My Life With Blabla - The Best Kitty Ever

 

This blog is dedicated to my cat Blabla - who was truly the best kitty I've ever had. Coincidentally, I'm making this blog on the same day my Dad had a stroke, 14 years ago. In many ways, Blabla helped me to cope with the loss of my Dad. The loss of a parent is something you never fully get over, but Blabla's companionship definitely helped, as he brought a lot of joy and laughter into my life. I like to think my Dad is taking care of Blabla up in heaven, now. I'm sure they will get a big kick out of each other. 

I've had some great cats, but this one... he really changed me as a person. Blabla is the cat that made me LOVE cats, and made me proud to be a Cat Lady. Because he was more like a dog in nature (he'd fetch and come running when I'd call his name!) he was like that "bridge" between me being a dog person and a cat person. He had so much character and was so sweet and quirky and funny - I realized my life was so much better since I met him.

Blabla came into my life in the Summer of 2004.  My landlady, Jeanne, caught this little feral in her back yard, picking him up by the scruff of his neck after she had put out some food for him and his Mommy and siblings to eat. He was only about six weeks old, and just about the cutest little fluffball I had ever seen. He was a little crazy (moderately traumatized after his capture) and quirky and rambunctious, but so full of character and personality from the getgo. I will do a post about why he started off so nutty, at another time. But I am grateful for that nuttyness he had. I felt like we were meant to be together.

Blabla passed away from acute kidney failure on Sunday afternoon, October 25th, 2015. He stopped eating on Thursday night (for him this is very unusual) and went rapidly downhill, just like his mother did last year. I was told by the vet that he most likely had congenital kidney disease, but I still wish I could have realized he had kidney issues so I could have done more. His illness was a shock to me, and it's one of those things I don't  know if I'll ever get over.

I really want to thank my friends Gina, Laurie and Monica for doing everything they could think of, to try to help me save him (thanks also to Tina, and Gina's vet). I was in awe of the kindness of the people around me. And thank you to Jack for your support and for always being so good to our sweet boy. And to our neighbors who've always been so kind to him, and would pet him when they walked by. Particularly I want to thank Ophelia, Venus and Veronica for treating him (and our other cats) like their own, all these years. And special thanks to Jeanne for bringing him into my life in the first place, and allowing us to have a place where he's been a pretty happy cat the last 11 years.

I was trying so hard to save his life, and stayed in the back bedroom with him all night, moving to whatever corner of the room he went to. I know that cats try to crawl into a corner to be alone and die, but I could not accept that he wasn't going to pull through.  I wanted to be next to him every minute, and kept cuddling closer to him. There had to be a way to love him back to health. I was trying different supplements but he couldn't keep things down. It was like he was trying to check out, while I was desperately trying to fight him to stay here. He'd brought so much joy into my life, I couldn't imagine my life without him.

I thought of this video I'd seen, sent by Robbie's 6th grade teacher. It was so much like what I was going through. I tried so hard to keep him here and pull him back, but he was ready to go. Needless to say, this got me bawling when I watched it again, but I wanted to share it here.

The moment towards the end of the video, where the Mom holds the last bit of string in her hand, and then releases it into the sky, gets me every time. When someone is sick, whether it's a cat or a dog or anyone you love - you try sooo hard to keep them here. I definitely think it's worth the fight, but in the end sometimes you just have to let go and hope your loved one is in a better place, and no longer suffering. 

I am making this blog not only to remember my sweet boy, but also to raise some awareness for other pet guardians, of the seriousness, and symptoms of Kidney disease (I will be doing a post about that soon). I want other people to know what to look for, in case you may be unaware of some of the warning signs. 

For now I am just going to be posting some photos of him that remind me of what a great, sweet, and funny cat he was. He brought so much joy into my life. Our home just doesn't feel the same without him. The house used to shake when he'd come running to greet me at the door, or when I'd come out of the bedroom. He was always the first cat to come to the kitchen to be fed, and the last one to leave. He was like the leader in the house, and the other cats respected him. But most of all, he made me feel loved, and he made me feel like a good person, for rescuing him and having the opportunity to be his Mama - or one of his Mamas - for the last 11 years.

