Remembering Mizi

Back September 13th, 2010, our Kitty Girl, Mitzi passed away.  We are blessed to have had such a long time with her, and without a doubt, she knew she was loved.



Anyone who came into our home over the years was greeted with a big, fat, black cat that flopped over on her side, rolling until her legs were all up in the air to make sure you saw her and got a good look at her belly.  Like a dog, she sure enjoyed a belly rub, taking attention from everyone.

I’d like share how Mitzi came into Merle’s life, and eventually mine. Before Merle and I met, he and his best friend Will were roommates for many years.  In 1996, they learned of a cat at the Animal Shelter where Will’s friend Denise worked.  This 2 year old cat had nursed a litter of kittens, (not her own), but was a few days away from being euthanized.  Will and Merle told Denise they would take the cat if there were no other options found.  And this is how Mitzi found her new home!

She was very skittish, and because of her other obsessive nervous behavior, it was clear she had been abused before her time at the shelter.  Mitzi found attentive, loving caretakers with Will and Merle, and soon felt right at home. 

She had several favorite spots at that apartment; one was burrowed in the bottom of the box springs of Will’s bed. The only way to know she was there was to get on the floor and peer under the bed.  If there was a bulge in the bottom of the mattress, she was in there sleeping.  Another favorite place was any time Merle was sitting at the computer, she could be found curled up on his lap, “helping” him with whatever he was working on at the time.

Early on, her nervous behavior was a concern.  She would lick her fur so much, it had thinned out and she had bald patches.  When Merle asked the Vet about this, Dr. Myer told him that Mitzi was “depressed” and needed a pet.  Merle thought the Vet was joking.  So, Mitzi didn’t get a pet, just yet…

Merle and I met in 2001, and this was when Mitzi came into my life. She was such a ladylike kitty and so very soft!  She had earned the nickname of “Living Pillow” because she would lie on the couch and let you rest your head on her while she purred like mad.

Eventually, Merle and I moved in together.  Mitzi and my dog Sarge made up our family.  Mitzi was very indifferent to Sarge, almost as if she saw him as a four-legged inconvenience with a tail.  Everything was cool with her as long as he stayed out of her way.

A few weeks later, I had to retrieve the rest of my belongings from my ex-husband’s house; this is the part of how Mitzi got her pet. As Merle and I were busy gathering my things and getting them to the car, we noticed a little grey, fluff ball on the railing of the porch. This was a feisty hissing ball of fur who quickly found
her way into our home via a simple conversation that went                                                       something like this:

Me:      “Awwww, she is so cute.  We HAVE to find her a home!”

Merle:  “Uh huh, yeah.”

Me:      “Aw, she is so cute!  What are we going to name her?!”

Merle:  “Wait, what?!”

Me:      “I love you honey!”

In the car, headed back to our apartment, with the hissing ball of fluff in a box on my lap, it was clear she was to become the newest addition to our family. Upon arriving home, we watched Mitzi take to the new fuzz ball, and we knew this was the “pet” Dr. Myer had recommended.   It was amazing to see how they bonded.  Mitzi allowed her Pet to nurse on her and they quickly became inseparable.  We named the grey fluff ball Renata.  Renata was also known as “Fake Baby” because of her relationship with Mitzi, who became known as “Fake Momma.”   Our little family was complete.

*About Renata >>> HERE

Merle and I are not able to have children, so our animals are our babies.  They hold a very special place in our hearts.  Mitzi bloomed into an attentive “Mommy” for Renata, stopped her nervous habits, and her coat grew in glossy and thick.  She became very social and cuddlier.  Her “pet,” Renata, WAS just what the Doctor ordered.

After we lost Sarge the Wonder Dog to cancer, (he lived for 16 years…a VERY good dog’s life), it was quite a blow. Mitzi and Renata lifted our spirits. Our family grew closer as we coped with his loss.

Early on in Mitzi’s life, the Vet discovered she had a thyroid disorder. This meant that she required attention with daily medicine, which we had to hide in her food.  Being the only cat on Earth not interested in treats, hiding this medicine “treat” in her dry food pellets didn’t cut it.  She nosed through the food, pushing out the “treats”.  This caused us to have to mush up the “treat” into a partial serving of soft food.   Needless to say, feeding time was interesting; getting Renata to eat her own food while coaxing Mitzi to not eat everything so fast was a finely choreographed dance.

During her last year, Mitzi started losing weight.  Being the elder, senior kitty now, we knew this could have something to do with her thyroid disorder, but we were assured by the Vet to keep an eye on her behavior and as long as she was being “Mitzi” and not exhibiting signs of pain, this was to be expected of a lady her age.  She gradually slimmed down and became very frail with arthritis in her joints but she was still our girl, just our old girl.

On a Sunday morning, she was waiting by the bedroom door when I woke up, as was her place.  She trotted in and hopped up on the bed.  Both Merle and I could see she didn’t quite make the last part of the landing, although she seemed fine at first.  As we continued to watch her throughout the day, she went from bad to worse by the time we were ready to go to sleep.  Instead of sleeping away from her, we decided to sleep in the living room with her and be near her if she “called” for us.   Renata was wide-eyed and kept watch the entire night on the arm of the sofa.

The next day, Monday morning, Merle got up and checked on her.  She had moved to another spot but seemed very alert, greeting him with her large bright eyes and her silent “Meorrwp.”  Offering her belly for a rub as was the habit every morning to see Daddy off to work, she seemed “OK,” just not 100%.   Merle went on to work as planned, and when I woke up, she was still in that same spot.  She looked up at me the same way, and I, too, thought that was a good sign.

After getting ready for my morning, I came back out to the living room in time to see her move back to her spot (where the water bowl was).  It was clear she was going downhill again fast.  I called Merle to update him.  After this point everything happened quickly.

She did go to the Vet with us by her side.  Dr. Myer looked her over and told us that he suspected that when she jumped up on the bed, she had injured her spine and had thrown a blood clot.  While heroic measures were an option for a younger kitty, we knew our girl wasn’t up for all the trauma that a spine injury brings.  It was time for us to let her go.

No matter how much you think you prepare for this, there is nothing to prevent the crushing blow to your heart when it's time. Thank goodness Renata was waiting for us when we returned home. She became very attentive to us after Mitzi went Over The Rainbow Bridge. (OTRB).  
We’ve been so moved by just how many of you continue to express your condolences. It is touching how she still makes people smile.  Her memory lives on in the hearts of all of us. Thank you. THANK YOU.
Our sweet girl, Mitzi, went by many nicknames.  Having a cat for that many years and going through all we went through together, some of the nicknames were mutations of other nicknames. 

You know how it is!  @catsmacktalk always wants to hear your Fur Baby's nicknames!

Miss Pitz

Fake Momma

Butterball

Babushka

Princess Poo Poo

Living Pillow

Low Rider Kitty

Halloween Kitty Deco 
Cow Belly Chicken Legs
Pitzinator  "heeeyyy The Pitzinator! Makin' copies!"

Mitzi loved her family, her fake baby (Renata Bug), and all her friends. 

She was a cheese lover and an attention whore who will be missed madly.

When our Furry Family Members pass away, it's devastating and there are so many memories! Do you have a special memory you'd like to share? Leave a comment and share with us here at Cat Smack.