The Life and Times of Mia Renee
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This page has been a long time coming. Since my
Mia left me 6 months ago, I have had a hard time
talking about her special life. I think the time has
come.
Mia was born in May of 1980. I don't know much about
her beginning, as she was found on the street by a
young girl, who brought her into my office. The
manager of the office took a liking to her, and took
her home. The very next day she came to work and said
"I don't like my new kitty, she is into too much
trouble, and won't stay off my drapes". It so
happened that my 8 year old daughter had been asking
for a cat, and somehow that day I found myself going
home with a little bundle of black fur. I hid her in
my arms and got out of the car. My daughters face lit
up! She had seen the kitty! She was so happy and so
was I. Thus began over 18 years of love and
friendship that Mia would bring into our lives.
Mia's first year was pretty eventful. When she was 5
months old she had a serious accident. At that time
we lived in what I thought was a safe area for kitty
to go outside. Of course now I know better, but I was
not that knowledgable at the time. She went outside
one day, and decided to curl up in someones car
engine area. When he started his car unknowingly, she
was very badly injured. I was told by friends and
family to put her to sleep, that she would never make
it. Well Mia proved them wrong. She came home from
the hospital after an operation, and in a cast on the
whole right side of her body. But she recovered! And
you can bet that she was never let outside again,
except when I had a huge fenced in area, and then
only with supervision.
Years passed, and Mia became my best friend. She was
with me through several very difficult experiences.
She moved from apartment to apartment with my
daughter and I. Then her biggest adventure-going on a
plane to San Diego. Mia did not enjoy traveling one
bit! But she made herself comfortable in our new home
right away. Mia liked San Diego, I think, because she
always had a sun patch to sit in. There was a bit of
a flea problem there, due to the warm climate, but we
kept it under control with frequent baths. Mia hated
a bath, but she was always good and let me do it. She
would vocalize her complaints very loudly though.
Once, when we were having our apartment treated to
get rid of fleas, Mia went to the beach with me. We
had to stay away from the house for awhile, so I
packed her up, put a little collar and leash on her,
and we went sunbathing for the day. She made quite a
hit with the children on the beach. I still see her
lying there in the sun, rolling and enjoying herself
so much.
Mia was known by friends and family as a bit of a
snob. I think she was a princess in a past life! My
daughter Jenn and I were the only ones that could
touch Mia for many years. Anyone else would get a
good bite. A comment made by my daughters friend
Michael sums it up:"I could pat Mia if she didn't see
who it was". As she got older, she became a little
more tolerant, and grew to be quite affectionate with
others. She still remained pretty selective, though.
One of Mia's funniest habits was the way she drank
water. It had to be from the sink or tub, trickling
out. She would stand under the tap, let the water
soak her forehead, and drink it as it came off her
nose. Sometimes she would get her paw wet and drink
from there. It was quite a comical sight! She really
seemed to enjoy playing in the water, as long as I
didn't try to bathe her.
Mia had another interesting habit. We called it
Spot-itis. She would find a spot in the house that
was hers. This spot could be anywhere! You could not
pry her from this spot. For weeks she would be there
all the time, unless she was eating or drinking. The
household would work around her. Then suddenly, after
several weeks, she would jump up from her spot, and
walk around the house looking annoyed. Finally she
would find a new spot that suit her and there she
would stay! I would try to move her sometimes, if it
was a particularly inconvenient spot for the rest of
the family, but nothing doing. She would always win!
There were so many happy times with Mia over the
years. As She grew older, she became much more
affectionate, and if possible we became even closer.
She loved to lay next to me on the pillow at night.
Little by little she had more of the pillow and I had
less. I would try so hard not to disturb her, because
she had some arthritis and it seemed hard for her to
get settled. Eventually I was wedged in a small area
between Mia and my husband, not sleeping so well!
As with all of us, Mia's age gradually became a
factor in her health. I will never forget the day we
realized that she could no longer hear. She had
always been a great listener, would even be able to
tell when it was my car driving into the parking
area. One day Jenn came over and called to her and
she didn't look up. We went right up behind her,
calling her name and she never turned. Then we
touched her and she made her little "brit". It was a
very sad moment. After that whenever someone would
enter the room she was in we would go up and touch
her so she would notice we were there. She still
carried on quite well, with few concessions to her
age, except that she needed a stool to get into the
tub now.
