Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Good bye, Millicent...

It took me a few days to get around to writing this, because it is hard to write about Millicent without crying. Well, I still can't...

On Sunday, we let Millicent go to Rainbow Bridge. The malignant tumour in her abdomen was huge, and while she was still eating, she'd clearly lost her spark, and we didn't want to make her wait any longer. The vet was amazed the tumour had not yet caused a blockage in her digestive tract...

She was very calm and relaxed at the vet's office. She stretched out on the blanket they put down for her, and we said our good-byes.


Millicent came to us a year ago after being abandoned at a nearby farm when her owner went into a nursing home. A kind elderly neighbour named Helen saw that Millicent was starving, but couldn't take her in, so she made sure she was fed every day, and loved. And then Helen asked us to take Millicent in. She offered to pay for her spay. So Millicent became ours...


Millicent was supposed to be a barn cat, but that didn't quite work out. After she got an abscess on the base of her tail, we brought her in the house to recuperate, and she never left! She stayed in Gordon's office for many months, of her own volition. Then one day she just decided to join the rest of the household.

Her favourite place to be was on my desk, preferably stepping on my keyboard while blocking my view of the computer screen, as she purred loudly and demanded petting.


Even as she grew thinner, she still spent most of her time in my office or on my desk. 

My friend Wendy brought Millicent sardines and cans of delicious fishy cat food to keep her eating, and Millicent loved it! She also enoyed a daily treat of Greek yogurt, and Gordon offered her his cereal bowl to lick every morning. On Sunday morning, he gave her a spoonful of his breakfast to eat before he had any himself.


Sardine juice on her nose.

I am still angry that Millicent's life was cut short... she deserved to have more time being loved by us. She was only three, and she was so content here. She had no desire to go outside; I think she was just glad to be safe and well fed, and had spent enough time roughing it in her previous life. She just loved to sit on a windowsill and watch the world go by.

Millicent liked to be petted but didn't much like being held. However, on Sunday morning, she let me pick her up and hold her against my chest as we went for a walk around the garden. I showed her the flowers and the Painted Lady butterflies, and gave her a little bit of catnip to sniff. She crossed her front paws and leaned into me, purring loudly as she always did. I told her how much Gordon and I loved her, and how lucky we were to have had her in our lives for the past year.

She was a sweetheart of a cat who asked nothing of us, caused no trouble, and got along with the dogs and all the other cats. I feel like she was an old soul, and a beautiful girl as well, with that one little smudge of grey on her forehead.

Millicent has the most peaceful death I've ever seen. She was ready to go. When the vet gave her the sedative, she closed her eyes and stuck our her little pink tongue, as she so often did. When he administered the final medications, she quietly left us.


Such a little kitty, such a big hole she left in our lives.

Good bye, Millicent. We will always miss you and never forget you and your sweet ways.

57 comments:

  1. I know you wrote this with tears and I read it with tears. What a dear sweet girl she was. I know she leaves another empty place in your heart and home. They each have their own hold on us and Millicent reminds me a bit of my sweet Annie Belle. I'm so thankful for a peaceful end for our little one's when it's needed. Sending you big hugs!

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    1. Big hugs from me, too.

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    2. Thank you so much, both of you!

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  2. You know, Natalie, I never will forget Millicent. And I will always remember how much you and Gordon loved her. Rest in Peace, little one. xo

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    1. Thank you Deb. I wish she could have lived to 20. She deserved a longer life.

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  3. Dear Knatolie - you & Gordon were the best kitty parents Millicent could ask for. All your animals are deeply loved, in life and in their passing. She and Penny are trading stories of their sweet life on your farm, just a blink of an eye really, but forever remembered. Thank you for sharing Millicent's life with us.

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  4. Loved and spoiled to the very end - that's how it should be.

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  5. I'sorry you lost Millicent. She was alucky cat to end up at your place

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  6. She was a beautiful kitty. I'm sorry you had to say goodbye to her so soon. It just isn't fair sometimes. Hugs to you all.

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    1. I just feel glad that at least she has a year with us, and didn't die alone and in pain where she was abandoned... sigh.

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  7. We are so sorry....purrs....

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  8. Awww, don't be angry that you got only a year with her. That was one year that she knew a warm home, good food, and loving people.

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  9. What a pretty girl. 3 years old is very young. RIP.

