Spooktacular - Angel Nin

 Circa 2012 or 2013.

Flash Back Friday - Remembering Nin

This week marked the anniversary of our angel Nin's adoption day. It was 21 years ago he entered our lives.

I was flipping through some pictures and came across this one. It made me smile and thought I would share that smile with all of you!

-------------------------------------

We will also remember Ciara who went to the Bridge yesterday. Sending love to her family.

Black and White Sunday - Angel Nin

Yesterday would have been his 21st birthday.
This is the last picture we took of him.

A Cat Free Year

Today marks one year since our angel Nin left us. Nin was 20 years old. Our angel Bagheera left us the year before at age 19. We had a cat in our house for 20 years.

While we have adjusted to a life with a cat, I really miss them. I still go to check/clean the litter every few weeks. I would get another one in a heartbeat and when I read stories of cats being found in yards etc. I am hopeful that one will find its way to our yard and need a home. I think that is about the only way I will convince the Man to get another one at this time. (There are lots of outdoor cats around, so it is possible). 

Today I remember my two cats with love and affection, even if I really don't miss the litter (next cat is being toilet trained).

Baggy on the left and Nin on the right

Flashback Friday

Angels Nin and Gemi - September 2010

Old Habits Die Hard

Our house has been cat free for 7 weeks now.  The biggest change is we get to sleep in on the weekend. The dogs aren't up as early without our Nin alarm. I admit I don't really miss it many mornings.

We were cat "owners" for 20 years and 11 days. In that time I clearly developed some strong habits/routines about the cats. In the past few weeks I have found myself almost writing cat litter on the grocery list when I noticed it was on sale at the grocery store (it was a really good sale). Over the weekend, when as I was walking to the laundry room with a huge load of laundry I thought to myself "I must remember to scoop the litter while I am down here."  I had to laugh out loud both times because I neither need to buy litter nor scope it.

I miss my cats and I miss having cats.  I do occasionally get the urge to bring a new one home, but I know it is not the time. We want to travel more (and that is hard enough with the pups). The idea of a kitten is not appealing and the stress over trying to introduce a new cat to Hailey and Zaphod is intense. So for the time being, we will be cat free and maybe, just maybe, I will get over my litter obsession.

Angels Bagheera and Cinder

Feline Friday - Nin is home

I have been waiting for Nin's return to thank you all for your kind words and love since Nin died. It somehow didn't feel right to thank everyone until he was home. Maybe because this is when his journey really ends. 

We received the call last Thursday that his remains had been returned to our vet clinic. As the clinic is an hour away and neither of us happened to be going to the city we left him there until Monday.

On Monday morning, on my way to work I picked him up. It felt weird all day Monday to know my cat's ashes were sitting on the passenger seat in the car.  It felt weird to be driving with Nin's ashes in the car. He hated the car and would sing the entire ride. It was strange to have any part of him in the car and it be so quiet. I found myself periodically meowing during the drive home.

Nin's remains in a box, on the passenger seat of the car, beside my lunch

When I walked through the door at the end of the day, Hailey who is always excited to see me, went crazy over the box. Perhaps just because it smelt like the vet clinic or perhaps because she understood. Then Man says he heard Nin as I walked in the door. I hear him a lot and I think I see a cat out of the corner of my eye often. I have since Bagheera died almost a year ago. I think some of that is the 20 years and 11 days we spent as cat owners (a little more than half my life!).

When Baggy died, I had ordered an urn that would fit the two of them. They were truly best friends and I wanted them to be together. I have now placed (felt more like jammed) Nin in with Baggy. They are together again.

The urn is currently in a glass cupboard in the kitchen until we figure out where we want to keep it

This week we received the following letter from the Ontario Veterinarian College Pet Trust in Guelph Ontario. In memory of our dear Cinder, our clinic, Ottawa Veterinarian Hospital,  made a donation to this trust. The money is used for research that hopefully will allow better care for our pets.

Yesterday we received a letter from the Ottawa Humane Society saying our vet clinic had made a donation to them in Nin's honour. We would like to thank the amazing folks at Ottawa Veterinary Hospital for their generosity in Nin's memory. (There is a reason we drive an hour to the vet). 

Thank you all again for sharing this less than fun part of our journey with us. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Our kitty angels, Bagheera (left) and Nin

Celebrating Cinder

Today would have been our boy's 20th birthday. Now it is two days since his death. Instead of feeling sad we are going to celebrate his life today.