The saddest part of Mia's story is next. After so
many happy years, at age 16, she was found to have
cancer. However surprisingly, she did ok for a few
years. Suddenly last October, she started having what
seemed to me to be small strokes. One day she would
not be able to use one foot, then it would get
better, then a few weeks later, it would be both back
legs. She continued with this, having a slower time
recovering after each. Finally in December she had
another attack that she was not getting over. She
could not walk at all anymore, her back half refused
to work. I would place her in her litter box, and in
the tub for a drink several times a day. But she
could not get there on her own. One night, she was in
bed with me and I felt her struggling so hard to get
up, and she just kept falling back down. She was
getting disoriented also. It was heartbreaking. After
consulting with her vet several times, and having
such a hard time, we made the decision to help her
end her suffering. It was and is the most painful
experience of my life. I was lucky to have a vet who
would come to my house,and Mia never had to travel
and be afraid in the car. I stayed with her until she
was asleep, but had to leave the room in tears before
the very end. Now Mia rests in my cousins yard,
because we do not own our property. I am so sad that
she is not here with me anymore. I discovered,
through this emotional time, that there is a
wonderful place called Rainbow Bridge, where the
animals go after they leave us. I have never had a
very strong faith, but have come to be certain that
there are angels and a beautiful place for our loved
ones to wait for us, with them. It is a place where
our babies can feel healthy and happy, and without
pain or constraints.
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This is how I envision Mia now, while she waits for
me to join her
Mia's legacy of love continues to be my source of
strength. Through her loss, I met several wonderful
people on the internet, one of whom introduced me to
Rainbows Bridge. Ginny was the first person I spoke
to after Mia's loss, and I was not in very good
shape. She helped me to put a memorial to her at the
Rainbow Bridge site that she created in honor of her
furbaby Fifi. Within a few days, I had letters from
Donna, who lost her baby Merle, Nancy, who was
mourning Bo, and Sue-Elen, who had lost Eddie the
same week I lost Mia. These wonderful people have
been my salvation as I struggle through the grief
process. I am convinced that Mia had a hand in
bringing us together. She is my little angel now.
Click to meet these wonderful FRIENDS
My good friend Nancy and her precious Bo sent Mia this love letter. Thanks to you both, we love you.
I need to add that the love and devotion Mia and I
had for eachother will never die. I know that she is
a precious angel now, and that she may have visited
me, sending me a message that she is ok. One day I
was in the kitchen opening a can of cat food, and I
felt a kittys head and body rub up against my leg. I
looked down expecting to see Leo, my new little boy.
But he was not there. In fact, there was no kitty
visible anywhere in the area. Now you may think I am
crazy, but it had to be Mia. I believe that she was
trying to comfort me. My love for Mia inspired me to
adopt two other cats, who badly needed a good home.
They are taking their own spot in my heart now, and
geting lots of love.
Thank you Mia, for almost 19 years of purrfect love.
When we are reunited at Rainbows Bridge, the missing
pieces of my heart and soul will be returned to me...
What though the radiance that was once so bright
Be forever taken from our sight
though nothing can bring back the hour
of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower
we will grieve not, rather find
strength in what remains behind;
in the primal sympathy
which having been must ever be;
in the soothing thoughts that spring
out of human suffering;
in the faith that looks through death,
in years that bring the philosophic mind.
thanks to the human heart, by which we live,
thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,
to me the meanest flower that blows can give
thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears
william wordsworth
SONG FOR MIA
She will not go quietly;
this cat who shared our lives,
In subtle ways she lets us know
Her spirit still survives.
Old habits still make us think
we hear a meow at the door
Or step back when we drop
a tasty morsel on the floor.
Our feet still go around the place
the food bowl used to be,
And, sometimes, coming home at night
we miss her terribly.
And although time may bring new friends
and a new food dish to fill,
That one place in our hearts
belong to her....
and always will
THE CAT BED IN THE SKY
I thought that you might like to know
I got here
safe and sound
Though you must feel rather
strange
not having me around
Of course, I am
not really gone
I've just moved out of sight,
And I don't need that old body,
things had just
stopped working right.
Sometimes I'm sorely
tempted,
to pop back down and see,
Just how
you are managing,
without any help from me,
But I'm sure that you will understand
I can't
come back to stay,
Though I have it on good
authority
that we'll meet again some day.
The chow up here's delicious
Ambrosia brand,
it's named,
Once you've tasted this stuff,
Friskies won't taste the same,
And where do they
get this nectar,
which thick and creamy
comes,
It's not like other dairy products
cause
it won't give me the runs.
I haven't found the
litter tray,
and THIS perplexes me,
That
however much I wolf down,
I never have to
pee.
And there are other plus points,
which
cannot be ignored,
My claws have all come back
again
and there are drapes here to be clawed.
Oh yes - I've got a comfy bed,
just like mine
down there at home,
So things here are quite
adequate,
I cannot gripe or groan
But while
I'm up here waiting,
in my cat bed in the
sky,
I'll regularly look in on you,
and keep
a watchful eye.
-- Unknown--
(But I can hear Mia reciting it!)
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