This is my friend and landlady, Jeanne, who is the person who originally found Blabla when he was just a wee little kitten. Look at how big he got! She has come over to feed him and take care of him many times in his early life, and we sure do appreciate that.

He was such a big bundle of joy. The way I always thought was best to describe Blabla and his stature, was simply:

MAGNIFICENT.

This is a video of when Blabla looked like a Skunk... I am grateful that he had this freaky looking skunk stripe going down his back, because it seemed to keep other people from wanting to adopt him. At first I really was trying to find him a good home... but then after a few adoption fairs, I found that I was actually relieved when yet another fair ended and he still had no takers. He  had really grown on me, and I couldn't imagine not having him in my life. He was so sweet to all the other cats and groomed them and looked after them. He was so "motherly" I thought he must be a female cat... so we were really surprised to find out "she" was a boy!

You can see more videos on THIS PAGE, including one of him chasing his tail. He really was a character!

Thank you Blabla, for all the joy you brought to my life! It was the most rewarding feeling to know that I was able to share a home with you. You kept me company and warmed my heart when I lived alone, and you were loved by everyone else who ever came over and got to know you. You were the one Jack welcomed into the Men's Club. You made me laugh so many times and I will always be grateful that you were a part of my life because you made me a better person. No matter what I did in my life, I felt like you loved me and I loved you back and you made me feel like a good, caring person, because you gave me the opportunity to love you unconditionally.

Jack really loved you!

Milo did too, of course. He just had a funny way of showing it.

I know the fact that Jack was willing to take on a crazy cat lady must have had a lot to do with the fact that you were part of the package, Blabla!

Blabla did enjoy watching the birds outside.

Maybe a little too much....

He loved suitcases....

... and boxes...

and bags...

and more bags...

and making friends...

and milk...

.. and laps....

and naps...

and huddling...

and cuddling...

and treats...

and good eats... (or trying to get me to let him eat stuff)...

and birding...

and squirreling...

and dirt bathing...

and sniffin...

and more sniffin...

and chewin...

and viewin...

and zoomin'

and groomin'

and investigatin'

and patrollin'

and campin'

and just hangin'

and stalkin'

and observing...

and drinking...

and peeking...

and snoozin...

being one with nature...

and always being a good watch kitty...

I will always remember the sound of him tumbling down the back stairs.

With his first Mama, Mummie, who will be very happy to see him in Cat Heaven with her now.

Enjoying the great outdoors...

Blabla was the cat that could do no wrong. Even when his butt was covered in dust and things were stuck to it, I didn't care. As I had posted on this flickr photo, "My love for Blabla is equivalent to the nastiness of his crusty backside in this photo." I love him so much, getting over something this unpretty to look at just seems to make me love him more unconditionally.

If he ever smelled stinky I'd kiss him and say "It just makes me love you more!"

Why I had to keep Bert... he had grown so attached to Blabla, I couldn't bear to separate them.

I'm not sure who loved him more - Bert, Mummie, or me.

My old roommate Christian, who named him, made this Cake of his face.

Blabla when he started turning white and looked like a skunk. This was around the time I was taking him to adoption fairs and couldn't seem to get him adopted... and turned out to be very happy about this.

Blabla has been a constant presence in my life for the last 11 years. Whatever I was doing in the house, he was always around. If he wasn't on my lap, he was in the yard or somewhere in the background, about to stroll by and check things out.

Words could never express how much I loved this cat. I joked about cloning him but even if I did (which I wouldn't when there are so many cats that need homes) it just wouldn't be the same. He was the way he was because of his life experiences. He is just irreplaceable. 

I like to think he is up in Kitty heaven, playing with My Dad (plus his Mama, Setzer, Cookie, Annie, Me-eiao, Pedro, Carter, Archie and Dottie) and watching over me, Jack, Jeanne, the kids and the other kitties.  Thank you for being such a warm and wonderful part of my life, Blabla. You will always be a big piece of my heart!!! I have a couple of song dedications for you below.

I hope I get to see you again one day, my big baby. Till then, you'll be in my heart.
Love you always, Blabla. Thanks for making my life so much sweeter.
xoxoxoxoxoYour other Mama