Sofia the Wise
Most of you reading this should remember my two kittens, Alexander (the Great) and Sofia (the Wise). Unfortunately, I have some horrible news.
Sofia passed away in her sleep last night. She was not even one year old. I got her from the Deleware County Humane Society, and she was born approximately 9 weeks before the first of September. I gave her the birthdate of June 30, 2004 for convenience. Unfortunately, I was never able to celebrate that with her.
Sofia, or Sofi for short, has always been my shy kitten, very cautious, very smart. "Sofia" comes from the Greek word for "wisdom". I have one very fond memory of the first time I took her to my parents' house. They have a fairly large dog, who is completely harmless but very enthusiastically friendly. She tried to greet Alex and he just batted her away. Sofi simply disappeared. We all spent a couple of hours combing the house for her, trying to call her out from wherever she was hiding. Finally I went back to the kitchen where it all happened, and there sat Sofi, sleepily gazing down from on top of the china cabinet where she had been the entire time.
Sofia wouldn't just run up to people, she had to be very slowly introduced, and even then it took awhile before she would be extremely comfortable with you. But once she got used to me, she was very affectionate. She would always come and sleep in my bed with me, nearly every night. She loved to slide under my covers and be warm and safe in the little "cave" that I made for her, and I always woke up with her curled up asleep less than a foot from my head. Once my parents got her a little red house for Christmas last year, she loved it and was in it constantly. But she would still come and curl up on the couch with me when I was watching a movie or anything.
She was never extremely strong, though, and had to be taken to the veterenarian twice for a cold that she had. Her nose would get all stuffed up and she would be sneezing a lot. Both times she seemed to get over it, but we now think that it may have been the warning signs of some genetic ailment she had. Over the past month or so she seemed to be a little more withdrawn, but she has always been shy. Someone pointed out that she was getting fat, but I think it was just her skin getting looser. She would still cuddle up with me on the couch, and didn't seem to have any great difficulties. I could always find her in her house, though, she never seemed to be anywhere else (except for eating or litterboxing).
Then yesterday evening Melissa and I were over here, and she was just laying in the middle of the floor sleeping. We thought this was a little worrisome, especially when she didn't even move when being walked around. We picked her up, and her whole body just felt limp. She was still happy, though, and was purring at our touch. We got her cat carrier, and took her with us to my parents' house, where we were spending the night. We figured that we could take her to the vet near there this morning when we got up. She didn't move at all in the carrier on the way. I gently took her out at my parents house, and stroked her. She still felt very limp. I tried to put her head near the food and water, but she didn't seem to want any. She simply laid down next to the dishes, and I pet her some more. She was still purring, still happy to be loved. When my mother woke up at 5:30 this morning, she had passed away in that same spot.
I loved her very very much, and she will always have a special place in my heart. She was the first cat that I ever personally owned, and I consider myself blessed to have had her. I don't know that there was anything I could have done to save her, but I am glad I was able to make the time she was with us a happy time for her. She was loved, and she knew she was loved.
Sofia Kushnir
2004-2005
Rest in Peace
Sofia passed away in her sleep last night. She was not even one year old. I got her from the Deleware County Humane Society, and she was born approximately 9 weeks before the first of September. I gave her the birthdate of June 30, 2004 for convenience. Unfortunately, I was never able to celebrate that with her.
Sofia, or Sofi for short, has always been my shy kitten, very cautious, very smart. "Sofia" comes from the Greek word for "wisdom". I have one very fond memory of the first time I took her to my parents' house. They have a fairly large dog, who is completely harmless but very enthusiastically friendly. She tried to greet Alex and he just batted her away. Sofi simply disappeared. We all spent a couple of hours combing the house for her, trying to call her out from wherever she was hiding. Finally I went back to the kitchen where it all happened, and there sat Sofi, sleepily gazing down from on top of the china cabinet where she had been the entire time.
Sofia wouldn't just run up to people, she had to be very slowly introduced, and even then it took awhile before she would be extremely comfortable with you. But once she got used to me, she was very affectionate. She would always come and sleep in my bed with me, nearly every night. She loved to slide under my covers and be warm and safe in the little "cave" that I made for her, and I always woke up with her curled up asleep less than a foot from my head. Once my parents got her a little red house for Christmas last year, she loved it and was in it constantly. But she would still come and curl up on the couch with me when I was watching a movie or anything.
She was never extremely strong, though, and had to be taken to the veterenarian twice for a cold that she had. Her nose would get all stuffed up and she would be sneezing a lot. Both times she seemed to get over it, but we now think that it may have been the warning signs of some genetic ailment she had. Over the past month or so she seemed to be a little more withdrawn, but she has always been shy. Someone pointed out that she was getting fat, but I think it was just her skin getting looser. She would still cuddle up with me on the couch, and didn't seem to have any great difficulties. I could always find her in her house, though, she never seemed to be anywhere else (except for eating or litterboxing).
Then yesterday evening Melissa and I were over here, and she was just laying in the middle of the floor sleeping. We thought this was a little worrisome, especially when she didn't even move when being walked around. We picked her up, and her whole body just felt limp. She was still happy, though, and was purring at our touch. We got her cat carrier, and took her with us to my parents' house, where we were spending the night. We figured that we could take her to the vet near there this morning when we got up. She didn't move at all in the carrier on the way. I gently took her out at my parents house, and stroked her. She still felt very limp. I tried to put her head near the food and water, but she didn't seem to want any. She simply laid down next to the dishes, and I pet her some more. She was still purring, still happy to be loved. When my mother woke up at 5:30 this morning, she had passed away in that same spot.
I loved her very very much, and she will always have a special place in my heart. She was the first cat that I ever personally owned, and I consider myself blessed to have had her. I don't know that there was anything I could have done to save her, but I am glad I was able to make the time she was with us a happy time for her. She was loved, and she knew she was loved.
Sofia Kushnir
2004-2005
Rest in Peace