My Darling Misty.

[Soph_ie]

Hi. I wanted to post this here updating you all because you guys have been so good to me through everything. I have been a member here since late 2005 when my darling cat Misty had an FCE and have been on and off the boards ever since-especially in 2008 when my beautiful Misty also suffered nerve damage to her front left leg. The kindness, compassion, understanding and support I got here was truly above and beyond and I'm so grateful for all of you.


It is with the greatest sadness that I tell you this.

My darling, beautiful Misty passed gently and peacefully away last night, at around 7:30PM with all of her family around her-her Mum, her Dad, me, her sister, her brother, her sister in law and her best boy-friend Michael. She passed with grace and love and beauty and dignity.

Over two months ago she started having problems with her right front shoulder. We x-rayed it and the cause was arthritis. With treatment it got better but then suddenly her back legs started becoming weaker. We couldn’t work out the cause-we thought maybe her FCE (spinal stroke) back in late 2005 had just caught up on her a little. We nursed her and with some modifications she could get around okay and she started walking again. Then, just under a month ago, she lost the ability to use her back legs altogether. Because of her front leg arthritis she couldn’t pull herself around like she could when she had her FCE back in 2005. This was okay though; my wonderful Misty just wanted to be with us. So we all looked after her, carrying her with us wherever we went. I expressed her bladder three times a day and assist fed her whenever she was hungry. The care was 24/7 but it was the biggest honour of my life to care for her. It was truly a privilege and I know nothing in my life will ever come close to the honour I felt of being able to help her after all the help and love she has given me. I cleaned her and brushed her and we sat together and cuddled and talked and watched TV and lay in the sunshine and just loved each other.

She was so happy-all she wanted was to be around us and with us. Every day I got up and felt this immense joy that I had another day with her. These past few weeks have been the hardest, yet some of the happiest in my life.

Our vet thought she may have had a brain tumour based on some of the symptoms she was having but we’ll never know for sure. The testing she needed would have been invasive and based on what was happening, we didn’t want to put her through that. If there was anything we could have done, we would have done it, but she had no pain, just weakness and some tiredness.

On Thursday night I was feeding her and she didn’t want to eat much. Then yesterday I tried gently syringe feeding her and my beautiful Misty, my Misty that would always do whatever we needed her to do, didn’t want me to do it. I respected that straight away because my wonderful girl normally loved her food, eating two cans a day (plus treats) on average. She was very tired but her heart and lungs were so strong and she didn’t want to leave me. My whole family had to tell her that they would look after me and that we would all be okay. I lay with her all day telling her how wonderful she was and how nobody in the world has ever loved like I love her and she loves me. She would have stayed with me forever if I had asked her to but I told her that it was okay, that I would be alright and that it was fine for her to go to Heaven now. She looked right at me and she knew exactly what I was saying. I told her through my tears that I was only happy for her, that the tears were just for me. She was tired but we all cuddled her and held her and she looked at us all in our eyes and made sure we were going to be okay before passing very peacefully at around 7:30PM with all of us around her.

As you can probably imagine, I have never felt such pain or such grief. My life has irreversibly changed forever. The hollowness and overwhelming grief I feel is unstoppable. My Misty has always been my constant companion. I have never been far from her and she has always been in my thoughts. When I close my eyes she is all I have ever seen. We have spent all day, every day together. Her love has always been unconditional, her devotion indescribable.

We adopted her aged about three, in 1997 from the SPCA. I was doing a school project there and my sister Mishla laid eyes on her and that was it. She meowed and desperately wanted to come home with us so she did. She was a frightened little girl because of her previous owner’s abuse but with love and patience she because more confident. You would never meet a more kind, loving or gentle cat. Even when jumping up to sit on you she would tuck her claws in because she didn’t want to hurt you. She used to catch mice occasionally and look after them like they were her babies, tucking them under her to keep them warm. Her daily routine consisted of looking after everyone, checking everyone was doing what they were supposed to be doing and feeling happy. My Mum takes medication for a thyroid condition and Misty would always go and sit in her bed and look at my Mum in the early morning until she had taken her pill. When she had taken her pill, off Misty would go for some breakfast. When I first got sick with dysautonomia, Misty wouldn’t leave my side. When we came more confident with my condition she would wander off to do some sunbathing but would come back at regular intervals to check on me, coming in from outside as quickly as possible when I had chest pains so she could be by my side. I’d wake up from fainting to see her there. When I had headaches she would sit up with me through the night. When I cried in bed, she would lie with me and keep checking on me throughout the night to make sure I was okay. When I was down she would make me laugh without fail. In my darkest hour and in the worst part of my illness when I felt like I couldn’t go on, she came to me and let me know there was another way. I remember her jumping on my bed and coming over to me and just looking at me, telling me I was stronger than that and that I needed her and she needed me and that she loved me unconditionally.

