In Loving Memory Of Misty, My Loyal Bodyguard

It has taken me a whole day and I still have not come to terms with Misty’s sudden departure.

But I want to write this tribute to Misty.

I think Misty first came to our house in December 2022 or early 2023. I first named her “Trixie” and she wasn’t a regular visitor. Samantha was the regular cat at that time and she would not allow “Trixie” into the porch. Samantha and Trixie were both very, very difficult to catch to be neutered. I needed a lot of time to gain their trust through feeding. There was once when both were pregnant and fought viciously on the road, into the drain, and onto the road again. That was the one fight they had. Soon, “Trixie” persisted in coming to our porch, and I named her Misty.

It was only after I manage to lure Samantha into the house so that she could give birth safely that Misty had the freedom to occupy the porch. By then, Gerald and Creamy had already been neutered, so Misty chose Gerald as her best friend. It took me some time and finally in March 2023, I was able to lure Misty into the house and I got her neutered and vaccinated. Misty was tested FIV-positive.

About a week before I finally got Misty neutered, she brought her only surviving kitten, Hiro, and placed him under my car one night. I discovered Hiro and took him to the vet’s the next day. Hiro was found to be having very severe flu and one lung had totally collapsed. He was very, very sickly and was only estimated to be about 3-4 weeks old. But Hiro was a strong little fella, and with medication and care at home, Hiro completely recovered from the collapsed lung and was given a clean bill of health. Hiro became Jayden’s loyal companion. But alas, that did not last because Hiro was also FIV-positive and being so young, the virus wreaked havoc in his little body and he contracted IMHA. While dogs stand a chance to recover from IMHA, for cats, it is almost always fatal within days of diagnosis. With his poor immunity, Hiro didn’t make it and was only with us for a total of 36 beautiful days.

Misty lived in the porch and the outdoors and she and Gerald became the very best of friends. I have actually never seen any two cats this close before. They ate together, they went everywhere together. If Gerald was late in coming to eat, Misty would not eat at all; she would wait for him.

Misty and Gerald became my loyal bodyguards whenever I went for walks, but I would always go up to the park and make sure both of them followed me up where it was safe from cars on the road. They both understood the drill – they would wait for me at the park while I did my rounds on the road. I never allowed them to follow me on the road.

Both of them were my taiji companions and Misty was also our gardening companion.

Some time in April this year, Misty fought off a big cobra in front of the next-door neighbour’s house. A passer-by saw the encounter and alerted the neighbour. We all went out to see and Misty was there but the cobra had gone into hiding. Misty, such a small-sized cat, had singlehandedly fought off the reptile. The first thing I did was to immediately take Misty and Gerald (who had by then come) into the house. Although we had no “zones” for them, I put them with the Blondies in Bunny’s Place. Samantha used to be her arch-enemy but this time, they were both okay.

I had wanted Gerald and Misty to live in Bunny’s Place with Blondies if Samantha did not fight with Misty. Samantha accepted her. Unfortunately, Gerald did not want to be confined at all. He would yowl and mew nonstop for hours on end, making it unbearable and I was very worried the neighbours would complain especially when I was surrounded all sides by neighbours who were not tolerant of cats. Gerald’s yowls were extremely loud and persistent.

After 18 days of “orientation”, the yowling became worse, so we decided to release Gerald. Gerald was so pleased to be outdoors again. I think Misty didn’t quite mind being indoors, but she needed to be with Gerald. So with Gerald being out, Misty too wanted to be out. In fact, during the 18 day-orientation, Misty escaped a few times from Bunny’s Place. Her head was so small that she could go out through the holes in the anti-climb netting. I quickly got the contractor to plug all her escape routes. But confining them was a failure as both wanted to be outdoors.

So they both lived happily outdoors, always returning to the porch as their safe haven. They would come back multiple times a day for food and I would always feed them. They accompanied me for walks and taiji at the park.

Misty loved kibble so I set up a little kibble station for her in the porch too. She had her own jar and two bowls. I had just begun transitioning both of them to raw food again and it was a successful attempt, but Misty still wanted her kibble snacks and I gave in to her.

In the last few days, Misty wanted to come into the house. She has always been welcome into the house. I have never ever denied her entry before. I let her in, but before long, she would ask to go out again. She couldn’t stay long inside a house, she just wasn’t comfortable.

Losing a loved one to a car accident is too sudden, it is unexpected and tragic. I am fully aware that living outdoors, street animals will be subject to all these dangers. It is not that I did not attempt to keep them indoors. I did, but they weren’t happy. When I released them, I told myself that what matters is that they live each day happily, the way they had chosen.

I do not know how old Misty is, because she came in late 2022 or early 2023. She has only been with us for about one-and-a-half years, but in this time, she has endeared herself to us so much.

She reminded us very much of Heidi. Like Heidi, Misty also had a mind of her own. I hadn’t been able to carry her yet, after so long, but at least I could pat her. Females who had led a feral life are more cautious than males.

I need time to grieve and mourn. I will miss Misty very, very much.

Misty will live on in the hearts of all of us who love her.

From stardust to stardust till the next Big Bang, I will never forget you, Misty. Thank you so much for being in our lives.

Below is a photo tribute to Misty, amongst the hundreds of photos I had taken of Gerald and her, practically every single day.

Rewinding back to about one-and-a-half years ago when Creamy, Gerald and Misty were friends in the porch.

This was right after Misty had been neutered and undergone “confinement” for recovery. She wasn’t happy being confined in the upstairs bedroom so I let her out to be free again.

Little Hiro, Misty’s son.

Hiro was such a perky and sweet little kitten.

After Samantha was confined indoors, Misty and Gerald became the very, very best of friends.

Misty loved this basket.

Even before the cobra incident, Gerald and Misty were allowed into the house, but they weren’t happy. They wanted to live outdoors and to be free.

After the cobra incident, I confined Gerald and Misty inside the house, but Gerald would yowl nonstop during all his waking hours.

Misty even found an escape route from Bunny’s Place, but she would come back for food. And for her friend, Gerald.

This was Misty’s special kibble feeding station. I set it up only for her.

Misty was a kibble queen.

Even after the 18-day trial confinement failed, I still let them into the house whenever they were willing to, especially during feeding.

But they always preferred to go out.

While Gerald had other houses to go to, Misty only had our porch and she was very comfortable here.

The whole porch was hers, unless Creamy or Socks came. Then, there would be some chaos.

Gerald and Misty loved following me to the park.

Waiting patiently for me as I did my morning walk. I did rounds, so every time I reached our house, they would be there waiting for me.

They were always together. It was Misty who needed to be with Gerald and not vice-versa. Misty would be completely lost without Gerald.

Misty loved climbing trees. So much like Heidi.

I miss you so, so, so much, Misty.

You live on in my heart. Thank you so much for enriching our lives with your love.  You were my brave and loyal bodyguard, my taiji companion, my gardening companion, my friend and my guardian angel.

Thank you very much to all friends who sent messages of comfort. Your support, empathy and kindness are so appreciated.

The post In loving memory of Misty, my loyal bodyguard appeared first on AnimalCare.

Source: https://animalcare.my/2024/07/09/in-loving-memory-of-misty-m..

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