Remembering Family

by Mousie, blogger of gentle, sweet memories.

Good morning, dear friends.  Brrrr.  It's cold outside.  Glad we have a fire in the fireplace.  So, Grammy, where's the hot cocoa, huh?  Okay, now onto the blog. 

Here we are at 11 days to Christmas.  This is a time of year when memories can be sad, or sweet. For Grammy they are the latter with just a scintilla of the former. 

I told the cow kitties that we should remember our fur family members who have passed on.  As they scampered to their heated beds they shouted, "What a great idea, Mousie!  Have at it!"

So, it looks like it is up to me once again.  Those scamps!

For those of you who are new to our page, we are now a four kitty household having lost my mummy Whiskers this past summer.  She was our Matriarch and taught us a lot of mischief, created even more mayhem (especially with Grammy), and kept us all spotlessly clean and well-groomed.  While we miss her lots we are happy she isn't ill or in pain anymore.  Our first blog is a great example of how mischievous she could be.  Check it out and further blogs.  You might like the Austria series... Whiskers at her most adventurous.  As Grammy says, "She was a caution!"

Before Whiskers Grammy had three other kitties... PussPuss, Malcolm and Montague (aka. Monty).  PussPuss, like Whiskers, was a Matriarch and ruled the roost.  She was a Maven of Mischief too.  Oh my, the stories we've heard.  You may want to check them out in our Into the Archives series.  Here's one of the early blogs.

Now, you must know, PussPuss, like Etude and Rondo, loved her food and supplemented her diet with the never-ending supply from Grammy's fish tanks.  *giggles*.  Boy, what I'd give to have seen Grammy's face when she found out.  

PussPuss had a love-tolerate relationship with Malcolm.  Grammy adopted the little scamp to be company for PussPuss when she'd be away for her job...overnight or sometimes longer.  Well, that backfired big time, or so it looked. Here's what happened. 

On the drive home from the adoption agency Malcolm scratched and chewed until his head popped through a hole in the cardboard carrier and yapped at Grammy, "Let me outta here!"  She managed to contain him from the car to and through the apartment door.  Not an easy task, so I hear. 

Thinking she'd introduce them slowly Grammy kept Malcolm in the carrier, set it on the floor and called PussPuss. 

While Puss often met her at the door this time she was caught napping.  Bleary eyed she sauntered out of the bedroom, over to Grammy and leaned in for a head scratch.  Suddenly, the impatient kitten popped open the lid of the carrier, startled and annoyed the sleepy girl. How dare he! She chased him into the kitchen.  Fortunately for Malcolm he scampered out of reach, to the top of the kitchen cupboards and the chubby girl was left behind.   He lived there for three days until he decided to brave her wrath. 
 
Long story short, for the rest of their lives together he loved her; she tolerated him... when Grammy was around.  BUT, to Grammy's surprise, one evening when she returned from a business trip, they didn't hear her come in the door and there they were, curled up together on the bed.  But not for long. Jumping apart and looking chagrined, Puss glowered at Malcolm AND Grammy and the love/tolerate relationship resumed.

After PussPuss passed Grammy and Malcolm grew closer than ever but both were sad until a friend mentioned a kitty who needed a home.  He was going to be euthanized as his family didn't want him anymore and already he'd been in a cage for a few months at the vet clinic.  He had behavioural issues and would require patience from his new family to overcome them.  Well, Grammy fell in love IMMEDIATELY, brought him home and introduced him to Malcolm.  It was a match made in heaven and the best medicine for all.

Montague, his new name,  brought sparkle back into the eyes of  both Grammy and the old-by-now geezer, Malcolm.   This little guy (14 months old) was full of life, mischief and silliness.  For 18 months they gave him the space he needed to adjust and overcome his issues. In return. he entertained them with his mischievous antics until one day his heart gave out.  Unbeknownst to anyone, former family, vet and Grammy he had health issues.  What a blow! Such a sweet boy, he is still missed. 

From then until he passed 4.5 years later Malcolm and Grammy lived a quiet life together. It wouldn't be fair to introduce another kitty.  The old boy was now blind, arthritic from his days of living outdoors mid-winter and for the last few years, senile.   He'd howl, disoriented, startling Grammy.  She would jump out of bed, speak quietly, pick him up then cuddle him into bed with her,  Contented and toasty warm, he'd purr them to sleep for the remainder of the night.

It was only a few months later that Grammy got into rescue work and mummy Whiskers and I became her first fosters, then a few years later, foster failures.  We were soon followed by the boys and a year later, Sweetie.   Over a few years others came through the revolving doors, staying a few days, weeks, months before being adopted... but once we 5 were adopted the rescuing had to end.  We were at our adoption limit and Grammy's soft heart couldn't be allowed the temptation anymore. 

There it is.... and here are a few photos to enjoy.

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