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  10. 'Aching ~a.c.h.i.n.g.~ for you and Gordon, Natalie, over the loss of your sweet little Millicent. [I had to stop, midway in reading, to go hug our little 3-legged orange-and-white rescue cat Sonny, 9.] As Rev. Billy Graham once said about himself, "My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world," I sometimes think that our very-beloved companion animals might be able to say, "My home is on the Rainbow Bridge. I'm just traveling through this world." In any event --[after losing, since May 30th of this year, two aunts, one uncle, one first-cousin, and my mother]-- the thought that your & Gordon's precious little Millicent is perhaps now again "home" is just a very comforting thought to me, i.e., in the middle of my sorrow at her (way-too-soon) loss. I'll never-ever forget how much you & Gordon loved your gentle, diminutive little girl Millicent, you know.

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    1. Thank you for the beautiful words... so sorry for all your losses; that's just too much!

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  11. I'm very sorry for your loss of sweet Millicent. She was a beautiful girl.
    Hugs to your family.

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  12. Awww we she'd some tears tonight for sweet Millicent. We know that you loved her lots and we are grateful that she got to share your lovely home with you all at the end of her short life.

    Hugs
    Julie and poppyq
    Xxx

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  13. I am so sorry that you had to say good-bye, but once again I am so glad to know there are people like you in the world to give these creatures so much love in their lives... and to get so much in return.

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    1. It's amazing how much animals give back, isn't it? xox

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  14. You gave her so much love. Glad her passing was so peaceful. Sending hugs and purrs from Skipper

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  15. My heart is breaking for you and Gordon Natalie. You gave Millicent the best life a cat could dream of.
    Robin

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  16. Such heartbreaking news. So sorry to read about Millicent. I know she will be missed. I was once told that it is impossible to forget a cat that gave you so much to remember. Thoughts and prayers for you and your family.

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    1. I like that... she is truly impossible to forget!

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  17. Natalie and Gordon my heart goes out to you both. You gave Millicent a very good life even though it was short one. She knew LOVE and contentment in having a warm home and meals without having to find them herself. You do such good with your animals, that I know that it becomes hard as you lose one. Just remember that you'll have a special place in heaven for all the good work you do with your animals.

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  18. My good thoughts are with you.
    Off topic: Roth phallyka at 10:28 is a nuisance from Cambodia

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    1. Deleted and reported! Thanks Sean!

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  19. So sad to hear Millicent is gone. You two have caring hearts and always remember she was grateful for her final home. Too many times our beloved pets don't get to live as long as we'd like.

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    1. THank you for the kind words, Terri!

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  20. we are so very very sorry....it is never long enough, but 3 years is just too short.

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  21. I am so very sorry for your loss .

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  22. I am so deeply, deeply sorry........sending you (((hugs))) and love, thank you for loving Millicent xoxoxo catchatwithcarenandcody

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    1. These little critters really take a hold on your heart, don't they?

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  23. She had such a beautiful face and such big eyes. I am so sorry to hear you lost her so young. Sending purrs of healing and condolence

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    1. She was feline perfection... thank you!!

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  24. Oh Natalie, I'm so sorry. I know Millicent will have a place in your heart forever. Having lost my sweet Sami just a couple of weeks ago, I understands too well how you feel.

    Eileen

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    1. So sorry to hear you lost your Sam, Eileen. Hugs to you!

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  25. Oh Natalie, you have had such a trying time with your dear pets. I'm crying as I read your post and will never understand how people can discard animals as if they don't care. It breaks my heart, but I also know she had such a loving home with you and Gordon and she will not suffer anymore. My heart goes out to you, XOXO

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    1. It just blows my mind that anyone could have abandoned her... she was such a beauty, inside and out.

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  26. So sad, I have no words... So young! But I am sooooooooo glad she finished her life at your loving home. We can never make up, we just can go on, offering the best, and that is what you did! I am so grateful Millicent found you and Gordon.

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  27. I am so sorry for the loss of this beautiful girl. XO

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  28. Hi, Natalie. I'm a new follower to your blog. I'm so sorry about the loss of this precious kitty. She was very young but I'm glad she spent the time with you. You seem like such a kind person. You've mentioned the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry OSPCA on your blog. I'm guessing we are not far from each other. I live in Cornwall.

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    1. Hi Martha! Yes, we are very close. :) We live about 30 mins northeast of Cornwall, near Alexandria (Glen Roy) I am going to check out your blog!

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  29. We will always have the beautiful memories!!

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!