Kaylee Bug
3.5 years ago, we brought home the fiercest little bundle of stubborn sweetness I have ever met. Kaylee was diagnosed with feline cerebellar hypoplasia at birth. This is a disease that affects the cerebellum of the kittens, which is the area of the brain that controls fine motor movement, balance and coordination. Because of this she walked with a swagger and had a bit of wobble to her torso and head. None of which slowed her down. She confidently held her own with Leo and Angel (our other two cats), learned to navigate steps to the sofa and to our bed. She captured both our hearts and that of the other kitties.
Kaylee’s passions were unrestrained cuddles and kisses, splashing water from her bowl as far and wide as possible, and slapping at her ball toy, she showed a definite predilection for being left pawed. Unfortunately Kaylee was also diagnosed with FIV after a previous adoption did not go well. She survived abuse, malnutrition, and being returned to the shelter 3 times during her 16.5 years of life. Still she loved everyone she met and trusted. That little ball of fur trusted and loved more unconditionally than I would have thought possible, especially given her life experiences.
Unfortunately all of the love, medication, and attention in the world could not undue some of the abuse from her past and we had to say good bye yesterday. Kaylee had lost the ability to go up or down stairs, ramps, etc. She struggled to pull herself up in the morning to eat or to greet us, and she had become unable to make the walk to the nearby litter box if she had been sleeping and stiffened up. Kaylee’s lower back stiffness soon eliminated her ability to groom herself. Still, she allowed me to bathe her regularly as long as I wrapped her in the towel burrito style afterward and told her how beautiful she was, something that was not difficult to do.
I dreaded yesterday. The harsh reality of her passing is all too real. Today, as the red head and I fight our sorrow, , Leo is wandering the house looking for her and crying, Angel stalks me with her eyes as if to ask where Kaylee is and why she didn’t come home with us. I have no good answers, I have only sadness and regret that I had not found her and brought her into our lives much sooner.
Losing a loved one is always hard, this time though, it’s as though we lost a part of ourselves. Such a small creature to have taken up so much room in our lives and we miss her and her gentle ferocity more than I could have imagined.
