KiKi & The Big Guy....

Today is a sad day for us as our sweet little KiKi went to Kitty Heaven last night.  

She was 100% Tom's cat though it was never meant to be that way.  One afternoon, 7 years ago, Dave came home from Colleyville High School and straight into my office.  He took off his backpack, unzipped the side pocket and out popped the cutest little kitten.  Adorable.  However, Houston we have a problem.  Our family has never been a cat family.  The kids grew up with German Shorthair Pointers most of their lifes.  Brandy was our first pet when Tom and I married.  After coming home late one night from a party, Tom bid on a tv auction for the pick of the litter of a National Field Champ German Shorthair Pointer.  This winning bid forced us to buy our first house.  lol.  Brandy was a great dog.  She actually taught Brian to walk.  Brian would pull up on her, hold her tail and Brandy would walk Brian slowly around our house in Atlanta.  Brandy was 12 when she left us.  I swore I would never have another pet as Brandy was like our  child.  She was a real member of our family.  About 4 years later Tom talked me into getting another Shorthair, Miss Ellie.  Ellie was a very loving dog and FULL of energy.  Unfortunately, Tom and I did not take the time needed to train Ellie like we did Brandy.  After several years my good friend and neighbors The Mata's asked if they could have Ellie.  They had property where Ellie could run and they also had an older dog that could use the company.  They were wonderful parents.  Ellie passed earlier this year.    I purchased a baby Pug for Tom thinking she was going to be much smaller and her personality would fit in our now very busy lives.  Gin-Seng was a sweet little dog and the kids loved her but Tom never really got attached to her.  He likes big manly sporting dogs.

The point is that we had always had dogs. Tom didnt care much for cats.  After school one day (Colleyville HS), Dave came into my office with his backpack on.  He unzipped the side zipper and out popped the head of the cutest little grey kitten.  I told Dave that Dad would never agree to keeping this adorable little kitten.  Daves response, "But do we have to tell Dad?".  HAHAHA.   Yes, Dave,  I think Dad would notice a kitten and a litterbox in the house.  So, Dave mustered up his courage and went into Tom's office to show him this wonderful little creature.  First words..."We are NOT keeping that cat.  Take it back now!".  After a few minutes with Tom,  I convinced him to let Dave keep her thru the weekend and he would take her back on Monday.  Dad agrees very reluctantly.  Dave, if the cat takes to Dad then you will be able to keep her.  lol.  If not, the kitten must be returned to your friend.  Twenty Four hours later, Saturday afternoon, Dave and I return home from shopping to find Tom asleep on the sofa with a little tiny kitten snug as bug  asleep on his chest.  The rest is history.  The kitten was Toms from the beginning.  No pet had it better than KiKi.  Such a tiny name for a big man and his cat.  Tom had sleeping stations and perches placed around his office for KiKi.  One was even on his desk.  Huge Monitor, keyboard, phone, files and still room for KiKi to have a pillow on his desk.  The love was mutual between those two.  She never had anything to do with the rest of the family.  lol.  Just the big guy.

Twenty Four hours ago Tom said he felt KiKi wasnt feeling well.  She didnt look any different to me.  She spends her days going from one perch to the other in Toms office.  Not much action really.  However, last night after returning home from a meeting we both noticed she seemed very lethargic.  It was after hours and so our Vet told us to take her to the Emergency Veterinary, which we did.  Two hours later our little KiKi, the kitty in the backpack had gone to Kitty Heaven.  How could this happen.  We were both in shock.  The blood work revealed she had acute renal failure.  Her kidneys had completely shut down.  There was nothing we could do.  Tom held her in his arms as I wept outside the door.

We arrived home around 10pm.  We both sat in shock.  She never appeared sick.  We were speechless, sad, and staring blankly at each other.  KiKi Bird (as my little nephew called her) was a great cat and companion for Tom.   I know it will take awhile to get over but we will always have the stories and laughs about Big Ole Tom and his little KiKi.

As we sat there we could hear the faint sound of a bell getting closer and closer.  Then right up into the lap of Tom leaped "TinkerBell".  (A fiesty little rescue that I brought back from Brians several months ago that I thought would be good company for KiKi.).   Her name was Jackie Chan but Tom changed it to TinkerBell.  lol  Little did we know this little resue named TinkerBell would serve a roll in the healing process for the Big Guy who doesnt like cats.