RIP Wondermouse

The Boss Lady is gone.

Shortly after Lesley left for college a kitten appeared on our side gate. She was a ball of white fur with smoky lavender smudges on her her nose, tail, and two feet. She demanded to be brought in the house and quickly took over control of the older cats who lived with us at that time -- and all of the people. We named her Beatrice because she acted so like a little princess.

Through the years, as she got her grown up coloring, it became obvious that she was a Siamese and Tortie mix -- with the sassy and chatty personality that tends to go with both breeds. She was always a small cat who ruled the larger cats in our household. In the summer of 2009 I blogged about her waking me up in the middle of the night to scoop out her box.

A few months ago she decided that the trip to our bed was just too much for her and she has been sleeping in her chair in our family room. Three weeks ago she was getting on the dining table and jumping to the kitchen counter -- slowly and painfully, but managing. Just Friday she came into the kitchen as soon as she heard me opening a can of tuna (I drain the water into little bowls and the cats have their treat).

Suddenly last night she was unable to make it even to the laundry room to urinate. She used the family room rug and couldn't get back onto her chair. I cleaned up the spot (cat owners often have carpet shampoo handy) and put her back on her chair. She whimpered when I picked her up and couldn't get comfortable on the chair. When I sat down by the chair and stroked her head she failed to purr for the first time. She was simply miserable.

We knew that the time had come. Luckily our vet is open and staffed on weekends for emergency services. When we decided to take her in we learned that she has lost over a pound in the past couple of weeks despite the steroids she was taking. We knew she was in pain and was ready to give up. She lay quietly while the vet gave her an injection and simply went to sleep.

We hope that as she moves on to the next of her nine lives she will give another family as much laughter and love as she has given ours.

RIP Beatrice Jean Charlotte Wondermouse Doig We will always cherish your memory.