He came into our lives when the Man picked him (the only pet the Man has got to pick to date). I wanted the orange tabby to be Shere Khan to our Bagheera, but Man wanted this 3 month old black cat. I didn't want to call him Cinder, that had been my grandparents labs name, but I lost that battle too. It took me weeks to remember his name, I called him Clyde, Mint and who knows what else. Finally, because he was so skinny, he became skinny Ninny, aka Nin. I rarely called him anything else. His Auntie K called him "Cindy Lou Who". Poor cat never got called his name.

When they wrote the lyrics "Everybody wants to be a cat" the cat they were writing about was Cinder. He had the life I would want if I was a cat.

He was a simple guy; he wasn't going to win any IQ awards, although once as a kitten after hours of staring at the fridge, one day he just removed all the magnets. He did it a second time and then never did it again. His memory seemed short so things just didn't bother him. He didn't get very upset (although he could give the stink eye) and let things go easily. Life would be easier if I could do that.

He was a loving guy; he left no lap unlaid on. There would be times were you just didn't want him on your lap and you would have pushed him off 3 or 4 times and then suddenly you would realize he was sitting on you. You would wonder why and then would realize it was because he had "stealth".  It was probably one of the few moments in his life he was quiet when he was doing his stealth ninja move to get on your lap.

A picture taken after a stealth move to my lap

He was a loud guy;  he sang a lot. The vet guesses given how much he talked he was likely part Siamese. He sang when he was hungry. He sang before he was sick. He sang when he was upset (like when having to be in the car). He sang if you closed a door.  He sang because he could. He sang and sang and sang. I am sure we will hear ghost singing in the coming weeks.  Until the last few years, when age took it away, he was also a very purry guy. During most of his love he would purr. It was the one thing I missed in his old age.

Bagheera left, Nin on the right

He was a tolerant guy.  He tolerated Loki humping him, then Gemini very aggressively humping him, and finally Hailey humping him.  In spite of this he could still be found snuggling them if they were where he wanted to sleep. He tolerated us dressing him up. In one favourite memory we had a diaper left by a visiting friend with kid. For fun once, we cut a tail hole and had him wear it. We got the Nin stink eye but nothing else.

He could be a naughty guy. His litter box habits were never perfect. He missed a lot. He peed outside of closed doors. He peed on the bath mat. He peed on the dogs bed. He sort of lived a lot of his life peeing where he wanted.

He was a pukey guy. Of all the pets we have ever had, Nin has been the one who threw up the most. In his youth, when he groomed himself well, he had a lot of hairballs. He also didn't always know he was full (see point about being simple) and often would only stop eating when he threw up. I would guess that at least every 3 days of the 19 + years of his life one of us was cleaning up his puke.

Bagheera left, Nin right

He was a peaceful guy. Except for a couple times where he just snapped and beat the heck out of Baggy, he was a calm, peaceful, and tolerant (see above). He just went with the flow.

He was Hailey's guy. While he tolerated angels Loki and Gemi, he and Hailey had a special bond. She believed him to be her cat. She wanted to play with him, although sometimes she was a little rough for his old bones. When the Man first got up 2 mornings ago, Hailey was the one who alerted Man to the fact something was wrong with her Nin. She was whining and nudging Nin and then, when Man moved Nin to a blanket to assess him, she laid beside him.  She was upset when we removed him from the house and searched for him when we came back. She will miss him.

These are just a few of the memories we have of Nin. I could write pages and page and pages.

I always use to say that Nin would have been the perfect cat for someone who lived alone. You never felt alone when he was around. He was good company. You don't realize the presence your 20 year old cat who sleeps 20 hours a day has in your house until it is gone. The house is a little emptier without him, but our hearts will always be fuller for having shared our lives with him for 19 years 7 months and 28 days.

To Nin - thanks for the memories.

With love the Lady and the Man

The Day The House Went Quiet - In Memory of Nin

Cinder (Nin)

July 2, 1995 to June 30, 2015

It is with a heavy heart I share with you that two days before his 20th birthday we had to say goodbye to our boy. He sang until the end and was surrounded with love.

We will celebrate his life on Thursday in honour of his 20th birthday and we hope you will join us then.

Nin - thank you for 19+ years of love and companionship. Your trolling, singing, and always being in the way will be missed more than you can imagine. 

