Happy March!

March brought more snow today. But the sunshine felt good on our fur. We are getting along well.
I even let Pasqua play with my paws.

He is a very silly kitty. Mamma has been teaching him high-five and peek-a-boo.  Here is his latest peek-a-boo spot - the shower! Pasqua Peek-a-boo He is very funny.

May March bring you peace and joy as we are soon to see and feel spring.

Happy day, Readers, happy day.
-Stivali.

Settling in...

I'm getting used to having this little guy around.

However, I sometimes look down at him in disgust.

And he is undeterred...

We are all settling in, waiting for winter to end. Sun puddling during the day. Sleeping through the night. Life is good here. We are happy. 

Hope all of you readers are, too.

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali (and Pasqua). 

Loved. Treasured. Valued.

We kitties are loved.
Mamma feeds us and pets us and keeps us in a warm home when it is snowing outside and COLD.
We are blessed.

We both like this weird window chair.

 

Happy Valentine's Day, Dear Readers.

Here's the link to Stray Cat's old post about Valentine's Day. We did not know it would be our last with him when he wrote it.

This year, we are focusing on our FIRST Valentine's Day with little Pasqua. Just one of many firsts we will share this year.

“There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved.” – George Sand.


Don't forget to hug your loved ones tightly! Tomorrow is not guaranteed. 
Purr & Paw,


-Stivali. 

This kitten is staying, and I don't understand why.

I thought this kitten was a temporary thing. I looked up the word foster and I did not think it included the possibility, the most-likely permanency of the plan. 

We are keeping a safe distance while napping.

I move away from him when it becomes too stressful.

He is cute, I will give you that. Mamma couldn't find him (inside the house, we are not permitted outdoors) one day this week, and she searched and searched. She heard a noise and began to follow it.  The little kitten decided to nap inside the empty garbage pail. Ummmm, so maybe he is not the smartest kitten. Or is he? It was empty after all. Weird kitty. 

Recently awoken from a garbage pail nap.

He also has realized the awesomeness of the cat tree.

So that is the week in photos here at our home. We are happy and enjoying our little life. ❤ 

Purr & Paw,

-Stivali.

Happy February!

Happy February, Readers.

There is still a kitten in our house. I don’t think he is going back to wherever he came from.

Witnessing first snow of his life.

Hearing a snow plow for the first time. 

He is 4.5 months old, with a lot of energy, and likes to play. He likes to eat my adult food, and that is fine with me, because I like to eat his kitten food. Ma has all about given up trying to separate our food respectively during feedings.

He also sleeps a lot, which is great because once he sleeps, I can nap, too. We nap often on the same furniture but not too close. I am not there yet. He wants to be next to me, but I need my space, so I move my nap place every time he gets too close. He seems to get the hint, in the moment, but forgets my imaginary border that exists around me every time it is nap time. Strange.

I nap here, on this side of mamma.

He naps there, on the opposite side of mamma. 

I still carry Topino Verdi to mamma twice a day, she has yet to capture it on video for us to share here. For the most part, the little kitten has an understanding that Verdi is mine. On the occasion, when Pasqua doesn’t remember, Pasqua receives a light swat of my paw for touching my beloved Verdi.

Co-existing is working for me. We both sleep in the same bed through the entire night (not cuddled next to one another, of course!).  We play, we nap, we eat, we sleep, we give mamma love, and she gives us her love.  That’s all any of us seem to need.

 Purr & Paw, 

-Stivali. 

One year.

One year. A post written by Stray Cat's mom. Stivali will return to her blog writing in February. 

Why do we recognize sad anniversaries? Is it just in our nature to know? 

Every 26^th day of each of the past 11 months, I was very aware that it was indeed the 26^th – and as the clock ticked to 4:45 on each Friday afternoon after the 4:45 of Friday, January 26th that Stray Cat dramatically died – I knew. I calculated, “one week”, “two weeks”, “three weeks” – it is painful yet inherent. I could not even help it, I did not want to recognize it, I did not want to acknowledge it, but just like how my mental alarm clock wakes me up at 5:15 every morning, regardless of me having to get up to go to work on that particular day, my brain, my heart, my body, my soul… knew.

Why do we recognize sad anniversaries? Do we even have a choice?

I made no plans on this one year marker. Anyone who asked me to do something today I declined. I did not tell them why. I just declined. Made plans for Friday the 25^th, made plans for Sunday the 27^th. But Saturday. Saturday, January 26, 2019. No. No plans. No thank you. Because I had no idea how I would feel when I woke up. Knowing. Knowing one year passed.

I do not feel any crappier or any less crappy than I have felt every single day since 4:45pm Friday, January 26, 2018. The day I took my beautiful Maine Coon for a routine chest-tap – a chest-tap that is routine for cats with Congestive Heart Failure. A procedure he had a few months prior and came out like a champ. The day marks the day I took my cat to the doctor to feel better. Not to die.

Yet, that is what happened that day.

Am I in a depression? Maybe, maybe not – because I push through. I get up and get out of bed every day when I rather pull the covers up over my head. And stay there. All day long. 

I get up, I do yoga. I meditate. I get ready for work. I go to work and function like a living self-sufficient human. I exercise after work. I cook. I eat. I see my friends. I visit family. I go back to bed. And I sleep (most nights). 

So, I think that is something to celebrate: I am pushing through.

In every day that has passed since my beautiful cat tragically died, I have been trying to focus on rejoicing about his life, and I have tried (most of the times, failing) to not focus on how shocking and heartbreaking it was to witness his death.

I guess it is all part of the grieving process. You push through. People say, “It’ll get better.” But I know that is a lie. I have pushed through before after losing a loved one, and it never ever got better. It just altered my world.

Life becomes different, and we figure out how to live with the difference – it is never ever better. Just different.

No, Google Photos, we did not need a reminder. 😩
Photo in left corner of his fuzzy paws was taken after he took his last breath. 

I am grateful that this little Stray Cat walked into Abbracci and chose me.
I am grateful for the 10 years, 09 months, and 02 days we had.

Today, I will focus on those facts.

Thank You, Lord, for surrounding me with Your goodness and mercy even today as I grieve. - Psalm 23:6

Continued Progress

This little nugget here turns four months old today. I think I like him okay, I even share sleeping quarters with him now, through the night. Overnight! We don't cuddle or anything. If he wants to, and comes too close to me, I hiss and run away.

This is continued progress. I promise.

Happy January 17 - the birthday of my gorgeous aunt - Cheryl! Happy Birthday Cheryl! We love you. XOXO

Purr & Paw,
Stivali.