This one is hard to write. On April 7 we took our dear Lily to the vet for the last time. The cancer had grown to fill her mouth and she was not able to eat or drink. In spite of this, she was as loving and silly as always, right to the end. Her passing was easy and peaceful - she was ready. Don and I were loving her as she crossed over. She would have been 10 this spring.
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| Lily with her babies outside |
What can I say about this cat who was the embodiment of love? She had an amazing life for such a short one. She gave birth to three litters outside and all survived to become wonderful cats themselves. She was smart enough to not get caught in our humane traps and taught the kittens to keep clear of us - it made trapping them all a challenge for sure.
She was a mother to us as well. Lily was the one who would be sitting with us if we were not well, ever watchful. She was always on hyper alert - listening for unusual sounds of alarm. She loved to sit looking out our windows, keeping an eye on things. I looked forward to coming home to her face peeking through the screen. I knew I had left everyone in good hands.
Even tho she was able to live her life with most of her kittens, she was a stern mother at times. She had little patience with them. If they got too rough or playful around her, she would hiss or whap them. Often she preferred the company of non family members like Ivy. Ivy, being our oldest at 17, brought out the maternal in Lily - they were always together. When I read in bed, Ivy sat on me and Lily would lay next to me with her head resting on my body. Oh how I will miss that.
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| Ivy and Lily |
She could be so silly as well - diving
into the refrigerator whenever I opened the door, looking for treats,
letting me dress her in costumes for the holidays, begging for a lick of
butter with Ivy when I ate my breakfast muffins.
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| Punk Lily |
Lily was stubborn, independent, and strong willed, all infused with an incredible unconditional love for us. While all the other cats would be sleeping the days away, she followed us around the house, involved in every activity. She didn't want to miss a minute of life with us. She slept only when we were not home or sleeping ourselves. Perhaps she knew her time with us would be short. I will end this tribute to our beloved Lily with this quote.
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| Under the Christmas tree |
"When animals enter our life, we start on a journey filled with adventure, learning and love. The animals reach deep into us and change us in ways that can hardly be described. We grow in love. And upon their leaving, we are lost, devastated. Over time, we explore the story and see the meaning, and stand in awe of these remarkable beings. What an honor they give us when they walk a part of our lives with us."
-- Barbara Janelle
Thank you, Lily, for sharing your life with us. We will see you again one day.
