19/04/2022
Today we lost Pippa, the mighty micro kitten. It was very sudden. She apparently died in her sleep during the night. My husband found her this morning.
Pippa started out in the world at a disadvantage. Somebody brought her to the shelter with her two normal sisters. Pippa was tiny compared to them. I took her on as a foster... I have a fondness for special needs kitties. We fed her and fed her like crazy but she did not grow. At each health check she weighed the same. Also, she was unable to retract her claws even at an age that she should have been able to. The shelter doctors did an ultrasound and found her to have a smaller than normal liver, possibly a liver shunt. They said she might live six months or might have a perfectly normal life. They said that Dr. Tiva, the shelter vet for the foster program, would take her home for fospice. Instead, Tony and I opted to adopt her. And wouldn't you know, she put on enough weight to be spayed and kept growing and growing!
She lived for almost 5 years... Her theoretical fifth birthday is coming up on May 2. She lived a relatively normal life. There were things about her that were odd. Like her fur pattern and her skinny tail. Sometimes when we touched her, it seemed to make her hurt or feel uncomfortable. She was also built very stockily, unlike any of the other cats. Very solid. And had a great appetite.
After our other female kitty, Penelope, died in December, Pippa attempted to take her place in bed with me, but everything about her was so awkward that it never quite took. Still, we loved having her lay down on us and how she tried to cuddle with us. She also acted like the mama cat, even though she was the youngest of our original four. She would clean whoever was nearby... And I mean pin them down and lick their fur vigorously!
So, we are chalking up her death to whatever her disorder was. At this point it doesn't matter that much. We will miss her SO MUCH. My poor Pippers. 😢
Here are pictures of Pippa from throughout her life. Enjoy.
