Musta's Last Day

Musta Kissa II
1989 - 2006

And so The Herd becomes two ...

Musta was definitely not herself when I got back from the family reunion weekend. She stayed in the red chair, didn't come upstairs to cuddle for the night. The next day, she seemed okay, just lethargic and stand-offish. Who'd guess I miss her getting in the way while I work at my desk? By Tuesday, I knew something was up. She tried really hard to use the litter box, going in and out and then in again. We made a fast trip to see Dr Julie, who found both constipation and dehydration, also considerable weight loss. When I picked her up later, Julie said her kidneys were failing, her numbers, whatever they are, were 100x worse than our last visit. And so I brought her home, for just one last night, a long one, nobody sleeping, Musta lying still, no purrs, no spirit. And so this morning ... she made her trip 'over the rainbow', her head resting on my hand as I held her.

She's buried beneath the fir tree in back ~ though since she's joined her kittenmate Toivo I, I think it's now the 'fur' tree, another named tree, joining the Mother Dogwood and the Father Birch.

She was a sweet cat, a rare kitty who craved human company, who wrapped her paws around my neck, who purred and purred and purred when she tucked herself beside me or at my feet or on my chest or yes, between my chest and the keyboard on the desk while I worked.

And I wish right now that I were a cat, like Toivo, who sniffed Musta's still but still-warm body, sniffed again, and then walked away, understanding, accepting, not missing ...

She is remembered, these last years ... for playfulness, posing, sleeping nearby and always finding the sunny and warm spots.