Losing Pippin

On January 31, 2014 we lost our little kitty. Pippin joined our family for Mother's Day in 2003 when she was about 9 months old. We had selected her as our new kitty and then we couldn't break up the sisters so we brought home Pippin and her sister, Cobh. They were past the tiny rambunctious kitten stage already but they were both lively and lovey. Pippin had shorter sleeker fur and a thinner face than her sister and she had one light colored back paw.

June 2003

Pippin fit wonderfully into our family and I have some wonderful memories of her following us, as I pushed a stroller and we went on a walk around the block. The girls always giggled when Pippin went on walks with us. Pippin also had an affinity for laying in the middle of our road. If a car drove up the street she would slowly make her way to the side, in her own time. It always made me laugh when Pippin chased leaves or crouched low when wind blew. Pippin loved to be outside and spent most of the warmer nights romping the neighborhood. Her late nights out sometimes meant running into trouble, and she occasionally came in with scratches on her head or back. Twice over the years I had to bring her to the vets for cuts getting infected. Pippin was always so good at the vets and would purr whenever they touched her. She didn't like riding in the car but she was a good patient. Last February she got a more serious injury. Pippin was limping so I examined her foot and discovered that something had bitten her. The fur on her paw was mated with dirt and blood so scooped her up gently and ran warm water over her foot. Pippin relaxed in my arms and purred loudly as I tended to her foot. It was bad so we went to the vet and she got staples. He wasn't sure it would heal well but she was as good as new in a few weeks.

Nov 2008 with Bridget

Pippin was friendly while maintaining a feline aloofness most of the time. She and Cobh curled up together to nap regularly, they ate side by side, and groomed each other. Cobh frequently seemed to overdo the grooming and continued past Pippin's appreciation, and the 2 of them would wrestle and hiss. It was always Pippin who walked away. Pippin was a quiet kitty and would just sit and wait if she wanted something. She would sit and stare at the door until some noticed and let her out. But if Pippin had a need, hunger or needing to go out to pee, she would meow with a rising intensity. She would regularly circle people in the kitchen at dinner or breakfast time.

When she was a few years old she started getting UTIs on a regular basis and it was a frustrating time of cleaning up cat pee. But we got her on a perscription food and the UTIs went away. This past year she again stopped using the litter box. In hind sight this was probably due to her overactive thyroid that made her progressively more thirsty and hungry. Despite this Pippin started losing her middle age pounds that her sister held onto. Cobh's increasing weight caused her nickname to become "Big Kitty", in turn Pippin comparatively became "Little Kitty".

Pippin was a beautiful cat, who was gentle and wonderful with kids. She was quick to purr and we are glad to have had her.

2010

Bridget remembers: Pippin throwing up one day and Bridget then stepping in it while wearing her footy pajamas. Also Pippin going into her bedroom and sleeping at the foot of her bed. Bridget woke up to purring.

Rachael remembers: Sewing toys out of felt and string for her. Rachael would then dangle them and make them jump around as Pippin chased and pawed at them.

Emma remembers: Pippin cutely laying on her back and letting us rub her belly.

Megan remembers: Skinny kitty that liked to snuggle up with people, she was energetic and loving.