In late 2005 she had an FCE (a spinal stroke that is a freak accident that can happen in cats and dogs when cartilage squeezes out of a disc) that paralysed her halfway down her back. We brought her home from the vet specialists and cared for her and helped her re-learn how to walk. In that time she taught me so much in learning how to deal with my own illness. She taught me strength, perseverance, patience and courage. She never felt sorry for herself, she just got on with everything. She was the biggest battler you’d ever meet, and she took everything in her stride.

Her kindness and love were her biggest traits but she had so much spunk too! She was personality plus and had so much torttitude! She had absolutely everyone wrapped around her little finger, including her big brother who used to say he wouldn’t let a cat take up his whole bed but when you’d sneak down to his room, there she’d be, taking up all the space, tucked up in all his blankets with him lying on the smallest bit of bed possible so as not to disturb her sleeping. We’ve all always called her The Queen. She has always, and will always be the boss of our family. If she wanted something done, it would be done. She was very tidy and particular about things, even going so far as if there were leaves on her back lawn she would take you outside and look at them and then at you over and over until you picked them up or raked the lawn for her. Then she’d happily wander on to it and sit down. If there was a piece of rubbish on the floor she would call your attention to it until you picked it up. When she wanted the heater or air conditioning on she would get you to follow her to the switch and then look at you and then the switch over and over until you did it. She would sit by our dining room table in her spot each night for dinner, always getting the prime cuts of meat off everyone (except of course, her vegetarian sister). She would always be served first. If she wanted someone in bed she would make them follow her to bed and then sit with them and purr. Her genius was legendary. She was unbelievably smart!

She loved Birthdays and holidays. Whenever you’d wrap presents for anyone, she’d instantly appear and want to be a part of the whole process. She loved wearing her holiday collar charms and outfits and she was such a poser, as soon as you brought a camera out she would get in front of it. If you had the camera out to take a scenic shot or something and she was around, she would be a bit miffed until you took photos of her!

My words here can never accurately describe even 1% of my love and feelings for her. I could write all day for the rest of my life and could never even begin to tell you of her love and kindness and strength and beauty and devotion and courage and intelligence.

She has had the biggest impact on my life. Nothing has ever and will ever so totally change my soul. I credit every good thing that I am to her. We’re a team! She is my best friend, my sister and my soul mate and she always will be.

She is my inspiration, my heart, my soul, my life, my world, my everything. I have never loved anyone like I love my little Pooch and I never will. She will always have my heart.

If you have any memories, stories or comments you would like to tell me about my darling Misty, please post them here. I would love to read them so much. I know she has touched so many people, through those who knew her personally, or through handicappedpets.com or DYNA or the SPCA/Forgotten Felines, or NZ’s Next Top Cat Model or somewhere else and I would be so happy to hear your thoughts.

Only be happy for her, she is safe and happy and healthy and loved. I know we will all see her again one day and when I keep that in my thoughts, I know I can be strong and I can continue on.

Much Love,
Sophie, Xoxoxoxo.

* You can watch her video for NZ's Next Top Cat Model here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aZ9W_m4 ... ure=search
* Her Facebook group is here: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/Mis ... and?ref=ts


“When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”

“While we are mourning the loss of our loved one, God and others are rejoicing for they are meeting her.”

“As long as I can I will look at this world for both of us. As long as I can I will laugh with the birds, I will sing with the flowers, I will pray to the stars, for both of us.”

“The risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief -
But the pain of grief
Is only a shadow
When compared with the pain
Of never risking love.”

“There is no passing, just a changing of addresses, a changing of worlds. We will meet again so very soon”

"Until one has loved an animal, one's soul remains unawakened.”