The Lady, The Man, Hailey and Zaphod

Black and White Sunday - BFFs

I love that Lee and Nin are truly best friends. Any chance I get I am taking pictures of the two! 

Confessions of a Dog Lady - My Old Cat is Eating Junkfood

I guess today is really confessions of a cat lady, keeping with 3 days in a row about our Nin!

I have had a cat for 20 years in 2 weeks and dogs for 15 years or so. I have always prided myself on feeding them well to help keep them healthy. Heck, they probably eat better than I do most of the time!

There have been two exceptions to this:

1) When angel Loki our first dog was dying and not eating, we gave him whatever he wanted. The vet actually said to do this.

2) The last few months I have moved Nin, who will be 20 in less than a month, from a premium food to cheaper food. We moved him from the creme de la creme hard food (at like $60 a bag) to a moderate hard food with low protein as suggested by the vet (which is about $25 a bag). We can't tell how much he is eating because we think he is sharing with the mouse.

We finally used up all the canned food from the vet, that was also premium and like $4 a can (and that is just tiny cans). It took forever to use it up as Nin ate very little. The Man and I had a discussion and decided that we would try canned food from the grocery store.  No surprise, Nin LOVES it. He is probably eating more than he was of the expensive stuff. I realize that this isn't as good for him, but at this point he is happy and eating, so I am happy. Although I do feel a little bad about it. However, I remind myself that  at this point probably doesn't really make a difference.   I hope when I am a hundred I can eat cake at every meal if I want!

Feline Friday - Mystery Solved

On Saturday we took the dogs to camp, got groceries (because camp is half way between our house and the grocery store) and then came home and got ready for the wedding.

After the Man's bath he accidentally left the bathmat down. I was doing my hair and I looked over to see Nin finishing his pee on the bathmat. 

Now we know for sure who the bathmat peer is!

I am old and I will pee where I want to

Feline Friday - Maybe You Can Teach an Old Cat New Tricks

I was really excited when we won the Torus bowl from http://www.ownedbyahusky.ca.  It arrived and I put it down and Phod ran right to eat and drank. Hailey was scared (after a few days she was fine) and Nin, well he didn't notice. A day or so later, Nin had his first "episode" and we had made the decision to leave both water bowls down. We didn't want to confuse him if he was already having problems.

One morning the old water bowl was out of water, and Nin went over and drank happily out of the Torus bowl. So we have been a one water bowl family every since!

It shows that even our old boy can learn something new!

Nin has had a seemingly good week. We haven't witnessed any more neurological events (although this doesn't mean they aren't happening). He seems himself, so we are just enjoying him! Thanks again for all your POTP.

Black and White Sunday - Photobomb!

Nin was not impressed when Phod photobombed his shot!

Feline Friday - Old Cat - Warm Sun

Tasty Tuesday - A Special Plate

Sharing

For a very special treat, the pups got to lick some plates clean. They were very happy. Even Nin joined in!

Hailey, Zaphod and Nin

Black and White Sunday - Love

At breakfast this morning, we looked over to this cutest of sights:

Nin and Hailey

Happy Sunday!

Feline Friday - Living with an Ancient Cat

Stop disturbing my sleep to see if I am alive, I am!

Our Nin is ancient. He is 19 years 9 months old. He is starting to slow down. Some days he is a little "tippy" and his balance isn't great. However, for the time being his quality of life is good and he is not suffering.

We are realistic that our Nin is not going to live forever and since Baggy was lucky enough to go peacefully in his sleep last July, we are hoping for the same for Nin. In the morning if he hasn't starting singing as soon as we get up (often he as started before), we go and check him to make sure he is still alive. Every evening, the first person home (usually Man) checks him to make sure he is still alive. If we haven't seen him for a bit, we check to make sure he is still alive. Each time he is, we say "Glad to see you are still alive Nin."  This is our new reality. Every day or part day with our Nin is a blessing.

Black and White Sunday - Buddies

This picture was taken with the 2 of them on my lap. Nin and Lee are such good friend. 

Feline Friday - Blast From The Past

Recently I finally unpacked my photo albums and I came across a zillion pictures of the cats.

Here is one from October 1999:

This is how they spent much of their time, snuggled. Bagheera is the one in front and Nin is the one sitting up on the pillow. 

They truly were best friends.