Our Jess

Our Jess looking good in the garden

Three weeks ago we had two cats and now we have none. I found our Jess in the kitchen on Sunday morning, her face pointed towards the garden through the patio door. It looked like she was going to join her brother. Like him, she was so peaceful in her final sleep.

If Skimble was the stately cat, then Jess had a touch of the clown and scamp about her and kept us in stitches. She'd also purr for ages after you'd been near her, even if no stroke or cuddle was on offer. I went to sleep on Saturday night hearing her last purrathon from the bathroom where she'd taken up residence to keep cool.

Snoozy cats
The house is empty without our favourite pair. Thank goodness NAH comes home from holiday today, so we can share our grief. Then tomorrow we'll set them free to play in the garden.

On Sunday I completed this year's big butterfly count in her honour. There's nothing she liked more than chasing them around in the sunshine.

You can read more about our cats' adventures here.

Comments

  1. Flighty25 July 2018 at 11:23

    My heartfelt sympathies. xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anna25 July 2018 at 14:46

    Oh Michelle I don't know what to say. You mentioned in your last post that you thought that Jess might not have long left on this earth. I'm glad to read that that she sang you to sleep on Saturday night and that her last sleep was peaceful. Hope that NAH is home early tomorrow ((())) xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 July 2018 at 19:02

      NAH arrived home safely and we've been hugging each other hard. It's a week since we lost Jess and we miss her and Skimble terribly.

      Delete
  3. Suzanne25 July 2018 at 16:19

    So sorry to hear this! Both my cats are 14 (brothers), their sister Dot belonged to my sister and in the space of a month she lost both her dog and Dot. Dot suddenly became very ill and they had to have her put to sleep a week after the initial vets visit.
    I am very worried about my two now being the same age, they are my babies!
    Nice that they have kind of gone together but I can imagine how quiet it is without them, although I'm sure they are both there in spirit somewhere :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 July 2018 at 19:03

      Thanks Suzanne and welcome to Veg Plotting. They were both 17 years old - long lived for cats :)

      Delete
  4. Hazel25 July 2018 at 18:45

    I'm so sorry Michelle, I've just read both your posts one after the other. Thinking of you both. One of our cats is unwell at the moment and hasn't been seen for about a week. I'm hoping it's just one of her usual summer 'holidays' but I am worried.
    I was just thinking of you last week because I was at Ball Colegrave's public open evening.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 July 2018 at 19:03

      Thanks Hazel - as you can see I've been a bit preoccupied lately. I hope to return to Ball Colegrave next year :)

      Delete
  5. gz25 July 2018 at 18:52

    sad news..but they were a pair...and went as they lived

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 July 2018 at 19:04

      They certainly did. I can't think of a better way for them to go, even though it's hard to let them go.

      Delete
  6. Juliet26 July 2018 at 00:32

    Oh VP, I am so sorry x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sue Garrett26 July 2018 at 12:41

    Sorry about that, it’s a double blow. Do you have any idea what the causes were,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 July 2018 at 19:06

      Hi Sue, they were 17 years old and had got steadily thinner the past few months. It could be 1 of a number of things, but I suspect the recent hot weather might have got too much for them.

      Delete
  8. Diana Studer26 July 2018 at 23:17

    I have never had a cat die peacefully at home. Always via the vet.

    Thinking of you - two losses so close together - is grim.

    Zoe is sleeping on my footstool and leaning on my leg, Thomas heaving a happy sigh as he enjoys the fire (cold front and rain tomorrow we hope)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 July 2018 at 19:08

      Our first two went that way Diana and both 'told' us they were ready to go. We didn't get that with these two. In fact Jess went outside on her final full day and was rolling around on the patio, washing herself and head rubbing one of the tub trugs there. Quite normal behaviour for her.

      Delete
  9. colleen28 July 2018 at 14:39

    Oh, so sorry to read this. I was thinking only this week of how sad the remaining partner of an old couple can be when their partner dies, and then often follows them more quickly than might be expected. Poor Jess.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP29 July 2018 at 19:10

      Lucy survived for 3 years after Tinker but then he had FIV and went well before he should. With hindsight I think Jess's quiet acceptance of Skimble's body on the patio at the time shows it wasn't long before she'd follow him.

      Delete

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