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On behalf of my beautiful girl Misty, my darling cat, we would like to donate vet supplements and supplies to anyone who needs them who has a cat with renal insufficiency or arthritis/joint mobility problems.

We have many brand new, unopened supplements but also a fair few bottles which have been opened but only had a few tablets used.

We have:

RENAL:
* Hill's K/D food chicken flavour (ten cans).
* Royal Canin K/D Food (twenty pouches).
* Rubenal (opened bottle but completely un-used, sixty tablets).
* Renal Essentials (open bottle, sixty tablets only four tablets used
* Nature's Way Nettle Leaf Capsules (open bottle, one hundred capsules, only four capsules used).
* AllergyResearchGroup Brand Potassium Citrate (opened, one hundred and twenty capsules, about ten capsules used).
* PetTinic (opened, about a third of a bottle (around three weeks supply) left.


ARTHRITIS/JOINT MOBILITY:
* MyBeau Bone And Joint supplement (brand new, un-opened).
* Azmira Yucca Intensive drops (new, full bottle).
* Happypet Deer Sinew (opened but new, full bottle of a hundred and fifty crushable tablets).
* Cosequin (open, half full bottle-forty or so tablets left).
* Dasuquin (open, three quarters full bottle, around sixty tablets left).
* Duralactin (open, about thirty tablets left).
* Duralactin liquid (open, 90% full bottle).
* Sasha's Blend capsule pack (open, over two hundred capsules).
* Synflex liquid glucosamine (half full bottle-over two months doses).
* Seaflex jerky treats (open, half full bag).


OTHER:
* Nutrical (brand new tubes).
* Laxatone (band new tubes).
* Greenies pill pockets (six bags, duck flavour and salmon flavour all brand new and unopened).
* MyBeau paste-style multivitamin (unopened, brand new).
* PetWellBeing Supraglan bottle for adrenal glands dysfunction (unopened, brand new).
* PetWellBeing Resthyro bottle for hyperthyroidism (unopened, brand new).
* LifeExtension brand SamE tablets (brand new, unopened fifty 200mg tablets).
* Nature's Sunshine Yellow Dock Capsules (open, one hundred tablets, about five used).
* Ziwipeak canned cat food (ten cans, assorted flavours).


MEDICATIONS:
* Prednisone 5mg tablets (thirty pack).
* Prednisone 1mg tablets (sixty pack).
* Famotidine/Pepcid ear gel (only one dose used from a ten dose 2.5mg pack).


Please don't hesitate to ask if you're in need of any supplies for your beloved cats. I have been so grateful for the support I have received here that I hope I can help someone in this small way.

You can have as many or as few bottles/things as you wish.

Send me a message or post here and I will message you with any details you might need. I have pictures of all the supplements that I can send you in case you need more info.

I am more than happy to pay all shipping costs for you regardless of where you live.

Love Sophie, Xoxoxoxo.
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[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

Oh, Sophie, I am so very sorry for your loss. I read about Misty picking you witha huge lump in my throat. She picked you and took you on the journey of a lifetime. She taught you so much and her mission here was finished by the time she slipped her lines. I am so very sorry and so thankful Misty had you as her mom.

[Shaz]

Sophie, I am holding you in my Heart, remember Misty has slipped way from you and so peacefully, Misty now continues her Journey to the next part of Eternity.

No matter how we prepare ourselves, the Finality is painful, gut wrenching painful.

I am sure you will speak to her often, she listens, doesn't she?

Take care Sophie.

Sharon xXx

[CarolC]

I would say write it all down and keep writing every single thing you remember, whether a blog or a personal journal or an email you send to yourself or just a Word doc. If you think of a memory when you don't have time to get on the computer, make a note and leave it by the computer so you can add it next time you log in. Here you can go back using the message board search feature and print out every message you posted about her over the years. I have kept copies of all the important messages I posted about Katie so I will have them when she is gone, there is so much and I want to remember it all. Your Misty sounds like the most amazingly wonderful kitty there could ever be, bless her heart, a little corner of the world was perfect when she was here. There are no words really, for that kind of loss. I am glad you were fortunate enough to have her company, but very sorry now that she has gone on. I just want you to know...after reading your story, I am more glad than ever that I voted for her. I had no idea!