Mooper Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Gosh, it's so hard to post in here without being reduced to a blubbering mess. On Friday night my parents let our 15-year-old family cat, Misty, run free. We adopted Misty in September 1990 as a young kitten from the old Elermore Vale RSPCA shelter in Newcastle. Her mother, whom we were told was a Himalayan Persian, was dumped with her litter. It was a total surprise to me. I had wanted my own pet for years and years, but being an Air Force family who moved overseas every couple of years, we just couldn't do it. One day I came home from school and there she was. This little ball of fluff, snoozing in my mum's slipper. Misty was a feisty girl from the word go. She loved to play with anything that moved, and many things that didn't. She refused to walk on a lead despite my many attempts, much to the amusement of our neighbours! Her scratch pole got a workout several times a day. She was incredibly agile. Her favourite sleeping spot was in the eaves of our pergola, curled up in the shadecloth. As she got bigger (and fatter!) the shadecloth started to look more like a hammock, it was so stretched. But for seeral years she happily clawed her way up the shadecloth every day for her afternoon snooze. When Misty was four, we moved to Canberra. She travelled really well and settled in quickly, but her nose was a little out-of-joint when Scamp the six-week-old silky terrier x maltese pup came home soon thereafter. Scamp was born on a working farm. His mother had been killed by the farm tractor when the puppies were five weeks old. Misty became Scamp's surrogate mother, sleeping with him, cleaning him, and teaching him that cleaning behind the ears is very important! To this day, Scamp licks his paws and cleans his face for *ages* after every meal ... Over the past few years, Misty got increasingly cranky. I have the scars to prove it, from when I brought an ARF foster dog around to play with my parents' dogs. Misty was very territorial and went to have a go at the foster dog. I put myself in the way to protect him, and ended up with a slashed left leg and left wrist, plus several tooth punctures. My dad actually threatened to have Misty put to sleep then, a year ago, because she had been aggressive to him several times that week. After Christmas, Misty's aggression disappeared and she became "old" all of a sudden. Her movements were very slow and deliberate. She could no longer jump up on the washing machine, where she slept in her basket each night. She couldn't walk up or down the deck stairs. It took her almost half an hour just to lie down. Her limbs and brain were no longer communicating. She began walking in circles. Her steps were heavy and her appetite was gone. The pupil of one eye was constantly dilated while the other was a pinpoint. For the first time ever, she was very clingy, never letting my mum out of her sight. We suspect she had had at least one stroke, and was most likely affected by a brain tumour as well. The vet gave her steroids, which helped her briefly. She started 'talking' again in the mornings and at dinner time, as she had always done. But the relief was short-lived and she soon slipped into her pained state once more. On Friday morning, my parents went back to the vet and, after much heartache and tears, made the difficult decision to let Misty go. We all knew it was coming, but I am particularly upset because she had already been given her wings, sniffed by the dogs, and buried in the backyard before I found out about any of it. I spent yesterday evening with my parents and their dogs, talking about Misty and sharing photographs. It's all part of the grieving process. I didn't get to say goodbye to you, sweet girl, but know that you're in my heart forever. Rest in peace, Misty-moo. Until we meet again ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Condolences Mel. RIP Misty, enjoy the rainbow bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vehs Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Thinking of you Mel... how is Scamp going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Poor old Misty the cat.....Rip fluffy one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooper Posted February 27, 2006 Author Share Posted February 27, 2006 Thanks, folks. I can't believe our fluffy monster is gone Vehs, Scamp wasn't himself for several days. But last night, Mum thought that having me there calmed him down and somehow made things more normal. The younger dog, Chloe, barely even sniffed Misty's body. But Scamp had a good, long sniff and walked away with his tail down, apparently, and was very 'sombre' thereafter. He hid under the couch for much of the evening. Like I said, Misty was a surrogate mother to him. So the poor little fella was a bit lost. But I'm glad he seems to have picked up now And, on the bright side, since Mum and Dad don't plan to get another cat any time soon, we'll have some items to donate to cat rescue so hopefully some other cats can be happy with the toys and such that kept Misty going for so long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Mooper, I am so sorry to hear that Misty has left you. Her story has left me blubbering, too. Run free, little Misty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cloverfdch Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Oh moops i am so sorry . Rest easy Misty . Your family will be in my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 So sorry Mel Rest in peace beautiful little one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooper Posted February 28, 2006 Author Share Posted February 28, 2006 Thank you all Jack and my parents' dogs have been getting extra-big cuddles lately. Treasure your fur-kids Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula- Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 So sorry Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJF Posted February 28, 2006 Share Posted February 28, 2006 Reading your lovely tribute to Misty, REM's Everybody Hurts on the radio and thinking how much our furbabies touch our lives... Stay strong and remember all the good times - they are her legacy. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooper Posted March 1, 2006 Author Share Posted March 1, 2006 Reading your lovely tribute to Misty, REM's Everybody Hurts on the radio and thinking how much our furbabies touch our lives... That's exactly what was playing on my iTunes when I was typing my original post. Every time I hear that song now, I'm guaranteed to think of my old grey foot-warmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffyluv Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 So sorry Mel... RIP Misty Jodie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fido666 Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 So sorry for your loss Mooper . Run and play like a kitten at the bridge Misty Regards, Corine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BittyMooPeeb Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Hi Mel, I knew from talking to you that Misty had gone, but I just found this beatiful tribute to her It sounds like she had a wonderful life, full of love and friends, and all the things a kitty holds dear (a hammock in the sun and the occasional chance to attack the crap out of someone :D ) My Jazz went in the same way - his brain tumour was signalled by violent outbursts too (which took me to the emergency dept in the middle of the night once). I now look in the mirror at my scar and smile, thinking about my beautiful Jazz, and all the good times we had, and being glad that I was able to be there for him during those bad times. In time, your reminders of Misty will bring you comfort and happiness too - I know it probably doesnt feel like it now (and I would never have believed it if anyone told me either) but in the future all your thoughts of Misty will be happy ones. It's hard not having been given the chance to say 'goodbye'. Maybe you could plant a tribute to Misty in your garden and look after it in memory of her as a way of saying goodbye and thankyou to her. Gail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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