Josette

Josette passed away on Wednesday. Every loss at Blue Bell is painful but we each have cats who we form closer bonds with, and for me, Josette was one of the closest bonds I have ever formed.

She arrived at the Blue Bell on October 6, 2007 with her "sister" Princess (who just passed away from cancer July 25 of this year - just 8 weeks ago) and "brother" Sweet Pea. Josette was the oldest, being born in 1997, but she acted the youngest at the time, like a kitten and still did until just the past few weeks. She had hyperthyroidism and IBD but was very active and was managing very well until the past month.

She was my "kitchen cat." She would greet me at the door first thing in the morning and then run into the kitchen to eat several helpings of food. She would jump up on the counter and hang out on the medical charts, overseeing my work throughout the day either from the counter or from the floor on a blanket or from the chair in the lobby. If I was gone more than a few minutes, she would wait at the door for me to let her through and would then follow me around. And at lunch, oh lunchtime I will miss her the most... See, Josette LOVED turkey and she would hang out with me outside on the table - fighting me for every bite of my sandwich. If I didn't give her a piece fast enough, she would swat at my hand that held the sandwich and pull it towards her and if I wasn't careful, she would leap forward and bite off as big of a piece that she could with gusto.

She loved catnip and would roll around in it until she was covered with more green than black on her body andJosette then she would just strut around (and strut she did!) like nothing had happened. That always made me laugh.

About a month ago she started losing weight and just 2 weeks ago developed a nasty ear infection and then a problem with her eye that our vet thought might be cancer. She was scheduled to have a biopsy on Monday and when the vet had her under anesthesia she felt a mass in her abdomen and also did a biopsy of that. On Wednesday, we received the bad news that it was in fact cancer that has spread throughout, just as her little body started to fail. That morning, she stopped eating and started hiding and not wanting attention. I had planned on stopping by after work that day with a little care package for her - baby food, her favorite flavor of cat food and of course, turkey. But just after lunch I received the call that she was not doing well and would need to be put to sleep that afternoon.

When I arrived, she was in a little cube bed on a table in Skyler's room and I called her name and she looked up and I stroked her chin and head. I sat in the chair next to her so as to not bother her and after a couple of minutes, she came out of the cube and laid down in my lap. She tried to eat some turkey - she wanted it and she tried to eat it but she just couldn't. So I sat with her and talked to her and stroked her beautiful black fur and told her it would be ok. She went back into the cube for a few minutes and then came out again and lay down in my lap. After a few minutes she jumped up on the table and. I went and got Sweet Pea and set him next to her on the table. They headbutted each other and then she put her head down to the plate and ate a few small pieces of turkey. He sat next to her for a couple of minutes until she went back into the cube and then I brought him back to his room. I scratched her chin and then one last time, she came out and lay down on my lap for about 5 minutes. It was very special and I am not sure if I was comforting her or if she was comforting me. Maybe a little of both? And then she went back into the cube.

As Stephanie was standing in the lobby, holding her in the cube before she and Annie took her to the vet, Josette pushed her head out of the cube as if to say goodbye one last time and I kissed her on her head and told her I loved her and to say hi to Princess for me. And that was it. I understand it was very quick and peaceful and now she is no longer in pain and for that I am grateful. She was such a fighter.

I'll miss you sweet Josie girl, Josie Jo, Josettie, Josie Josetteh, pretty lady, my little shadow. But I promise you will always be in my heart - until we meet again. And I'll take good care of Sweet Pea okay?

--- Joyce