Lizzy had a tough act to follow. My previous cat, Sophie, was a real love bug who followed me around everywhere I went. This was huge for me when I was living alone, so I didn't wait long to get a replacement cat when Sophie died.
I wanted to get a cat who was a few years old, in need of a home and more sedate than a younger cat. Lizzy fit the bill, and won my heart with her cute face and super soft calico fur. I took her home from the MSPCA at Nevins Farm in Methuen, MA to my little house in Lawrence.
Liz was not initially a people cat like Sophie was, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit disappointed. But she wasn't mean, and would let me pet her if I sought her ought. She just didn't need me the way Sophie had. But we got along, and she warmed to me slowly, oh so slowly.
A few years later, Lizzy's world got turned upside down when Carol moved in with me and brought along her two cats, Sirin and little Loki. The people at the MSPCA had not known much about Lizzy's past, so they didn't know if she would get along with other cats. I would not say she got along well with them, but at least she didn't fight. Loki's energy and propensity for chasing his older sister was decidedly unwelcome for Lizzy, but it did keep her on her toes. Carol brought a lot of stuff with her too, so Lizzy became expert at finding defensible hiding places.
Things got even crazier when big, swaggering Comet joined us. But he paid little attention to Lizzy (or the boys for that matter), so this didn't make Lizzty's life any more difficult. It was just getting a bit crowded in our little house.
Finally, we moved to our home in the wilds of New Hampshire. Everyone enjoyed the extra space. Now the cats could run, and Lizzy relaxed a little since the larger house provided more places to hide from her brother. She also proved to be by far the best mouser of the bunch. With the patience of a Sphinx, she could outwait any hiding rodent until they came out so she could pounce.
Over the years in New Hampshire, Lizzy softened and grew closer to her family. Sometimes even she and Loki would end up snuggling together on the bed. My patient affection for Lizzy on her own terms was eventually repaid as she became more fond of me. She kept me company for my morning bath (I'm sure the space heater had nothing to do with this, see above). She even developed a habit of greeting me cheerfully when I got home from work, signalling her approval with a vigorous scratch on the scratching pad and making her head available for petting.
Luckily for Lizzy, the end came quickly. She had only about two weeks of declining energy before fluid on the lungs signaled the beginning of real discomfort and a grim prognosis. Benefiting from being a feline rather than a human, we helped her towards her eventual end, rather than forcing her to suffer the drawn out torment of futile treatment.
Lizzy will be sorely missed by our whole family. With Comet gone too, it's just the two boys representing the felines. I'll miss the satisfied face Lizzy made when getting a scritch under her chin. We'll miss her offers of help whenever we're preparing chicken. I'll miss her curled up on the basket in the bathroom, sandwiched between the baseboard heater and the space heater. Fare thee well, Lizzy. Here's hoping you bask in eternal warmth. Thanks for keeping me company for a while.
