Monday, October 24, 2011

Farewell, Miss Lucy

Hi friends.

I'm breaking my blogging hiatus (and yes, I still have a few more Pablo posts to do, I can't seem to bring myself to put them together) to bring you some sad news that I feel Pablo would want his friends to know.

Our dear friend Miss Lucy, the feline matriarch of West Hobart, was helped to the Bridge, old and full of years, last month.


While Lucy had been in pretty good health for the majority of her remarkable twenty-three years, she did go downhill quite rapidly in recent months; she developed diabetes, among other complications. Her devoted mum, Sue, made sure she had excellent health care, including daily insulin injections, but in mid-September, Lucy began to let Sue know that she was ready to go.

We all know how heartbreaking it is to say goodbye to a dear animal companion, and to make the decision that it is Time. I'm so grateful that Lucy made it clear to Sue that she was ready, making Sue's hard decision just a little bit easier.

Lucy was a beautiful, gentle, peaceful ladycat whom I had the pleasure of visiting and feeding on many occasions when Sue went on holidays. Pablo was never a very affectionate cat; so I relied on Lucy for kitty snuggles.

Rest in peace, dear Lucy. Thanks for the love you gave to Sue, and to others, over your many years on this earth. You will be missed fiercely.


Cheers,
--Kate

33 comments:

3 kats and a kwiltr said...

Thanks for letting us know that another fine ladycat has made the journey to the Bridge. It is never an easy decision to make for our humans but we can make it easier by being clear of our desire to make that journey.
We hope you are well on your way to finding happy memories to help offset the sad ones with Pablo.
Snuggles,
Taz, Runt and Charles in IL

Ikaika said...

Run free at the Bridge, lovely Miss Lucy ...

Gentle purrs to Sue and Kate.

KC and the Giggleman Kitties said...

Goodbye, beautiful Miss Lucy.
And we's all sending lots of soft head bumpies and purrs.
Love & Purrs,
KC

Old Kitty said...

Me and my cat Charlie came over from the CB. We are so sorry to hear about Miss Lucy. What a grand lady she was - so beautiful. We are sending her mum Sue lots of purrs and hugs. Take care
x

Parker said...

Awwww...The Bridge has a new beautiful angel.
Godspeed Miss Lucy - I bet Pabs was there to greet you!

Brian's Home Blog said...

My sisters and I are so very sorry to hear about sweet Lucy. We send you many purrs and hugs.

Alasandra, The Cats and Dogs said...

We are so very sorry to hear about sweet Lucy. We send you comforting purrs and hugs.

The Island Cats said...

We are sorry to hear about Miss Lucy. We send comforting purrs to all of you who are missing her...'specially her mom, Sue.

Angel MoMo and Charlotte said...

Run free, sweet Miss Lucy! Purrs to mom Sue and all her family and friends who will miss her. Pabs will be welcoming you at the Bridge.

Fuzzy Tales said...

Purrs for Lucy's mum Sue....We're sorry Lucy has passed, but oh so glad she had a long and happy life.

Peace and Blessings.

(((Hugs)))

-Nicki, Derry and "mom" Kim

Hannah and Lucy said...

We are so sorry to hear this sad news about Miss Lucy. She had reached a very good age and we know you will miss her very much.
Take care.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx

Forever Foster said...

May the road rise to meet you, Miss Lucy. What a remarkable innings you had. We look forward to meeting you at the Bridge one day.

We send purrs to Sue and to you, Kate.

Angel Gracie=^o.o^= said...

I am so sad to hear that Miss Lucy has gone to the bridge. She will be missed. Sending good thoughts and purrs to family and friends. Know this is a hard time.

wildcatwoods said...

What a long and lovely life Miss Lucy lived. RIP dear one.

Cats of wildcat woods

The Crew said...

Oh my, 23 years is an extraordinarily long life for a cat. We know Miss Lucy's Mom will miss her terribly.

Fr. Tom Fish said...

Precious Miss Lucy, what an amazing, full life at 23 years! I'm sure by now, she has established herself as the matriarch of furriends already at the Bridge.

So sorry to meet you under these circumstances. Let Pablo continue to give you the love and affection you need during this sad time.

Tom
xoxo

Jans Funny Farm said...

What a long life Miss Lucy had. We know she is greatly missed. Sending purrs and woofs for Sue - and for you.

SuziQCat said...

Very sorry to hear about Miss Lucy. What an incredible life though, 23 years! We are sending comforting purrs to you today.

~Four Crazy Cats

Cat said...

Please send our heartfelt condolences to Lucy's mum and family!

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

23 years! Dat is a testament to how cared fur Miss Lucy must haf been. Godspeed Miss Lucy, haf fun at da Bridge.

Forty Paws said...

We are sorry that Miss Lucy passed over, but 23 years is quite a life for a poodin! It sounds like she was very healthy for almost all of that time too!
Hang in there and rest easy knowing that we still think of Pablo. It is difficult to lose a baby.

Luf, Us

Angel Prancer Pie said...

We are very saddened to learn about the loss of Lucy. Our deepest purrs go out to you at this difficult time. xoxo

Kat's Kats said...

