Fruitcake (Cat: 5/1/1997 - 12/10/2014)

[Fruitycake]

I had to make the decision to help my Fruitcake on, and it was one of the hardest things I have ever needed to do. 17 years, 6 months, and one day wasn't nearly long enough to have with my Fruity.

 

Some highlights:

 

She was the best jumper I knew (could jump floor to top of a 5' 6-7" fridge to get food and would even until she was 13 years old jump into our arms or onto my back when I was doing dishes).

 

She was the most outgoing torti I had ever met (she would jump up on the laps of any visiting workmen, or people bidding to work on our house, or would rub against anyone that had entered the house if they didn't sit down).

 

She was the best snuggler (would climb under the covers, turn around, and lie with her head on my pillow at night, every night).

 

She would fetch her sparklie balls for treats (calling out "I killed it!" to show that she had brought it and convince me to give her a treat for being so clever).

 

She was smart enough to figure out that when those "noise boxes" on the end tables made noise the people got up and she was fed - and figured out how to make the noise come out (she knew that the alarm clocks meant we got up, and when I got up she was fed, so when she figured out that stepping on the buttons could make the noise come out it became a regular thing. My husband's alarm clock was covered with sticky tape, but my alarm clock had to be moved across the room to the bureau and even then needed a stuffed animal put on top of it - because she was that darned smart. She even would play the message on our answering machine, and that was always across the room from us. It's kind of frustrating to wake up multiple times of the night to hear your own "Hi you have reached ..." voice from across the room.).

 

She was the most food-focused cat I knew (once ate part of a styrofoam toy because it smelled like food, talked to food out of her reach to try to convince it to come down, fed our first dog cookies from the counter, and - in one exasperating instance - tried to feed the dog an entire hot-from-the-oven frozen pizza).

 

And she just couldn't work up the proper "torti attitude" and be what people expected of a torti (she never once bit a human in anger, and while she loved to slap Monty upside the head if he wanted affection when she was on lap duty, she also rubbed against him and purred and seemed to be reassuring him when he had had a seizure in the middle of the night about 3 months into our owning him).

 

She never once messed outside her litterbox, and her early training by her mother (who would still use a litterbox after a week of no scooping and all 4 of her kittens' and her waste in it). She had a great scowl, and would use it when she wasn't getting her way (which usually meant I wasn't moving fast enough to feed her). Even though she never was aggressive toward a human, if she got upset with one (I would "snuggle her up" when she wasn't in the mood, or wouldn't feed her even with her yelling at me and scowling) she would search out her brother and beat on him, or even choose one of the dogs to beat on instead. She liked sitting in my lap and reaching out and putting a paw on her favorite person, my husband (he moved around too much for her, I think). When sleeping under the covers encircled by my arm, she would also reach out and have to touch him. One Christmas when I went to my family's house earlier than my husband and brought the cats with me, she waited for my husband, her "daddy," in the "window-viewing chair" nearly all the time. As soon as he came, the seat held no interest for her anymore that trip.

 

She was about 250 lbs of personality distilled into one tiny little 6.5 lb kitty body. I will miss her. There will never be another Fruitcake.

 

I am so incredibly grateful that I got to know her, and hope that she knew how much she was loved.

[GreyPoopon]

I'm so very sorry. She was clearly a character. A smart and affectionate character. Your tribute to her is perfect.

 

Godspeed Fruitcake.

[Houndtime]

I am so very sorry for your loss.

[Aidansmom]

That was a great tribute. I'm so sorry for the loss of Fruitcake, I know she had a wonderful life with you.

[Batmom]

She sounds like a remarkable girl. I'm so sorry she had to leave you.

 

Godspeed, little one.

[galgrey]

She sounds perfectly delightful. I'm so sorry you had to tell her goodbye.

[ramonaghan]

I am so sorry for your loss. It sounds like she had a great life with you. Rest well, Fruitcake.

[Patsy]

Run ahead, Fruitcake, and enjoy all the food the Bridge holds.

[Remolacha]

I am so sorry She may not have had typical "tortie-tude" by she obviously had a ton of personality.

[ozgirl2]

I'm so sorry... I had a tortie who made it to 17.5 too...

[Annette]

So sorry to hear about Fruitcake. She really had personality. I am sure our Lefty greeted her at the bridge. Lefty was our "character" who made it to about 20 years old.

 

Annette

[sabrina]

I am glad you & Fruitcake had 17 years together but I am sure that made letting her go all the more difficult.

 

Edited December 20, 2014 by sabrina

[JustSnoozing]

A lovely tribute. Sorry Fruitcake has left you.

[BatterseaBrindl]

So sorry your Fruitcake had to leave...

[FiveRoooooers]

What a beautiful, heartfelt tribute. I am so sorry for your loss.

[queenwinniesmom]

I'm so sorry you lost your larger than life lady---what a huge empty space she will leave. Lovely tribute to an exceptional kitty.

[TINMANPDX]

I am sorry Fruitcake had to leave you. I had a tortie that lived almost that long - she grew up with my son and was very tolerant and snugly. RIP Fruitcake.

[greytpups]

I'm so sorry for your loss. What a lovely tribute to her...I'm sure she knew she was loved a lot.

[Patsy]

I have to ask how she got her name.

[fliggie]

[carronstar]

I am so very sorry.

[Tracey]

She sounds like an awesome cat. I'm so sorry for your loss.

[Fruitycake]

I have to ask how she got her name.

She was one of a litter of 4, and was the most rambunctious, friendly, and playful kitten of the bunch. She chased her tail *all the time* and played with her food (it would be batted across the room before being eaten - at least in her "early kibble eating" days) and every time I would clean the litterbox she had to clamber into the fresh litter, chase the grains of litter that moved under her paws and chase her tail IN the litterbox, and roll and roll and roll in it. She was a little nut of a kitten, and so whenI talked with her as she was going nutso I would call her "nuttier than a fruitcake" which was shortened to just the name Fruitcake. Her torti coloring didn't contradict that name, either (most vets would say that it was a good name based on her mixture of colors, and then I'd shrug and say she was named for being a little nut of a kitten).

 

Her brother (still with me - literally at the moment, as he is on my lap and arm as I type) was the shyest of the litter, and for a long time all anyone would see of him was a black flicker when he'd dart behind something. So, with that and his jet black coloring he was originally named "Shadow" - but after about 4 months living with my parents in their very quiet house from 4 to 8 months of age, he became braver, and more settled, and darned smug-looking. In nearly every picture of him from about 6 months old he looked like he was a major Hollywood star and would look at the camera with his eyelids just a little drooped - like he should have been wearing expensive sunglasses and been swarmed by adoring fans, so his original name no longer fit. I kept picturing him wearing shades, so Shade Man he became. I am absolutely that I have the one-and-only ShadeMan (yes, his name is now one word) in the universe.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Fruitycake

[Patsy]

Thank you for the "rest of the story"

[RaineysMom]

what a great tribute -- your girl was one of a kind. The Torti's are unlike all others, like the blue houndies -- don't know what it is. Sending hugs.