My PeaOui

So, one of the things that happened at the end of 2010 was that we sent our two kitties to live with my parents in California. Mella and PeaOui were happy apartment cats for lots of years, but after adding Olive to our family and some developing health concerns for PeaOui, it became clear to us that neither cats nor humans were happy with our close living quarters. (I won't even go into the money issues we were facing trying to care for PeaOui's diabietes, but that was also a major factor in our ultimate decision). My parent's generously offered to take our fury friends in. It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, but I knew they would be happier somewhere where they could go outside and be cats again, and I hoped that a new lifestyle might help PeaOui's health.

My brother took them on the 6-hour trip just before Christmas. They spent a week inside my Dad's studio to get used to their new home, and then they were able to go outside and explore the great outdoors, which they had not seen in nearly 7 years. My mom called to tell me they were having fun exploring the outside and basking in the sunshine from time to time.

About a month after we sent the kitties to California, my dad called to say that PeaOui's health had taken a turn for the worse. It seemed that the diabetes that we could never get under control had finally taken it's toll on her kidneys and she was going into renal failure. It was time to let her go. My wishes for a miraculous recovery did not pan out.

PeaOui was 11 years old. I had had her since she was 6 weeks old. She was Mella's daughter. I miss her tremendously and wish I had had all the money and time and resources in the world to make her healthy and happy. I was sad, but also relieved, that I was not with her in the end. And I hope Mella, who had never been apart from PeaOui, isn't too sad without her.

I love you PeaOui.