Mimi

 

Over 13 years ago, I heard Patrick open the front door and say "Hey, there's a kitty in here." I came down to see a tortoiseshell cat rolling happily on the front rug. He had opened the door, she walked in, and she stayed.

For a little before, I had seen Mimi wandering around our yard and sleeping in the sun on top of our front milk box. When we brought her in to see our vet, Ali, it was clear that this young cat had recently given birth and likely lost her kittens, and needed and emergency spay and some other immediate vet work. So much for a free cat.

But Mimi captured us immediately with her intense loyalty and love. Not so much so Polo and Tiger, who she quickly assured that she was now the alpha cat in the house. And she's remained the top cat, even now when she spends her day in our room all day, going between my chair and my pillow on the bed.

The week before last Mimi developed a crusty eye, and weird swelling on her face. We brought her in to the vet, who thought it was an abcessed tooth and gave me some heat about appropriate dental care for cats (turns out "She's a CAT!" is not the correct response when asked how often you bring them in for dental or brush their teeth).

But I had a sense that something more was wrong, and that was confirmed when the doctor called me mid-surgery to say she suspected cancer. We're waiting for the path report, but I can't imagine it's not; even with the offending tooth removed, her symptoms remain. Yet she is as sweet and loving and cuddly as ever.

The kind of cancer she likely has is quick-moving and there's not much we can do. So every day seems like an extra gift with her, combined with the burden of needing to work out when it's time and how we'll know.

I've lost a lot of pets in my lifetime but Mimi has firmly declared herself as MY cat and this one is going to leave a really big hole. It's been a sucky (and expensive — this little adventure is costing thousands of dollars on top of similar amounts in unexpected car repair and a really expensive new pool heater) summer, and this is nor helping.

But for today, at least, I get to cuddle her a little longer.