She came home with us during a freak late snow storm on March 6, 2008.
The rest of her story is below the Itzl.
We had become “empty nesters” in December, after our aged silver tabby, George, had a stroke. We knew we wanted another silver tabby, and preferred to adopt an adult – either a rescue, or a retired breeder. Somehow, through the Google searches and forum recommendations we found Kit. She had a small home based “cattery”, was an active supporter of her local rescue group, and had a silver tabby who would be retiring, following a miscarriage.
We made an appointment to visit, and met the “candidate”. Annie was a beautiful classic silver tabby, but was still recovering, and was a hormonal mess. Kit said she could not be adopted until that stabilized, and we were OK with that. But as we visited, Mr. Nappe wandered into another room and met Penny – a slightly older cat who had been retired several years earlier. She was a beautiful tabby, with a brown/orange/coppery coloring. She was now a “house” cat, but was often sidelined by the other breeding moms, their kittens, and the general commotion surrounding all that; so she stayed in the background and out of the way. As Penny and Mr. Nappe “bonded”, Kit noticed and said she’d be willing to let Penny out for immediate adoption instead.
We left with much to think about and debate. The mission had been to find a silver tabby, not a brown one. The brown one was immediately adoptable, but was older – meaning we would likely confront geriatric health issues sooner than later, and we’d just “been there, done that” with several cats, George being the last. But then there was that bonding thing. So, we had much to consider and weigh. As we deliberated a possible solution came to mind – why not have our cake and eat it too? Why not adopt both? And so the decision was made. As soon as Annie was cleared for adoption we would collect her and her housemate, Penny; and bring them home together.
Adoption day was decided on, and we arrived at Kit’s house as snowflakes unexpectedly began to fall. Besides the cats, Kit had readied “re-homing” kits, including cat beds, favorite cat foods, some toys, and baggies of kitty litter to “flavor” the new litter boxes with familiar scents. And the falling snow flakes increased in number and size. Should we reschedule? Yes, we should – but we didn’t. We wanted our new cat family, and we wanted it “neow”. So Annie and Penny were packed into the car with all their accoutrements and we headed home. Thirty miles of slow and careful driving over back roads, with two cats expressing varying degrees of unhappiness with varying volume.
On arrival at our house, Annie immediately started scoping out the territory. Penny immediately went under a chair and stayed there. Penny finally emerged and began carefully exploring, but clearly was not going to be an alpha cat. Several months later we added a Maine Coon kitten, and Penny stepped back even further to let Annie mother the kitten, and take the lead. But then, as time passed, Penny found her groove.
In the last few years Penny has become more assertive. More demanding of attention. Pushier for her share of time on people’s laps. She discovered the technique of pawing at people’s pillows and blankets to make them wake up and “pet the cat”. Recently she would rush to be first in the bed, and ready to be petted by the first person there. Penny had come into her own.
Today, because our workplace closed early for the July 4 holiday, I got home sooner than usual. Going to the home office to check e-mail, blogs, and my favorite recipe sites I saw Penny in one of her favorite spots – between the computer and the window behind it, where she could soak up the sun. And I petted her warm fur. And she didn’t move. At all. And I looked more closely. Her eyes were open, she wasn’t breathing….
Mr. Nappe gently moved the computer, and even more gently moved our Penny friend, and confirmed the worst. Stroked her fur. Found a box. Drove us to the emergency vet, where we paid for cremation services, and helped immensely to say farewell to our fine furry friend.
Rest in peace Pretty Penny
UPDATE Thanks ever so much to all who have extended their condolences, shared their own joys and sorrows of relationships with fur friends, and let me reminisce about other cats I have known and loved. You have helped me get through a rather hard day; and your words will help me in days to come as I deal with the “empty” spots – when two heads are at the food bowl, rather than three; or being sure right away whose is the furry paw pestering me in the dark because one of the options is no longer an option.
As so many of us say around here, we came for the politics, but stayed for the community. The community spirit of love and support was certainly manifested here. I will be sharing this diary with Mr. Nappe (remember, he was the one Penny chose as her champion so she was his special friend even more than mine). I will also try to share it with Kit, if her e-mail is still valid after these years, because she loved Penny enough to give her up to us. Whatever your preferred flavor of pie, y’all are good people. Really, really good people. (Let’s remember that the next time pie is on the menu, OK?)
Finally, while I welcome and appreciate all additional comments from those in other time zones, or returning to the internet after a day of holiday celebration – let’s allow this one to drop off the rec list. Don’t rec, or remove recs, or whatever. I write few enough diaries, and even fewer of those hit “the list”. I don’t want this sad occasion to be one of my “top contributions”.