Found him frozen in the middle of winter and thought he was dead. Bottle fed him, and now I have a 12 year old permakitten that hops on me any time I sit down anywhere.

  • Orbituary@lemmy.worldEnglish
    331·
    3 months ago

    I found my baby 18 years ago this month. She was one day old and I bottle fed her. She became my best friend and closest companion. I lost her to cancer on August 10th and it still hurts every day.

    • thefartographer@lemm.ee
      121·
      3 months ago

      I like to believe that cats truly do have 9 lives. But each of their lives is the entire time that they spend with an owner. While you got 18 years of wonderful companionship, she got to spend 0.1111111 of her entire lifespan being treated as a best friend and closest companion.

      Some problems can only be fixed by a cat and some of the lives that some cats endure are surely more difficult than others. I’m sure she’s with her next assignment and still thinking about what a wonderful 18-year reprieve you gave her and I’m sure other cats are aching for their turn to spend a life with you based on reputation.

    • Empricorn@feddit.nlEnglish
      61·
      3 months ago

      Last September for me. Not really helpful to say, but it does get easier. Wishing you the best… ❤️

    • iamanurd@midwest.socialOPEnglish
      51·
      3 months ago

      Sorry friend, that’s awful. Glad you had almost 18 years with her though. Hoping the pain fades a bit while the memories live strong.

  • iamanurd@midwest.socialOPEnglish
    261·
    3 months ago

    Bonus photo. It was Taco Bob’s birthday yesterday, and he shared some of his tuna with Pliny.

  • thefartographer@lemm.ee
    81·
    3 months ago

    I recently learned that I’m not a cat-person and it made me very sad. Y’all loving your kitties like Pliny and Taco Bob while posting pics and stories makes me feel the warmth and happiness that I wish I felt petting a cat. Thank you for sharing your kitties with people like me.

    • Blackout@fedia.io
      81·
      3 months ago

      This is common. I was a no-pet person until my wife convinced me to get a cat. That kitten did not care about my space. It was on my lap anytime it wanted and he was going to kiss my face or else. Its hard to push away something that loves you from the first moment.

      • thefartographer@lemm.ee
        81·
        3 months ago

        I rescued a cat a few months ago from in front of my work. She turned out to be a 13-year-old sweetheart who was abandoned by her original owner. She was so loving and cuddly and incredibly happy to interact with anyone.

        As much as it warmed my heart that she loved to cuddle on me and next to me, there was something about the texture of her fur, the structure of her joints and bones, and her size:weight ratio that gave me a huge feeling of ick that I simply couldn’t shake. I always felt nauseous while petting her, it felt like a furry underweight roasting chicken. I wanted so badly to cuddle her and loved her so much (from a distance).

        I’d take care of all of her feeding and cleaning and my wife took care of all the longer interactions/cuddles. She also hated our dog and was stressed out by our dog’s mere existence. I’m glad that we eventually got her into a new happy, loving home. I still miss her head bumps, mews, purrs, and licks.

        That’s why seeing people love their cats like this vicariously makes me feel so happy. I get to read and share how happy your cat makes you without any of the physical interaction.

        • iamanurd@midwest.socialOPEnglish
          51·
          3 months ago

          Glad to share, and sorry that cathood didn’t work out. I’ve never heard of anything quite like that before.

    • Boxscape@lemmy.sdf.org
      61·
      3 months ago

      I recently learned that I’m not a cat-person

      How do you mean? “[R]ecently learned … and it made me very sad.” Makes it sound like you discovered you had an allergy or something?

      There’s medicine for that though—I got asthma attacks from being with cats, so I used inhalers for example.
      There might be a way!

      • thefartographer@lemm.ee
        41·
        3 months ago

        Unfortunately, for my issue, I couldn’t find a therapist who could unwrap why physical interaction with a cat made me gag. Maybe it’s some strange phobia…

        • Boxscape@lemmy.sdf.org
          2·
          2 months ago

          Aw that sounds terrible. But also, sounds like a unique and interesting reaction! I wonder if it’s just the fur, or if the body and joints contribute too like you were saying—maybe you could have a a sphinx if it’s the former.