May the memories of love outweigh the grief of loss for everyone.

purrs & prayers,
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Kitty Horde & their Feeders

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

For Miss Lucy....

++++

"Your eyes will speak to mine, and I will know.

Unconditional love has a condition after all,
I must be willing to let you go, when you speak to me
I must be willing to help you go, if you cannot go alone.
And I must accept my pain so you can be free of yours.

Loving you has been the greatest gift of all."

++++

Deep purrs
Abby

Angel Junior, Orion and Sammy said...

Have fun over the bridge Miss Lucy!!!! Say hi to all those who have gone before us!

The Lee County Clowder said...

Fare well, Miss Lucy. We send comfurting purrrrrayers and gentle headbutttss to Mum Sue, and all the beans who knew her.

ppuurrrrrrr

Poppy Q said...

Sounds like Miss Lucy and Sue had a good life together, and we are glad that Lucy could let Sue know she was ready to go.

I bet Pabs was ready and waiting for another sweet friend.

Hugs and kisses
Julie and Poppy Q
xxx

Laura and Taffeta Rose said...

So sorry for the loss of your sweet Miss Lucy. She was full of years, but it's never long enough. She is healthy, playing with those who came before, at the Bridge. Run free, Miss Lucy!

Laura, Taffy, and (angels) Jet & Venus

ZOOLATRY said...

Sending our purrs and prayers to one and all who loved Miss Lucy.

Everycat said...

Farewell Miss Lucy, what a long and beautiful life you had. Fly free sweetheart. We sing you on your journey with love and rumbly purrs

Oliver & Gerry

Christine and FAZ said...

Hi Kate and family, sadly we didn't get down to Tasmania this trip but it is still top of our list for places we want to visit when we are feeling a bit wealthier. We did have a fantastic time in Surfers though and so lovely to spend time chilling with my mum, dad and brothers and their cat Myfanwy who is chronically shy. Hugs from us especially Faz and Birks

Teri and her Stylish Adventure Cats said...

We can tell what a special cat Miss Lucy was by your loving tribute to your friend. Fly Free, Miss Lucy!

Richard said...

I found Pablo's blog a couple of years ago and again last night.

Our friend, Peter, has the Ikea Buzzy Bee cat toy and loves it (enough that we usually keep it up high). I was searching for another one when I found pictures of Pablo loving his Bee. I was loving the 2007 post with him sitting with it in front of him. I love that picture (I have it with a little orange fella instead of your handsome Pablo)!

Then I noticed the 'About Me' to the right that photo to find that Pablo had passed in February. OH, my heart cried! And so did I. I hardly knew Pablo, you could say I didn't know him at all as it is true that he and I never met. But I have known many little furry people like him. Good little people that I still miss and think about very often.

Peter came to live with us when he was found as part of a brood by friends with an uncle who could not take care of them. I wasn't ready. We had just lost two little friends, a brother and sister, little Smoque (or Sweet Pea as we actually called her) to kidney problems and then sweet Oliver to a tiger lilly. Each after long battles waged with spirit and courage (Oliver had had kidney issues but had managed to fight and WIN two great wars) before the lilly took him. Drives from Birmingham to the specialist animal clinic in Auburn. Crying and heartbreak that seemed like it would not stop. Oliver and Smoque (Smokie, her Momma was Fire, who just a year ago passed). Oliver was my Pablo. He wasn't affectionate to anybody but me. Sometimes a bit man cat needs a big man cat to be affectionate to. I don't know. Oliver would hop into my lap, get comfy, and sprawl out with arms poking in four different directions. But only on my lap. Sweet Pea would hunt two of the other kitties along with her Momma, taking turns chasing them through the house.

After reading of Pablo's passing, and clicking on the banner, I saw that Lucy has made the journey as well.

I am so sorry that your friends are not with your right now. I miss mine all of the time and sometimes 'see' them out of the corner of my eye when moving through the house. When I look back, they are (of course) gone. As they always are. but I miss them so much.

Your post was made all the more poignant since Oliver and Sweet Pea passed while we were still renting an apartment but were actively searching for a house (and home) that we could afford. We too found an older home. Further out from town that we were looking, without a screened in porch that they all seem to love so much (me too!). But finally ours. But somehow not everyone made it to 'the promised land' of our new home. Some made it. Black Kitty, Fire. Some did not. Oliver. Sweet Pea. Wormy passed (brain aneurism) while we were packing one night. It was fast. He was gone by the time we reached our nearby emergency vet.

CAT PEOPLE: ANY PART OF LILLY WILL KILL YOUR CAT. NO ANTIDOTE--SERIOUSLY. 24 HOURS. DO NOT KEEP LILLIES IN YOUR HOUSE.

They come into your life. We accept them, then (hopefully) they accept us. We make a promise to do our best, and they promise to poop in the litter box and not think badly of us when we do dumb things. Then, usually after years of shared love, we fail them. We always fail them. At least it feels that way. It feels like a betrayal. And then they are gone. We do our best and then they are gone.

But we do our best. And we should, we promised.

I love my little furry people.

Thank you for letting me get this out.

My best to Lucy (Pablo, the handsome man cat), the sound like they had a good home with good family. Hands to pet and scratch and heads to rub up against and bump gently. Noses to sniff.

Good Kitty!