
It has been one year since we welcomed
Zibby into our home and hearts. That means it has also been a year without our beloved Suki. I still get all teary thinking about
Suki and it is hard for me to look at the million photos and videos we took of her. I am so glad we did document her every moment because when I am less weepy, I know I will love looking at them, just as I do with photos of our dogs.
The reason we got Zibby is sad but she gives us so much joy and love. She is seriously happy to be here. We saved her and she saved us. After 22 days in the kill shelter, Zibby was in bad health and too scared to sleep with her eyes closed. Zibby is 5 1/2 years old now and I do not for one second regret adopting an older cat. She is the easiest cat to care for and she is spoiled beyond belief! All her health issues are under control, and she's claimed our bed as her own. As soon as the sun rises, she does her best to get us up and off her bed. She is chatty, cuddly, playful and sweet.
So sweet.

In the last year, my husband has had major health issues. When either of us was sick or not feeling well, Zibby was by our side. I think even just being able to get up and feed her was a motivating factor in my husband's recovery. Isn't it amazing what the unconditional love of a pet can do? Caring for a pet can make you forget your own problems. It's hard to resist a cute face staring at you.
A year ago my friend
Jinjer suggested I make a list of all the things I loved about Suki so I would not forget. I knew it was a great idea but I was too sad at the time to do it. I'm doing it now (in part)~
*She loved to have conversations
*She smelled like waffles
*She was always happy to see us
*She was a foodie and especially loved Golden Grahams
*Her tail looked like it had been dipped in ink and shook happily
*She loved going on walks
*She loved playing with Apocalypse at the sliding door
*She had no cat skills at all
*Her litter box was always too small
*I called her Petunia (I have a pot of petunias near her memorial stone)
*She loved being brushed
*She hated being in the car and would meow in protest the entire time
*Whenever I would lean down to kiss her head, she would try to play with the strings on my hoodie
Apocalypse is still living in our yard. We have made multiple beds and safe spots for her. We have taken her to the vet when we saw signs of arthritis coming and feed her a special diet, too. Many people ask why we do not bring her inside. She has lived outside all her life and while she is very loving and affectionate, she has razor sharp claws and fangs. Zibby has no claws and we do not want to risk her safety. Apocalypse is just not an indoor cat but rest assured, she is well cared for and gets lots of attention. Her age is catching up with her (16+) and we are paying close attention to her needs. Zibby has no interest in Apocalypse but Apocalypse keeps trying to get her to be buddies through the sliding door.
What do you love about your pets?
PS: Remember when I was terrified of cats? I think about that every time I write about how much I love these cats!
--------
Shop: Linda Woods Prints + Cards | Linda Woods Original Art | Linda Woods Pillows and Rugs