Rosenbush Café

Uncle Wally Windsor

Henny Ben Tassus and Bianco Banco Kittery (Dali-Ernst Art)

Henny Ben Tassus, Biancho Banco Kittery of the Maine Kitteries and Uncle Wally Windsor were all euthanized today.

Four other cats died this year: Cali, who was struck and killed by a vehicle, near my office in October, only six weeks after birthing four kittens; Simone de bon de Bont died on Valentine’s Day, and Dali-Ernst, who was the resident artistic feline, finally succumbed three months ago, after surviving the April tornado that devasated East Tuscaloosa. Simone had cancer while all others suffered from Feline AIDs.

Henny’s mother, Kara Mia Pia, was euthanized last year, suffering with cancer.

Henny and Kara were born in Florence, SC, Simone, Jefferson City, TN, and the others all born locally. Uncle Wally, was the father of the tuxedo cats Tippy Van Helsing, Pink Martini, and femme fatale felines: Kitja,Katja,PinkToo ans ShyGirl, whose mother, the all black Cous Cous LaPress, is sitting near me as I try to compose this tribute without tears or regrets.

The photos were taken last year when all three were in better health, with Biancho coming out for a photo; however, as should be expected, Feline AIDs is contagious and Biancho was kept separate from the others while Wally was a feral cat from Windsor Drive, another neighborhood decimated by the twister. Only recently did Uncle Wally become trusting enough to allow me to caress and hold him and for the only time in his long life – he was at least ten – he came into the house last night and slept on a lawn chair.

Henny and Biancho were born in 2000, with the latter one of Kitja One’s litter at my apartment complex. She is still alive, an un believable feat for a feral cat living in an area of speeding UA students. I have buried at least eight cats from 1987 through last month; all victims of fast driving and danerously.

He knew the end was inevitable and I believe he did not want to be alone. Yesterday, while exterior renovations were ongoing, vultures could be seen circling nearby. It was an eerie and profound experience knowing they smelled impending death and, as nature does, waited patiently for the end.

This is probably the only post I will write this week as the grieving process will take time and I am too emotional to continue.

Thanks to my partner, Natalie, for her courage and resilence. She took the three cats to the vet while I was at the house with the workers. I was more upset than grateful because I was selfish, wanting one more hug, one more caress, one final farewell. For those of you with animal companions – I loathe the term pets – do not make the same mistake I did. The longer you wait with the terminally ill the more difficult it is to let them go. The other cats are quiet tonight; they all know. Biancho’s sister, Calico Guggenheim Kittery, Cous Cous, Precious Phantasma and Pink are each dealing with the losses, too, while outside, Talia Biscuits, Kitja Coy, Tippy and Tygrr Tygrrr know their companions are gone…their memories last in the twilight of November 14th Two Thousand Eleven forever. Their life forces have returned to the cosmos from whence they came.

Each was sweet and loving and shared much pleasure. At a later time, I will share some wonderful stories about the trio’s adventures. They were all members of the Milo Institute of Feline Well-Being, an organization created, partly as a support group, but mostly as an opportunity to write about my love of felines. It would become the second post I wrote when the Café opened, in November, 2006, as a creative outlet to help me cope with care giving for my mother who suffered from, and later died from, Alzheimer’s disease.

Hug your companions tonight and do not take them, or indeed your own lives, for granted. Life is brief enough without love, friendship and trust.

If you want to help animals of all kind, check the two ads on the bottom right sidebar and help.

Finally, some may wonder how I came to have so many companions? I rescued Talia, Cous Cous, Biancho, Calico, Kitja Coy and Precious while Henny was Tala’s companion who came to live here for the last three years of his life. The others became my feline mishpoca and at this time, the final sentence, they are quieter than usual, having eaten dinner minus their friends.

If all humans could feel the same camaraderie that existed here…..

…..well, that is a thought for another essay; another day.