Bunnicula
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It's gonna be a big weekend here at "Bunnicula's Castle"!
Our eldest kitty (Louise) is hosting a"Celebration of the Good Life".
It was 10 years ago this month that she came to live with us. Sheand Sunkist (RIP) came to us after living atthe Humane League for close to 2 years. They were part of an abuse case that the accused party continued to appeal time after time...and none of the 60+ cats could find new forever homes until the legal battle was finally settled.
At the time, I was a volunteer at the League...and I spent endless hours with all those felines. Many were ill. Some were feral...even violently aggressive. Once the case was settled, Gary & I KNEW we'd adopt one. I picked Sunkist out one December evening and he joined our household (he then made it 2 humans, 6 cats, no bunnies yet at that point).
After the rush of the holidays when many of the cats had been adopted and many others euthanized due to illness or aggression issues...4 remained.
One January evening the kennel tech told me that they were going to be euthanized the following day...and "did I want another one?" How could I say no? (Heck, I would have saved them all...at that point in life I, though, I thought we were crazy for having 6 cats!)
I sat in the room on the floor with the 4 of them around me. I cried and cried as I tried to decide who would be the right fit for our household. (Rascal would NOT get along with just anybody.) So I chose the naughty girl who always escaped from her cage...it felt a bit like the movie Sophie's Choice, knowing that the other 3 were not going to be alive the next day.
Well, she was the absolute, right choice! She fit right in...the easiest new animal introduction I have ever done. And she's been a delight every day since.
In recent years (she's at least 16...but probably closer to 20), she's developed thyroid disease and some renal function issues. She continues to lose weight (she is well under 6 pounds now)...and in the past few months she's had days where I was certain we were looking at the end. In fact, I expected her to cross the bridge 2 Christmases ago.
But she keeps going strong...she wakes me up at 4:30 every morning for breakfast, she plays chase with the laser light, she will not allow us to SIT to eat a bowl of cereal without being accosted (hehe), she meows LOUDLY when she wants attention...and purrs even louder when she's showing affection. She is the matriarch of our clan, and I know that her time with us is short at best.
I told her back in November that if she could make it through the holidays and into 2008, we'd celebrate her decade of living well with a "canned food" party (her fave food). I told her everyone in the household would eat canned food in celebration of her lust for life. (No, I do NOT plan to eat Fancy Feast...perhaps a can of soup...and the bunnies will have their first pumpkin fest.)
Sorry this is such a long, long post...
But I just HAD to share how EXCITED I am that she made it this far. Her will to live has made me more and more appreciative of how precious every, single second of life with our loved ones is!
So on Saturday, January 5...if you've got "something yummy" in your pantry for you and your special friends...please join us in a Celebration of the Good Life that we share with our furry creatures. As you and your special companions nosh on something delish, think of us celebrating here (as we will think of all of you). And give each of your kitties, bunnies, ratties, piggies, and other family members a special snuggle from the crew here at Bunnicula's Castle!
Mach es gut!
~Your Friends at Bunnicula's Castle
(Bunnies: Gingivere, Emmaline, Pipkin, & Captain Snow. Kitties: LOUISE, Rascal, Archie, Tucker, Nellie, Angel, Koko, Yum Yum, Halupki, & Nora. Humans: Mary Ellen & Gary.)
