Brandy - The Cat

[tornadosgirl]

I am devastated by the loss of my 15 year old cat on Friday. She had been sick for most of this year with kidney failure and then over the last two weeks, more problems arose. I made the decision to give her Eternal Peace and I thought I had prepared myself. I thought talking about it before hand, talking about losing her, would make it easier. But it didn't.

 

Here are a few photos of her and a LONG story that I wrote about her at 3am on Saturday. I know I made the right decision, but I miss her SO much. For some reason, it never had dawned on me, until the last few months, that she would some day die. I thought she would always be around.

 

 

My beautiful girl

 

 

 

Taken on her last day.

 

 

 

I thanked Tornado for allowing Brandy to eat some of his breakfast on her last day.

He stood by and just watched.

 

---------------------------------------------

 

Brandy

 

My beloved Brandy passed away on Friday, November 17th. She was fifteen

years, seven months old. Shortly after moving into my first place of my

own (a 300 square foot studio in Ayer,MA), I decided that I wanted a cat.

I had never had a cat before, because Dad was allergic. I adopted her,

when she was seven months old, from the Northeast Animal Shelter in

Salem, MA.When I went to pick out a cat, there were three to chose from.

Two sat in their cages and looked at me. Brandy stood up and pranced back

and forth in hers, like a model on a runway. Somehow she knew that she

had to show that she was the prize out of all of them. Brandy was a seven

month old, long haired tortie, the last of an "oops" litter. She has spent

her first seven months in that cage, at the shelter,so my pad must have

seemed huge to her. Needless to say, she had not been well socialized.

 

I knew that my cat would love to sit in my lap and be petted for hours or

be carried around in my arms as I did my thing. I quickly learned otherwise,

as I recovered from multiple scratches,including on my neck and shoulders.

No, she would not perch on my shoulders, as I had seen a friend's Siamese do.

Since cats fear water, I shut the door whenever I took a shower or a bath in

the tub. Though I was confused when she cried and scratched at the door,

Thereafter, I let her in. She would make sure I knew it if I left the toilet

cover up, That was her perch. When I got out, she would stand as close to me

as she could. Again I was confused, this time at her sudden affection. But

then I realized she just wanted "the drippies" off me. And so I began

wringing my hair out over her and she purred so loud! From there on,

wherever she was, she expected anyone who showered or took a bath to give

her drippies and would protest if they were ignorant of her needs or just

plain forgot.

 

Only two months after she came home, I was in the hospital for what turned

out to be an extended period of time. I boardered her at a kennel, my Mom

paying the eventual $250 tab. When I came home, she walked in between my

legs and purred, so loud.

 

I decided to get her professionally photographed. To prepare her, I brushed

her and brushed her.But her long fur was full of static. So I got out my

bottle of static guard and sprayed the brush with it, liberally. The photos

came out nice but I was horrified the next day that my beautiful cat had

developed alopecia. Or maybe she had trichotillomania! I rushed her to the

vet, who couldn't quite figure out what was going on, until I mentioned

the photo shoot and the preparations. He advised me NOT to use Static Guard

on the cat any more. I was devastated and contemplated returning her to the

shelter. Surely I was not fit to have her in my home. But she forgave

me as the fur quickly grew back. She forgave me many, many times for the

mistakes I made with her. Like driving down that section of 495 that needs to

be paved, time after time. She barfed every time. Until I learned to take a

different route. Or the time I forgot that she was still in the bathroom,

licking the shower walls, when I closed the door and trapped her inside,

not realizing til hours later what I had done.

 

I spent a lot of weekends with my parents and of course brought Brandy with

me.Somehow my Dad no longer was allergic to cats, even long haired cats like

her. Despite the fact that he was not fond of cats, Brandy loved him and

would sit on his lap on the newspaper he was trying to read. Funny how she

had an attraction to those who favored her company least! She also had an

attraction, as most cats do,to anything important in the house. My Mom loves

jigsaw puzzles and Brandy did too.She would plunk herself in the middle of

them as Mom worked. And no amount of nudging would get her to move. If

picked up and moved off, she would quickly jump back up,as if to say

"You didn't mean to do that, did you?". My Dad would often speak at church

or other functions. He would type up his thoughts and leave the pages on

his desk. When we couldn't find Brandy in one of her usual locations,

we knew where to look. Another favorite place was in the laundry basket,

but only when the clothes were clean.

 

When we were home, Brandy rarely sat with me as I watched tv, as I had

thought she would. And for a time, that disappointed me greatly. But

when I was very depressed,she was always there. Sitting for hours, allowing

me to stroke her. I woke up one morning to find her in bed with me, sitting

on the far edge watching, as if she were "on duty". That was the only time

she would sit with me or come to bed with me. She somehow knew what to do

at those times.

 

After Ayer I moved to Waltham and an apartment that was twice as large as

Ayer. Eighteen months later I moved back to Ayer. Over the next few years,

I moved to Medford, Millis,Middleboro and Worcester before Webster, her]

final home. Brandy always adapted, after scoping out the new digs. I think

she most enjoyed Millis, where she could sit in the sun for hours looking out

on the deck from behind the sliding glass door. One winter day, as the birds

sat in the snow on the deck, I had the idea to get her a harness and leash,

both lime green. I knew she would enjoy walking in the snow with me, even

closer to the birds. I was do disappointed, but again learned a lesson on

cats, when she dropped to the ground, laid on her back and kicked her legs

up in the air.

