So sorry for your loss, she looks such a beautiful cat. Thank you for
sharing your story.

Ivor

Oh, what a beautiful tribute to a life that was full of love and
caring! Kiska was truly blessed to have spent her life with someone who
loved her so much.
Richard, she'll be with you. She'll be in the corner of your eye;
she'll be in little habits that you'll keep (I still fill my water
glass to the brim when I take it up to bed, because my RB Pushkin liked
to share it!); her love won't die.

Something I read once helped me a lot: An animal's death is always
tragic because their lives are so short.

Kiska's was shorter than some, but it looks as though she lived it to
the full.

Marion

Richard P. at not@home.eh wrote on4/22/05 5:20 AM:

Richard, she was a beauty, and I enjoyed seeing and reading about her.
Thanks.  One is not prepared to lose a cat of 9 years (not that we're ever
prepared, though.)  I lost my Camille at that same age.  Much too soon...

Yes, they make an irreplaceable contribution to our lives, for sure.  Purrs
to you.

I am so very sorry, Richard.  One year ago today, my beloved Sade', a
beautiful Ragdoll, passed away.  She was 15 yrs. young.  I miss her soooo
much.  The hurt doesn't die, but it does get easier.  It's okay to feel what
you're feeling.  Grieve for as long as you want...

Open your heart and fill the void when you can.  I wish you well.

Richard,

I can totally understand as I was devasted when my Shiloh passed away in
1999.  But she definitely loved you and was loved.    She will always be
with you.

And I love the name and how you came up with it.

Karin

It's a sad day when this happens.  I had to put down my feline
companion of 14 years about 18 months ago, and cried for over an hour.
I stayed with him until the end, as I wanted to make sure the last
hand he felt petting him was mine and that the last voice he heard
trying to soothe him was me.  He had runaway diabetes that we couldn't
control and was starting to suffer.

Just remember that she died in the arms of the person that she loved -
and that she's waiting for you over the rainbow bridge.

Richard,
I am so sorry for your loss, thank you for sharing your wonderful memories.
She was a beauty.
Jan

This is an open reply to all those who replied to my original posting about the passing of my cat,
Kiska.  Please forgive me if I missed yours.
=====================

Thanks Ivor for letting me share it with you.  In a way it helps me honour her memory.

Thanks Gary, actually the other two I never got too attached to (they knew who their "owner" was)
and I was divorced in 2003 so i'm pretty much alone in this apartment now.  A situation I never
really anticipated as I expected to have Kiska around for another 5 or more years -- I had hoped.

Thank you, Marion.  As stupid as this may sound, I am having her cremated and will be getting her
remains back.  So in a way, I guess she will be coming back home again.

Thanks for the kind words, Karin.  The name took me a few days to pin down.  Actually, I originally
called her "Sprite".  I had a friend (co-incidentally who's brother adopted Kiska's sister the day
before) who had trained his cat to lick him on the chin and he called it kisses.  As a kitten, Kiska
would crawl up on my chest as I flaked out on the couch and she would give a couple of quick dry
licks on my chin and then settle in for a purr filled snooze.  While talking to her (hey, some
people like talking to plants) I called her my little kiss cat... then I said Kiska and she
responded to it!  The rest is history..!

NobodyMan, you hit the nail right on the head!!  I spent our last night talking to her asking for
her forgiveness on various issues in the past.  I comforted her when she went, I told her that I was
going to see her again some day, and I was the last person she felt, heard, and saw... and I stayed
with her for over half an hour afterwards... just enough time to get myself composed enough to leave
the building.  I found it really hard to leave her there.

Until I lost my infant son 3 years ago, I never really believed in what some call the "afterlife".
But i'm a changed man now and I know I will see her again when my time has come.  Thank-you for
sharing yours with me.

Thanks, Jan.  I really liked her markings.  I have a preference for domestic shorthairs, but I found
her markings rather unique and the nicest of the three cats I have had in my 35 years.  A finding
shared by her regular vet when I first brought her in for her checkups.  She had two rows of black
polka-dots on a light caramel colour tummy, and a "marbled" texture on her back.  The pictures don't
show it very clearly but she had a neat set of 5 stripes on the top of her head that joined together
on the back of her neck like racing stripes.  I sometimes called her my little tiger. <grin>  As you
can see in the pictures she had a bit of a weight problem, I think she weighed around 13 lbs.  It
was something we tried controlling for several years without a whole lot of success.

She was almost entirely an indoor cat (too many psycho's leaving poison traps around in my area when
those pictures were taken, and earlier on, the issue was predators such as bears and coyotes as well
as druggy-scumbag neighbours with pitbulls and rottweillers roaming freely).  However, for the past
year I was letting her out to roam around (I live in a lightly forested community) on nice days when
I was staying home.  Her last morning was a very sunny day (we've had almost continuous rain for
weeks before then) and she sat outside in the sun by the grass for about 20 mins before she came
back inside.  In a way I am glad she had a chance to do that one last time.

********************

Once again, thank you for letting me share my memories of her with you all.  I guess I may have been
partially trying to satisfy a deep-setted need we all have for not wanting to be forgotten.  I was
mildly surprised to see the responses and I found that it has helped somewhat.  I guess it wouldn't
surprise many of you that I still choke up and break down without warning sometimes... I did
frequently while reading all of your responses to my original posting.  I expect to have some "weak
moments" privately for some time yet.  I must confess I did it again when I pulled up to my
apartment tonight to find she wasn't there to greet me.  Earlier today, I had a hell of a time
staying on the highway when I heard the song "Open Arms" by the band Journey (a fave since I was a
teen in the 80's)...  now how sucky is that for a grown man.  Sheesh...... And sleep is still not
very good.

Oh well... time marches on I guess.  I threw in a couple more fond memories of Kiska on my webpage.
( http://members.shaw.ca/cprclc/ ).

Thank you all, again.  You've been wonderful!

Sincerely,
Richard

Friday, April 22, 2005

Sorry to hear your sad news but thanks for sharing the memories.

sin
Heaven doesn't want me, and Hell is afraid I'll take over

"My cat Kiska passed away this morning..."

Richard,
Kiska was a beautiful cat.  
Thank you for sharing those wonderful memories of her.
Cathy
www.mycowcorner.com

Richard:

I wish to extend my condolences and sympathy to you, upon the crossing of
Rainbow Bridge by your beloved feline friend Kiska.

Having recently lost a furbaby myself, (Munchkin, 19 years, 2 months, purr
purr) I know all too well that hollow ache, the granite-heavy pain.  They
grow so completely close to our hearts that when they leave, they take a
piece of us with them.

Consoling hugs in sympathy, Melody

-
God requires that we assist the animals, when they need our help. Each being
(human or creature) has the same right of protection.
-St. Francis of Assisi-

Very pretty girl.  I wish, much as I am sure you did, that you would have
had many more years with her. :(

Melody

""""""

rise up slowly, Angel.  It's hard to let you go.."
Deepest sympathy in this sad time.  MLB

What a lovely cat!

Sorry for your loss

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs