Neferkitty 2003?-2019

[telophase]

We took the last trip to the vet this afternoon. Her kidneys had failed her, and while aggressive treatment involving a 3-5 night stay at the clinic, IV fluids, and IV fluids at home twice a week might have bought her a few more weeks, we chose not to put her through that.

I got Nefer in December 2004 from a shelter, where she'd been brought in after fighting with a dog. The vet estimated her at about a year old at the time.

At the shelter, I held her and she put her forelegs around my neck and hugged me--something she never, ever did afterwards. I took her home and as soon as I unzipped the carrier, she leapt out and hid in the space where two bookcases jutted up against each other at a 45° angle. While I knew that I should let her acclimatize on her own time, I was impatient and busted out a can of tuna. That lured her out of hiding, and that was that.

She hadn't had a great life before I found her--she had extremely bad arthritis in her spine and back legs, and X-rays taken when her hind leg went wonky on her showed a BB embedded in her tail.

Nefer loved tuna water, stale Ritz crackers and saltines, squeeze cheese, water from the bottom of the shower, lying in the sun, and licking your hand. If you scratched her between her shoulder blades, after a while she'd lower her head and start drooling. She had a loud voice worthy of a Siamese cat and was extremely opinionated at times. She loved to climb up onto my desk while I was working, to sit on the warm hub that my peripherals plug into, and because her arthritis was so bad in later years, my office is arranged to allow her a couple of different ways to climb up onto my desk. She loved when I moved in with myrialux because it meant more people to pet her, and she tolerated Sora when I adopted him, even though he turned into a big jerk. She could hold her own against him, so he never quite became Top Cat, even though he wanted to be.

She had a tiny head and the build of a linebacker, green eyes, a short muzzle and a marble tabby coat.

Nefer was, in short, the best damn cat.

This is the earliest picture of her I have on this computer--I'd have to go dig through CD backups to find earlier. It's from 2008, in the apartment I was living when I adopted her.



These two were taken a week or so ago. In later years, due to her arthritis and kidney disease, she'd lost weight overall and muscle in her hind legs, so she wasn't such a chonker as in her younger days.

The pink house was her current bed. It was stationed at the head of the bed on my side, and Sora has a different house at the foot of the bead, because if they were both at the foot of the bed, the cats would fight over who got to sit on me. They worked out a timeshare arrangement for the pink house, and Sora got it during the day while Nefer got it at the most desirable time, overnight.






I'm going to leave comments open, but you'll understand if I'm not up for replying to them. I will instead say thank you now for your kind wishes.

Comments

[sartorias]

I am so very sorry you had to make that dreaded trip, but I'm so glad this kitty had all those good years with you.

[yhlee]

I'll miss you, Neferkitty.

Love to you and myrialux and Sora.

[misbegotten]

I'm so sorry that you've lost such a lovely, opinionated, wonderful friend.

[vom_marlowe]

I’m so sorry for your loss. I remember many wonderful stories you shared about her over the years. Sending kind thoughts your way.

[movingfinger]

A most beautiful, perfect cat-companion and supervisor. She was SUCH a personality! My condolences for her passing out of your lives.

[kore]

Oh no, I am so sorry. It looks like she had a wonderful happy life with you, and I'm so glad you had each other.

[scribblemoose]

I’m so sorry for your loss. You gave Nefer a loving home and she had a great life with you. Sending lots of love and hugs.

[ellen_fremedon]

Oh I'm so sorry. She was an excellent cat, and you gave her a very good life.

[larryhammer]

Sorry for your loss. Good hunting, Nefer.

[ashenmote]

I'm sorry. Goodbye, Nefer.

[affreca]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[thistleingrey]

I'm so sorry for your loss and glad the two of you had each other.

[machinistm]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I will miss Nefer.

[selenite0]

*hugs*

I'm sorry you lost your sweet kitty.

[heavenscalyx]

Her memory for a blessing. I’m so sorry for your loss.

[loligo]

I'm so sorry that she's gone.

[thomasyan]

I'm very sorry for your loss. I loved reading your stories about her and admiring her pictures.

[athenejen]

I'm so sorry. She was an excellent kitty. You are all in my thoughts.

[umadoshi]

I'm so sorry. :( I've loved reading about her for all these years, and I'm glad you had each other for so long. *sympathies*

[estara]

I remember those early days picture series of what she was up to, even before you met your husband. Reminds me that I've been on LJ since 2000 and you were one of the very first people I followed, with the manga explanation series of drawing, since you'd made one with Rachel.
It's so hard to have to let a loved pet go, it happened with both my family's dogs. I think you made the right choice for her.

[torachan]

*hugs* I'm so sorry.

[rilina]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[cynthia1960]

emceeaich and I send love and virtual hugs. Nefer was an excellent cat.

[camwyn]

Oh, honey. I'm so sorry.

She was a wonderful girl.

[oracne]

*hugs*

[golden_bastet]

Bye, Nefer - I never got to meet you in person, but you were definitely Boss Kitty.
Hundreds of people knew about you! And we'll all miss you.

(Even Sora. Though he might not admit it.)

[viridian5]

My condolences on your loss and much love to all of you. I also enjoyed your stories about Nefer and Sora over the years.

[genarti]

I'm so sorry. What a lovely sweetheart.