 

Several years ago, while living in a third floor condo, George and I decided

to adopt a greyhound. When he walked in the door for the first time, muzzled

of course, she merely looked at him, looked at me and walked away. She knew

she hadn't lost her place in my heart to him. Always confident, that was Brandy.

 

She would prance around like a bowlegged cowboy.I always thought she looked,

from behind, like she was wearing pantaloons- like one of those girls in

a bar in the old cowboy movies.She was quite proud of her appearance and

knew that she was "the one". She quickly let Tornado know who she was

when he came home. For some error on his part, which I can't remember,

this ten pound cat chased an eighty pound dog around the condo. I swear

she ran on her hind legs as she batted at him with her front paws. He ran,

terrorized, around the place before jumping on the couch and cowering,

until we "broke it up" and held her back. From then on, they respected each other's space,

although not necessarily each other. If she was there first, no matter where she was,

he would not encroach. She would drink the gravy from his food as he watched or stand

in the doorway of the bedroom, so he could not get near us.

 

When she finished in her litter box, she would jump out and run like a bat

out of Hell. Then she would come back to the box, sniff it and look at

Tornado as if to say "I left you a cookie. Want to try one?" (I swear

that's what she looked like she would have said if she could).He tried

a cookie once, before we moved the litter box.

 

As I'm sure you know by now, I could go on for hours with stories of the

fifteen years Brandy spent with me. Though I am saddened when I remember

her now, it will be those memories that will sustain me in the days to come.

Even now I swear I can hear her purring. And I know that she IS purring.

 

In my heart, where she will always be.

Edited November 19, 2006 by tornadosgirl

[greymomnc]

I'm so sorry about Brandy. Her pictures are beautiful and so is your story about her. Sending many prayers for your heart to heal.

 

[Batmom]

Oh my goodness. I laughed and cried and laughed again, reading about your girl. What a life she had with you! What lessons she taught you and Tornado!

 

I'm sorry she had to leave you.

 

Godspeed, special girl. Go find the drippies among the stars.

[Guest greybookends]

[patricia]

I am so sorry for your loss of Brandy. She is chasing those butterflies at the Bridge where she will wait patiently for you.

[scullysmum]

What a beautiful girl....I am so sorry for your loss...my kitties will be sure to be waiting to greet Brandy

[Wendie]

I don't normally read posts that long, but yours was so well written that I couldn't tear myself away.

 

I'm so sorry for the loss of your sweet kitty. Thanks for sharing parts of her life with us. :grouphug

[Guest argolola]

I'm so sorry she had to leave. My Zombie kitty left for the bridge on 11/17/03 and I'm sure she is showing Brandy all around. God bless you.

[SAVED2]

[Remolacha]

[robinw]

i am so sorry. i could really feel her personality through your post

[GreyPoopon]

Thank you for telling us about Brandy.

 

I'm so sorry.

[Guest darlene]

I'm so very sorry! She sounds like quite a girl!

[Guest Aggie94]

I"m so sorry.

[NancyB]

I'm so sorry she's gone

[Guest rsqdogsmom]

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

You had a wonderful relationship with an amazing 'best friend'.

How lucky you were to find each other!

 

Strange how something so tiny can leave such a big hole in your heart.

 

God Speed, pretty girl.

[Guest jettcricket]

.....I'm so sorry for your loss...what a beautiful kitty Brandy was. I know how incredibly difficult it is. I lost 3 kitties last year. Sending you comfort and understanding....

[Guest meakah]

I am so sorry. I loved reading your stories.

[Guest DoneRacin]

So sorry for your loss of Brandy.

 

Thank you for allowing me to get to know her. It was a beautiful tribute.

 

God Bless.

[Guest kaotic1]

I lost a cat to Kidney Disease as well and am very sorry for your loss. I hope my little Ningsai was there to greet her!!

[tornadosgirl]

Thank you all for everything you've said. I wasn't going to post about her passing, originally, because I thought it would

be too upsetting. But it has helped. I just wish I knew when I will be able to think of her without breaking in to tears.

[tornadosgirl]

It's been two weeks, Brandy, and you're still on my mind. The kittens are great, but they will never replace you!

 

 

When you're gone

 

The memories won't fade

When you're gone

 

The tears won't dry up

When you're gone

 

My love for you will still be strong

When you're gone.

 

I know that you must leave me.

I know that you can't stay.

But still I do not understand

How this is part of The Plan.

 

You've taught me lessons

And given me love

You've delighted me

And so much more.

 

It's hard to say goodbye, as it always is

And when you're gone, you'll still

Be here in my heart.

[Devotion]

what a beautiful tribute for your brandy.

[Guest hannahmom]

Thank you for telling us about her.

I bet she's purring up a storm at the bridge

[Guest Snowy8]

I am so sorry to hear about Brandy, I know you miss her. Aren't cats so sweet. They have their own way of letting you know they love you. They mold us into what they want us to be...I love it.

 

I know she is up there with my Jjaks & Aspen & they're watching all the doggies run & play while they lay around in the sunshine & think about the days when they chased mice & strings of yarn!

 

Edited December 3, 2006 by Snowy8