When I started writing these articles, I was thinking one for each cat so there would be a total of 15. I figured wrong because sadly, some of my original 15 have gone to the Bridge and others have joined us so there will be a lot more than 15 articles.
This one is about two cats and you will understand why I put them together. Back in 2004, my sister was going through a divorce and sadly had to place most of her pets. I wish I could have taken all the cats, but my husband wouldn’t let me. I did insist we take my niece’s cat (as she was living with us too). Her cat was named Mew, she got her when she turned one and that was the name she chose. Mew was a beautiful gray Persian and was so good with my niece.
I didn’t want Mew to feel alone so I also took another older cat named Brina (Sabrina). She was a tortoiseshell Persian with 3 legs. When she was a kitten someone brought her in for declawing (I am completely against this under any circumstance). The veterinarian performing the surgery left the tourniquet on one front leg too long and she ended up needing an amputation.
Brina amazed me at how well she adapted to having 3 legs. Her whiskers were shorter on that side because her body made the adjustment. Her other 3 legs were incredibly powerful. She had an awful ear problem that never fully went away and I got clawed many times. She wasn’t trying to harm me, but when I cleaned her ears or put medicine in them, her back paws automatically scratched.
She had actually scratched her ears so hard that she ended up with a hematoma that required surgery. After that she had what is referred to as a “cauliflower ear”. For the most part, she did very well her on 3 legs. She occasionally missed the litter box as it was harder for her to balance. She also needed to get a lion cut twice a year, but that may have had more to do with being a Persian as they do require some help with their grooming.
Mew was a great cat and was so patient with my niece. No matter what little Sarah did to Mew, she always stayed next to her. Sarah was only one when she got her so sometimes she needed to be reminded to be gentle and not “squish” the kitty. Mew never even scratched or hissed about any of this and always went back for more.
Mew was 17 when Sarah was away at college and took a turn for the worst. My Mom and I went to get her so she could say goodbye to Mew and all 3 of us stayed with her while she went to The Rainbow Bridge.
Mew was born in 1989 and Brina was born in 1994 so she still had several years with us after Mew passed. Brina did fine with the rest of my cats and pretty much kept to herself. She wasn’t really interested in playing and mainly slept, but like any normal cat, she went for the most comfortable places like the bed and chairs. None of my cats fought with her and some would occasionally sniff her, but that was about it. She would never seek us out for attention either, but if I picked her up and held her she would purr and stay for a while.
Brina went to the Rainbow Bridge in 2012 due to kidney disease. I am glad I was able to provide her a home and help her with her ear issues. In addition to that, she also had several teeth removed. Needless to say, she was a bit costly.
Having these two cats really made me aware of how so many cats do end up in shelters even if their owners still want them. Unfortunately, families break up and the one left with the pets can either no longer afford their care or they have to move to a place that doesn’t allow pets. I find it very sad that so many places don’t allow pets. I think they should be allowed everywhere; I can understand needing a deposit in case there are damages because there usually are some.
Ellen Pilch
A Cats Purr
"Cats make one of the most satisfying sounds in the world: they purr ...
A purring cat is a form of high praise, like a gold star on a test paper. It is reinforcement of something we would all like to believe about ourselves - that we are nice."
Roger A Caras