Tyranny of Memory

Thanks everybody for your condolences with Isis. It does mean a lot to me.

Bette called a few minutes ago to let me know Isis was gone. I woke up early to have some extra time with her this morning, normally I only get in a few strokes and then have to leave, which gets the "where did you go" look. This morning I was able to scratch her butt, while rubbing her head (a newer twist this past year) until we reached overstimulation (at which she swats and bites playfully, and gives you the "why did you stop" look at the same time). Then we went to sniff the wild winds, where she sits in front of the open patio door. This is normal for her when it gets cold. If it's warm she'll just go out. I also picked her up twice and hummed to her. And then finally, we petted her, including speed petting (two hands, always one moving on her) until she was annoyed. This is announced when any attempt to touch her is met with a bite or swat with claws, usually while still purring. There was lots of purring this morning from my little broken engine (Isis purred in a two stroke manner). IT may have been me, but her purring this morning sounded different in some way (tonal qualities).

She didn't eat any of her breakfast, only licked up the juice.

I remember bringing her home. We found her in Chagrin South (a local park), trying to catch insects and being generally adorable. There were people at the picnic area near bye and we asked if she was theirs. Nobody knew who she belonged to. The parking area we were near was pretty far from the road. But here was a skinny little black cat, being very friendly. So we took her home and put ads in the papers (nobody ever called). She was so malnourished the vet though she was only a year old when we first took her. Four months later when we had her fixed, the vet adjusted that to two years, but still felt she was born in the fall. So we choose Halloween as her official birthday.

The first few months we us, she would have nightmares and would need to be calmed down. We played with her a lot. For some reason she liked it when I threw her on the bed, and then she'd come back and ask for more. I was about the only one she would let pick her up and carry her. With Bette she would squirm after a minute or two, and except for vets, she didn't let anybody else pick her up.

We lived on the sixth floor in our apartment complex, but we had a balcony and bird feeder. Our little huntress would grab a bird about every week or so. Some days we would come home to find the entire living room strewn with feathers, and a content cat snoozing on the bed. One day when Bette was working in southern Ohio, I decided to sleep late. After several pouncings, Isis decided drastic measures were needed. I heard her come into the room and walk around the bed. I was sleeping close to the edge of the bed, so she was able to release the mourning dove she had captured right in my face. There are few things that will wake you up faster than a somewhat large bird taking off into your face. That was a fun half hour to finally get a blanket over the bird and take it outside.

When we got the house, the first day she was scared. The second day she was running around. And the third day she jumped off the deck and walked around to the front door. A few days after that the presents started. A few chipmunks or mice every day. It was only after about eight years of her being with us that she would sit on our laps, although she preferred Bette's lap, she wouldn't immediately leave mine if I place her there (and petted he). I only got her to eat from my hand once. She never really misbehaved, at least not like other cats do. She only had a few litter box accidents (mostly peeing over the box edge), and we never came home to surprises.

She was a good cat to us. I wish she would have let another kitty into our lives, because I'd want that cat to learn from her, but she was very jealous of us. Even of other humans who came to visit.

I already feel that hole in me where she was. I'll miss her a lot.