I petted her. A visit to the vet showed kidney stones on both sides but no problems with the kidneys themselves. After some medication, she seemed to do ok for awhile but then slowly stopped eating. We did everything we could to get her to eat. Unfortunately, I had to leave her at the vet's while we went out of town and she wouldn't eat under those circumstances even healthy. By the time I got back, she wasn't taking in anything unless it was forced on her and that wasn't enough.
On her last day, I had tried to give her more food. We had a vet visit that afternoon and I knew we were close to having to make a decision. She was always an indoor cat, but that day, I took her outside and let her lay in the sun. At the vet's, I comforted her and held her until the end.
I still miss my best friend of 15 years. She taught me so much about loyalty and love. She saw me through so much in my life.
Thanks everyone for listening.
Jana
She was my first pet, the one I chose and took care of. She was also the one subjected to my ignorance as a cat owner. I found her in the local shelter, just a tiny kitten in a cage by herself. When I held her, she just purred and purred.
But when I got her home, she just hid and hid. Not understanding her, I grew upset with her because she wasn't the little cuddly kitten I imagined. I seriously considered taking her back. But I calmed down and knew that I had made a commitment to her. I was going to name her Pansy because she was so skittish but that didn't think that was PC. So she became Petunia or Pet or Tunia depending on my mood. And this tiny little creature taught me patience. Petunia never did become a lap kitty. Sometimes she would precariously balance on my knee and launch herself off at the slightest noise. She also never was seen by anyone else as she hid the minute the doorbell rang. There was one time she got outside and when I rang my doorbell, she ran directly inside to hide.
I also made the error of declawing my poor baby not understanding its implications. Yet through all of this, she became devoted to me and never gave me any problems with the litter box or aggression.
She even forgave me when I foisted another cat on her when my husband and I moved in together. Petunia never did like the other cat, Much, but they worked out a truce. Especially when there was a sun spot.
Also, if Petunia didn't see Much she was happy. Much would be hanging out on my lap and Petunia would jump up to lay beside me. If I held a magazine or something so Petunia wouldn't see Much, she would settle down and the two of them would be back to back perfectly content.
It took longer for Petunia to get used to my husband, probably because he wanted to make friends whereas Much just made peace. There was one time when he grabbed Petunia's tail loosely while she was walking away. She started hissing but never turned around to look at him. We figured that was quite the insult in that he didn't even deserve to be hissed at directly. But eventually, he started to get Petunia used to brushing and she grew to love the brushing. She even gave him a head-butt a couple of times. And Petunia could really head-butt forcefully for a little 8 lb cat.
Petunia had the most wonderfully loud purr. You could hear it across the room. In the last few years, she began sleeping with my arm wrapped around her and her head on my hand. When she was purring, it was like a large truck idling, echoing in the bed springs.
We don't know what exactly took my love's life. One night she layed down in front of me on the bed, unusual behavior, and for the first time in her 15 years, growled at me when I petted her. A visit to the vet showed kidney stones on both sides but no problems with the kidneys themselves. After some medication, she seemed to do ok for awhile but then slowly stopped eating. We did everything we could to get her to eat. Unfortunately, I had to leave her at the vet's while we went out of town and she wouldn't eat under those circumstances even healthy. By the time I got back, she wasn't taking in anything unless it was forced on her and that wasn't enough.
On her last day, I had tried to give her more food. We had a vet visit that afternoon and I knew we were close to having to make a decision. She was always an indoor cat, but that day, I took her outside and let her lay in the sun. At the vet's, I comforted her and held her until the end.
I still miss my best friend of 15 years. She taught me so much about loyalty and love. She saw me through so much in my life.
Thanks everyone for listening.
Jana