For the Love of a Fluff Cat

Peek a Boo!

It has taken some time to grieve this sweet girl before I could truly share her story.  A couple of weeks before her timely death, for we had to put her to sleep, our little miss was very sick.  Fluffy has quite the story to share, so lend a read, and learn about her sweet life.

About eight years ago, the orange "Fluffinator" (our vet's title for her...Love you Dr. L.),  appeared on my parent's doorstep. She hung out in my parent's yard for quite some time, killing off a few of mom's birds from the feeder, but found a place in their hearts. My mother was infuriated with the meow meow, and was going to call animal control to take her away.  Then,  mom found the sweetness in the feline's soul, and they soon began feeding her on the back stoop.  My parents soon became very protective of Fluffy.  

Fluffy was actually owned by a different individual that rescues cats.  It seems that the rescuer's neighbors in Hanover were not happy with the rescue process, stole many of the cats, dumped them in West Creek business park, and left them there to fend for themselves. Three of the felines found their way to my parent's home.  Fluffy and another cat had tags on them.  The rescuer came and got one of the cats, but wanted to leave Fluffy with my parents because she was so content there. 

Fluffy continued to live out her days on their back porch, under the deck, and often frequenting Daddy's shop out back.  She avoided being run over by cars many times, so when our sweet Taz passed away, I told my parents I would take Fluffy to be a part of our lives.  Hence, this is how she became a component of the Matejka household.

She was a great cat.  She did tear into several pieces of furniture, aka John's couch, but was great with our son and became an integral part of our family dynamic. She slept by my side while I did school work, assisted me in grading many research papers, and even put her sweet head on my computer as I wrote my father's eulogy.  When Daddy visited, before falling ill with cancer, she still knew exactly who he was and loved on him.  I can only hope that she is beside his side in Heaven keeping him company.

Two weeks before I had to help her across the Rainbow Bridge, she became quite ill vomiting and coughing.  We thought it was only a thyroid problem, but upon further x-rays and examinations, a cancerous mass was found in her entire chest cavity.  I didn't want that sweet girl to suffer, so we cried and kissed our ball of orange Fluff goodbye.

I still find myself coming downstairs looking for her, or coming around the corner of the kitchen after I get home from school to say "hi" and give her a rub.  I get up in the morning thinking I still need to feed her. I sure do miss her sitting beside my head at night while I did my crunches in front of the television.  There is no doubt the huge hole the absence of a pet leaves in your heart, however, the road she provided to happiness in pet ownership is one to be valued and treasured by all humans.  Our animals have a beneficial presence in our lives, and I can only KNOW that is why God created them...to be our guides and to teach us benefits of responsibility in raising another creature. Take care of them, love them, treasure them, and know they provide happiness and sadness for a reason.