We got Blossom as an adult cat, so I'm not sure when her exact date of birth is, but I'd guess she was 1-2 yrs old in 1993 when she joined us. We went to the Cat Haven in Perth looking for a kitten, but were so overwhelmed with this funny looking skinny cat who was so incredibly affectionate and wanted nothing but cuddles, that we ended up taking her home instead.
About a week later, she came down with the cat flu, probably something she'd picked up just before leaving the Cat Haven, and was a sneeze a minute. Although she'd only been with us a few days, in true cat fashion she'd already taken to sleeping under the covers in my bed. I remember reading a book in bed, with Blossom tucked up under my knees in the bed-cat-cave, and having a sneezing fit- all over the back of my bare thighs (I was wearing a nighty). Sprays of freezing cold cat snot on my bare flesh were rather alarming to say the least, but these things are forgiven, as you would a sick child.
Bloss' favourite thing was smelly shoes- the stinkier the better. In fact if they were of the variety that could empty a room and have everyone yelling that they should be left outside, they were just about ripe enough for her to bury her head in, lick, nibble, roll on and fall asleep in. Neurotic? Yes. Slightly disgusting? Yes.
The reilient old beast went through many moves with me- from Perth to Sydney, to Brisbane (and howled for 6 of the 10 hours of the drive, the final 4 I let her out of the cage to sit on my lap and she was perfectly happy!) and finally to Hobart. When I moved to Canberra she moved in with my Mum and grandmother to live out her senior years in a "retirement" home. She would get pushed around the garden on my grandmother's walking frame, or stagger along side- their arthritic gaits making them a funny pair to watch. Of an evening she would howl until the fire was lit for her, and be fed tiny slithers of fresh steak on the hearth- slightly spoiled is putting it lightly.
In her final days she grew weak and stopped eating. On the last night she couldn't walk any more, and was tucked up in front of the fire on her sheep skin rug until with a few laboured breaths it was the end. A quiet and peaceful end at the age of 20 years, but still the tears stream down my face.
To my Blossom- You will be missed, gorgeous girl. xxx
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