A Little Cat Named Mocha

This year has been a tough year for us in regards to our pets.  We are preparing to say good-bye to Blitz's cat Mocha. In August she had her 3rd cancerous tumour removed and pathology came back as invasive mammary cancer.  Her quality of life is declining fast so Craig will make the final trip with her on Monday to Yellowknife alone.  I am staying home to look after Molly and Blitz.

 

Mocha was one of the first cats that came into the newly formed shelter I managed.  She was put into a foster home in the beginning as she has two kittens but that didn't last long as she clawed our foster parent and drew some blood. She was nasty as hell, would attack any dog that came through the door.  It took 3 of us to clip her nails and many customers would come into the shelter and ask what kind of mood Mocha was in. 

 

Through her tough exterior I knew there was a sweet, loving cat in there...somewhere.  When I decided to leave the shelter I also decided that Mocha was coming home with me.  Yeah me, a dog loving, cat allergy girl was going to bring home another cat. Staff, volunteers and customers were all surprised as we had another cat at home and 3 dogs.  She was a long time shelter resident and I wanted to give her a loving home, one that she deserved. 

 

What a different cat she was, right from day one at the house.  We lived just outside of Winnipeg where our property had lots of trees and I fed the squirrels, birds and bunnies so she had a better view than a busy street.  She even got to go outside on a harness and leash and she loved feeling the grass under her pads and also the taste of grass.  She still had her moments when she would give you a warning look when she had enough petting or brushing but overall she turned out to be a typical tortie cat.

 

When we first brought Blitz home he was bound and determined to become Mocha's best buddy. I think he was so persistent that Mocha just gave into him.  After that they were pretty much inseparable.  If Mocha wasn't taking a cat nap she would follow Blitz everywhere he went and sometimes Blitz would be the follower.  When Blitz was laying chewing on a toy she would come up to him and give him a few head butts and if he walked away she would follow him and give him more.  Blitz would go between her and anyone wanting to pet Mocha, as if to say she's mine. A few weeks before Mocha's last surgery Blitz's attitude changed, he would growl at Mocha and would jump on the couch sometimes between me and the couch just to get away from her.  I guess he knew something was terribly wrong.  These past days he has been going up to her and smelling her and yesterday when I was taking a few pics of Mocha he laid his head on her bed. I hope he will fine after she is gone.

 

I will miss the non-meow she would give us on Sunday mornings while she waited for Craig to give her some bacon off his plate and some toast with butter...no margarine for this queen.  I wish I could go with Craig to say good-bye and for support. Even though I was the one who brought her home from the shelter she had always been Craig's cat. 

 

 

She would play with this toy forever

I see you with those glowing eyes

Favorite spot in the house when I first brought her home

Her and Shadow would tolerate each other

Shadow probably wondered why this cat was in her bed

Even shared the window with Molly and Calla

Always the sunbather

Favorite bed

Crazy look she gave me on her first visit outside on a warm spring day

Loved a good book

And a fire

But most of all, loved Blitz

This was when she came home from her surgery in August

Such a pretty girl

Even when she is not well she's trying to give Blitz a head butt

Best buds

 Talk soon