My story is another cat story and it is about my kitty cat Holly. Holly got a rough start in life, but I am glad that I was the one who got to have her all of her remaining days. When she was six months old someone dumped her off at my vet’s office. The policy of the vet was to put animals to sleep who were abanonded there, but my friend Cassie who worked at my vet’s office decided she was too pretty to put to sleep so she tried to keep her. Unfortunately for Cassie it didn’t work out. Her two year old son scared Holly and Holly hid under the bed. Cassie thought I would be the perfect home for Holly since I had no kids. So when she asked me if I wanted Holly I said sure.

I already had one other cat and I always thought that of the two Holly seemed more fragile and would be the first to go. I was very wrong. My other cat – K.C. – passed away in 2003 when she was 4 years old. That left me and Holly. We were both depressed. At first I could not see the good in K.C. going first. But as the years went on, I did see the good that came of it. Holly became this whole new kitty. She was playful, funny, followed me around everywhere, and a lot smarter than what I had given her credit for. The bond between her and I deepened with each passing day. I believe God uses animals in our lives to help us through the struggles that we face and I believed He used Holly to help me hang on through some tough times. I always called her my angel in kitty cat’s clothing. I also called her my little talker girl because she meowed constanty.

On August 28, 2007 I took Hollly into the vet. She had stopped eating 6 days earlier and I thought it was a hairball blockage. No matter what I tried to give her she wasn’t able to keep anything down and she was losing weight. I remember the call from the vet. It was not good – Holly had kidney disease and she was only 7 years old. I went in to talk with the vet about the options. I decided to take a leap of faith and have him give her iv fluids for a few days. The next day he called to tell me she was showing signs of improvement. I went in to visit with her on a couple of days. She was getting back to her old playful self. I got to bring her home on September 1st. The first few days were great and then the struggle began. I ended up having to learn how to give her fluids, I had to assist feed her for a while when she was on two antibiotics for a serious infection (may have been a kidney infection) and was not eating. I had never seen her that sick. She was so sick that she was purring but it was a purr to make herself feel better. I was so worried for her and I could barely sleep. I decided if she wasn’t sleeping with me on my bed then I would go find her and sleep near her. I prayed and God gave me the strength I needed to be able to get up each day and work towards helping Holly get better. I was VERY happy the day she started eating again by herself. My kitty was going to make it through. On October 5th I took her into the vet because I thought she was constipated. It turned out that her muscles were starting to deteriorate. I told the she was doing well at home – greeting me at the door and wanting to lay near me wherever I was. Two days later on October 7th I knew she wasn’t doing well at all. They say they let you know when it’s their time and she was letting me know. I stayed home from church to spend as much time with her as I could. She could only lay on her side. She could barely get up to walk. I sat outside with her in the morning with her on my lap so she could see the outside world. I laid her on my bed and I sat and told her I loved her and didn’t want her to go yet, but if God wants to take you then He can. I laid her in the recliner in the living room that evening and covered her up with the blanket. I wanted her to be near me as much as possible. I had made the tough decision that I was going to take her in the next day to be put down and a friend of mine was going to go with me so I wouldn’t have to be by myself.

I still remember when I went to sleep that night. I took her in with me and held her on my chest so I could remember what it was like to hold her for one last time. I wanted her to know I loved her so much. She wasn’t doing well. I still remember waking up at 11:30 that night. She was still alive. Then when I woke up again at 3:30 am she was already gone. My Holly kitty was gone on October 8th. My cousin who is a vet tech in Colorado said Holly did me a huge favor by passing away in her sleep. She loved me soooo much that she spared me the agony of having to face that tough task myself.

I have two wonderful friends in Arlington that were VERY kind to me. They let me bury Holly in their front yard. I wanted my special kitty to have a special resting place. I put her in a plastic box that I had lined with a baby blanket she liked to lay on. I put in a can of Fancy Feast with her because she loved that stuff (she even scarfed some down the last week she was alive). My friend Kevin dug the hole and he wrapped the box I had placed her in with black tarp and then taped it. When he put it in the ground it looked like the top had a cross on it. Kevin and his wife Crissy stood on either side of me as I said some words about my angel in kitty cat’s clothing. They said it would be okay for me to leave a marker in the yard so I could visit in the future. I did leave one along with some purple and white flowers (she wore a purple collar the entire time I had her).

I will always remember the first night I had her and I will always remember the last night I had her. I wish I could roll back time and still have her with me. No other cat will ever be like her. I truly believe that she was my soul mate kitty. I will love other cats I have in my life, but none will ever compare to Holly.

Kathi from TX