Willow - The youngest of the new family
(Written back in 2020!)
Willow is our youngest furfamily member who came to us by sheer luck and chance mid August last year (2019).
We have many times written about the tragic and world shatteringly heartbreaking events of last year for us ... so I won't go into that (intentionally) but for us Willow was the last missing piece of our family puzzle.
One that would turn everything upside down and stretch our limits but one that nonetheless we wouldn't change for anything
(even if she does hide often at food time!)
In mid August we were very sensitive and bruised from our pains with our beautiful family passing and put one last hope into offering a home to a lovely local grey kitten who was sickly and not weaning very well... later to find after many days of not being replied to by the owner - that they had sold it days beforehand (I honestly hate to think what happened to the poor baby).
Anyhow I came to this sort of resolution that that was it, enough looking now.. we "make do" (bad terminology really) with the babies we'd been lucky to bring together in June before Eggy passed too... and by chance I saw a post for a sad little female kitten quite some car journey away (about 40 miles) who was the runt of her litter, was "having issues with the kids in the house" and very aggressive. . .
Supposedly at 9 weeks old when we went to collect her, lets just say.... she was 6 weeks if that and very much not used to being handled, fed or even looked at!
It took us many weeks to bring her up to full health (full of fleas and worms upon arrival) and too tiny to even bite teeny tiny kitten-sized kibble, we managed to find a way through it all (literally the last thing we'd honestly felt we would be able to cope with after everything ... - weaning a To Young To Leave It's Mum - Kitten.......)
COMING SOON: See below some of the first images of the little bundle of bitey - needle toed cuteness.
Moving in with Luna
The intention was to have both small female kittens (Willow AND Luna) living together in what used to be Eggy's house. However Bitey Wil had other plans and kept popping her bigger sister (by 4 months) on her head, charging at her with claws out and numerous other non-friendly things.
This was obviously not ideal and fearful for the very sensitive soul Luna, we huddled her away into Benny's house instead.... which went well for a day or two but she was too much "bounce" and not enough "sleep" for our also very sensitive baby boy.
In the end I had "talkings" with Willow and told her she wasn't the biggest and toughest, she wasn't alone and would not be keeping Eggy's house to herself when it was rightfully Luna's first out of the two of them. From that night onwards she stopped hissing, growling, reacting with death-swipe-mittens and they were inseparable and still are to this day. (writing this section at 7.33am Friday March 3rd 2023!)
Willow died in our arms...
After a very short and sudden downturn where Wil stopped eating full meals, changed her behaviour a little - in the way of coming to sit beside myself and Johnny rather than running around the room and playing... (which we attributed to her age now, and that she was still struggling with the loss of Alby - her "big boy" brother, much like the rest of us were), We noticed that she was beginning to find it harder and harder to handle swallowing certain foods or would get fatigued quicker.
The cats all have their own ways with day to day things like eating, being handfed or occassionally needing to have meals split across multiple feed sessions to settle them rather than all in one, and to be honest it was a "comfort" feeling for us to be just sitting in longer with them and having to feed Tibs a few extra little times a day and watching her enjoy climbing up on Johnnys back for long hugs and letting me / asking me to tickle her tummy slowly and hold her silky soft paws. There was no way we could have known that we were on borrowed time (more than normal) as she was eating right up until the night before she passed. I even have a video of this - I'm just too upset to share it at the moment.
We have learned over the years to trust "feelings" I get - so when I suddenly said WE CAN'T go to the events this weekend (19th/20th Sept 24) it was about as much a surprise to myself as it was to mum and Johnny. But they instantly knew to trust me.
We spent the whole weekend with the cats. I held Wil for most of the Saturday, She actually curled up in my arms (alarm bells!) and later wanted to just lay in her bed with my hands being there for her to hold onto.
I obviously gave mum and Johnny time alone each with her .... and when the time came, to say goodbye. We were all three there.
Dad, obviously not. He isn't "that sort of person".
Forever in our voices, hearts and hands
Even as you said goodbye, you guided our next chapter. Your braveness, caring soul and determination even when I thought I was doing the right things and you knew best.... I will never forget the things you taught me or the connection we shared.
Forever yours, My brave Tigey.
*Miracles happen*
(Written 7/12/24)