20 years ago

[Lisaren]

About 20 years ago, I found a very small black and white cat. She was covered with fleas and roaming around a parking lot where I worked. I already had three cats of my own and could not keep her. I picked her up, put her in a box and asked the guard to keep her for the day. The boss would not let me bring her inside. I called my best friend and she agreed to give her a home. We thought she was only about three months old because of her size. When she was taken to the vet, he guessed her to be about six months old and the small size because of malnourishment. He told my friend she would not be a long lived cat because of her terrible start in life. Monday I went with my friend to take that cat to be put down. Her body was failing due to age and my friend let her go with great sadness and dignity.
She told me it was only fitting because I gave her to her for me to be there at the end. I enjoyed the happy part of giving her to my best friend and I was glad to provide support when she did what needed to be done.

[ReneeG]

What a truly inspiring story for you to rescue that little malnourished kitty, only to deliver her to a good friend willing to provide a good home full of love and kindness. All resulting in a full life - 20 years, wow. We just recently had our house painted and Butch, our painter, looked forward everyday to coming over and seeing our dogs. One day, he asked me "didn't we have another little dog?", I told him yes, Missy. She got sick and we had to euthanize her. Oh you should've seen the sadness on his face as he began to tell me that just a few months ago he lost one of his kittys, she was 20 years old. Year before, his other kitty, died at 21 years. He said the house was now empty each night and he was ready to get another little pet, but this time a dog. I tell you, this guy is over 6 foot but when he saw our dogs, that guy was reduced to talking baby talk to them and they loved it. Love. That's all they want from us.

[Lisaren]

Thank you all for your kind words. My friend is indeed grieving for 20 years is a long time.
Still, I shared the story mostly for the triumph of that little cat's life. She never weighed over seven pounds and remained very spry and active until about the last year of her life when kidney failure began. It is amazing what love and good care can accomplish.

[CA_POPPY]

What a special story! Vets' predictions do not always come true, do they? 20 years is remarkable. I'm sure your friend has a ton of special memories. It's something like karma, the way the little rascals wind up in our lives. We call them little angels in fur coats. Thanks for sharing this one.

[resmas]

Mine will be 18 in January. I treasure every day I have with her now... She rarely comes out from under the covers of DD's bed these days...

I so sorry for the loss you and your friend are feeling. It is hard to lose one after so many years together...

[dspencer]

I am so truly sorry for you and your friends loss but Thank You both for providing that precious kitty a long healthy loving home.

[Gunner45]

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend's cat. I'm so glad she was able to have her for those 20 years. What a great source of comfort you must have been for her.


~ Dori ~

[Kittykath]

Mine is a campground stray. We found her in surprisingly good health. She was good at begging, and campers eat well!

It would be wonderful to have her around that long.

[AZPops]

Great story! Sorry for your and your friend's loss!

[magnusfide]

Great "Cat Tale". We've only had one live to 21 and she was also a parking lot kitten.

[M_GO_BLUE1]

We adopted our two cats in April 1994 when they were 4 months old...Maize died in 2003 but her sister Blue is still alive today and will be 20 in December...

20 years for a cat is indeed quite a life...

[dturm]

20 years is indeed a long life. We're sorry for your loss.

[nabi]

20 years....just goes to show what love and good care can accomplish....it was a blessing you found her on that day ...she may have had a bad start in life but lived out her days in happiness do to you and your friend....Thank you both for being so caring and compassionate.