A Tribute to Mickey, aka "Mouse Man"

In June of 1999, I went to the grocery store and there was a man standing outside collecting signatures for a political petition. I walked past him to my car, trying to ignore the voice that said I needed to go talk to him, but it wouldn't abate.

So I went back to talk to him, and learned that his cat had just had kittens three days earlier and he really wasn't equipped to care for them. I felt I needed to help and besides, who could resist kittens? Well…I couldn't. Yes, I know that "I have kittens at my house, would you like to see them?" sounds like something a predator would say to lure a potential victim. But I trusted my gut, and went to see the kittens.

There were two orange boys, a tortie girl and a solid black male. Over the next 8 weeks, I spent a lot of time with the kittens. I had no intention of taking one home, because my Binky cat was 19 and I felt that the energy of a kitten would be too much. I also didn't want her to feel as though I was replacing her.

I ended up bonding with one of the ginger boys anyway, and it was extremely hard to let him go when we found him a good home. We found homes for the other ginger and the tortie, and then the black one was all alone. I looked down at him one day and was just overcome with love and longing. Strangely, I hadn't really felt connected to him until that moment, but it was clear that my heart wanted this precious soul so very much, and I just couldn't say no.

I loved and cared for Mickey for 17 ½ years to the best of my ability. He was a sweet and gentle soul, but he was not a cuddler and not fond of being held or kissed. However, he was affectionate in his own way, on his terms. Of course, I always wanted more than he could give. It took almost his entire life for me to come to accept him for who he was and to see that what he offered was no less special than my other cats who loved cuddling.

And it took a diagnosis of kidney disease for me to fully understand the true depth of my feelings for him. I always knew I loved him dearly and completely, I just had no idea how much. But faced with the prospect of his death, there it was – I saw a love so deep, so pure and intense that I would do anything to help him stay with me just a little while longer.

This past year, dealing with all of the stress and struggles that come with kidney failure was so difficult for both Mickey and me. But something amazing and wonderful came from this. My bond with this beautiful boy was strengthened beyond anything I could have ever hoped for. Not only did I finally understand just how much I loved him, but he was able to show more affection to me as well. 

I would put my face near his and ask him if I could have a "Mickey lick" and he would give my nose a few quick licks. I can't begin to explain just how much these nose kisses meant to me this last year of our life together. I felt that these Mickey licks were his way of saying "thank you" to me for all that I did for him, and it's a memory I can hold dear in my heart.

RIP my beautiful boy. My "earth angel with fur" is now an angel in heaven. I shall always remember how much happiness and love you brought into my life.

(Special thanks to the lovely Ann at Zoolatry for the Rainbow Bridge badge and Mickey Montage).

My Furry Valentine

Love comes in many forms. It comes from those with two legs, and four.

Love from humans comes so often with conditions, yet you will never find that restriction placed upon you when an animal chooses to love you.

And make no mistake, it is their choice.

My furry earth angels came to heal with gentle purrs; they came to breathe life into my body when times are tough; they came to nurture my soul and provide an outlet for the undying love we all need to survive.

I treasure the unique bonds I have with each of my Furry Valentines, but most especially my heart cat Annabelle.

I love this sweet girl more and more with each passing day; I love this amazing, beautiful and adoring cat with all my heart and soul. I’m so blessed to have her in my life, and I treasure every day we spend together.

There will never be another that I love more than Annabelle.

Dear Winter: Please Go Away NOW!!

Dear Winter:

Haven't you pummeled us enough for one year?

The kitties and I have all had just about enough of your endless snow and freezing cold.

We want you gone now. We want spring. We want to see colorful green grass outside our window, not piles and piles of white stuff.

Enough is enough. You've tortured us for far too long. It is high time for you to go.

That is all.

A New Year's Wish from Annabelle

Oh hai my furry peeps! The Warden finally let me crack open the blog, and just in time to wish you all the happiest of new years. 2013 wasn't the best year for us, but never mind that. Since we can't change anything that's already happened, we just have to look ahead and hope that 2014 is "all that and a bag of cat treats." Well, I don't know about you, but that's what I am hoping for! MOL.

The Warden isn't the best photographer on the planet, but she loves how this close up picture of me came out. Of course, when you are as cute as I am, it's pretty hard not to take a great photo, right?

And here is Mickey, where he spends 95% of every day during the winter. He just stares wistfully out at the snow covered ground and sighs...a lot. He and the Warden are already wishing spring would just hurry its behind up and get here already, and we have a long way to go before the snow melts!

Last but certainly not least, Rocky, aka the Rock Star. He has the most nicknames of all of us, I think. Naughty McNaughterson is probably what he gets called the most, for obvious reasons. The newest one is Poodle Boy, and there's a funny story behind that name that I'll let the Warden tell ya sometime. If she's good. Which isn't likely but a cat can dream.

The Warden wanted me to be sure and tell you all that she's sorry she has been such a slacker. She has been reading blogs but not commenting very much, and one of her New Year's resolutions is to do better. That won't be hard to do since she's doing such a terrible job of it lately! She promises to try harder in 2014!

From all of us here at Purr Therapy, to all of our furriends and their Wardens...we hope you have a wonderful New Year filled with love, prosperity, good health and most importantly ... nonstop purrs.

Redefining the Meaning of “Family”

Recent events have caused me to examine what the word “family” means to me and who it describes. Traditionally one’s family is thought to be those you are related to by blood and by marriage. But that’s genealogy. After what happened this weekend, I now believe that for me, merely sharing the same blood does not give someone “family” status.

To me, family means those who uplift you, those who add joy and love to your life, those who are there for you when you need them. Family does not forsake you. Family does not beat you emotionally until you crumble, bloody and broken. Family does not kick you when you’re down. Family does not unapologetically treat you badly, and expect you to carry on the relationship as though nothing happened.

So with this new definition, I had just one family member left—my sister. She was the only one who supported me when my 87 year old mother (who I believe has advancing dementia) started treating me like she hated me this summer. The meanness inflicted by the one who brought me into this world was incredibly difficult to bear, but the complete lack of empathy of my so-called family magnified that emotional pain a thousand-fold.  At least I had my sister. Or so I thought.

This weekend, she got mad at me and for a good half hour she ripped me a new one; actually several new ones. We’ve only had one fight our entire adult life, and that was nothing compared to this. She said such demeaning, hurtful things that I wondered if she’d become possessed because I couldn’t fathom how all of that loathing could be inside her all this time and was only now coming out.

When she was done with her diatribe, she said “You know, you do have family who care about you.” I pointed to my three cats and said “I know I do. One, two, three.”  This enraged her and she stormed out. But as I looked at my precious, sweet and loving earth angels with fur, I realized it was the truth. Annabelle, Mickey and Rocky are my only family.

That does not make me sad, though. I feel so blessed to have these three family members who will always love me, who will always be there for me, who will always offer a comforting purr when I’m sick and an uplifting head-bonk when I’m sad. The human beings I’m related to by blood or marriage are not my family. Blood is just blood. It does not determine who deserves the title of family.

Our Christmas Card!!

That wonderful Ann from Zoolatry has done it again. She made us this adorable Christmas card that matches our holiday header! Isn't it lovely?

We would be honored and thrilled if you wanted to copy our card and put it on your blog with other holiday cards you receive.

We would also like to post your card on our blog! Please email it to me or post it in the comments if you prefer.

Burr

Hi my furry peeps, it's Rocky! The Warden said to ask you a question, so here goes:

"How do you know when it's really cold out?"

Answer: When the pet door has iced over ... on the inside! MOL. Yes, this is what the pet door looked like this morning from inside. This happens every winter when it's really cold (below zero). The pet door has panels on the inside and outside, but it's still drafty. We don't use the door even in summer because we don't get free access to the outdoors since the Warden is a worrywart. I don't mind but Mickey, oh boy does he fuss in the summer. In the winter, he doesn't step paw outside.

This is where we all spend the winter -- in front of the wall heater. The Warden says it's an eyesore but we kitties just love how warm it is there. I hog the soft little cat blankie that the Warden puts down in front of it.

Usually it's just my brofur Mickey and I relaxicatting in front of the heater, but sometimes we allow that spoiled girl kitty Annabelle to get warm, too.

The Warden titled my post Burr because she had a good laugh -- at herself -- the other day. People were using it to mean "cold" and she said to them, "Don't you mean brrrr, as in brrrr, it's cold out." But then she Googled it. Lo and behold, burr is now listed in the slang dictionaries to mean the same thing as brrrr!! 

So whether you write burr or brrrr, we agree. It's too cold for kitties to be outdoors! Please stay warm.

Love and kitty licks,
Rocky