Mabel

stephenq · Mar 15, 2017

On Monday we said goodbye to our dear Mabel, age about 11, deaf from birth and adopted on vacation. I volunteered at this shelter in the mornings cleaning cat cages, and when the time came, we couldn't leave her behind. She's been in the shelter 2 years, and no one was going to take her. Sh lived with us 1 day short of a year before liver cancer got the best of her, but she was symptom free almost the entire time, and was never in pain. When she couldn't keep food down and stopped eating, we took her in the next day to put her down. There hadn't been any real treatment options since she was diagnosed, so we just had to decide when it was time, and i know that we took care of her in a timely way so she didn't feel pain. She was tired but relaxed and went gently.

When we got her home we treated her for ear mites, stomatitis with 2 dental extractions, the 2nd one leaving her toothless, and a long term gall bladder infection. Despite all that she was a happy girl!

She was a very sweet very gentle girl who loved food! The 2 photos of her on the bed show her expression when she saw the ocean for the first time, this was on a vacation we took with her last august. She loved the beach and would go out there supervised with out other cats.

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stephenq
Mar 15, 2017

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stephenq
Mar 15, 2017

Her first view of the ocean last summer on vacation.

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stephenq
Mar 15, 2017

The ocean in front of her.

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stephenq
Mar 15, 2017

In the shelter before adoption.

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stephenq
Mar 23, 2016

ruthm · Mar 15, 2017

(((((((Stephen)))))) and family, I am so sorry for the loss of your dear sweet little girl Mabel, my heart breaks for you, I hate cancer so much! I hope that all is well with your mother and the rest of your family. You will all be in my thoughts and prayers...

As I read your tribute and looked at the wonderful pictures, this tells me all I need to know- that Mabel could not have picked a more extraordinary human to share her extraordinary life with-- she was a very very smart little girl indeed! Although it is raining cats and dogs as I type this, tonight I will look to the skies for the new shining star in the sky.

Fly Free Sweet Little Mabel, and land softly-- You are so loved!!

mollyblue · Mar 15, 2017

I'm sorry you had to go through that with Mabel, but bless your heart, at least you gave her one good year! For that I am sure she is grateful.

ashekitty · Mar 15, 2017

I am so sorry for your loss. She looked like such a sweet girl and I am positive that she was thankful for all you had done for her, I know she felt your love.

artiemom · Mar 15, 2017

Such a sweet little girl.. and a beautiful tribute.. Thank You Stephen for taking Mabel and providing her with everything she needed but never knew....

((hugs))

zed xyzed · Mar 15, 2017

What a precious little girl the ocean picture is so adorable. I am so sorry for your loss. Bless you for giving her a safe and loving home.

di and bob · Mar 16, 2017

My heart goes out to you, I know how much we miss those furry faces. She sounds like a wonderful, sweet little girl and will be so very missed. You gave her so very much, she will be forever grateful for you rescuing her and giving her the world. I hope you can take comfort in knowing you made her life so full of love and caring, I would pray that all the precious little ones without homes could find someone like you.

Thank you so much for sharing her story, this brave, sweet, tiny panther needs to be mourned by many as she so rightly deserves. The bond you formed with her will be with you forever, you got to share your life's journey for a year and now hers will follow yours for eternity. you are so blessed to have known her, your big heart opened to include her and she will be forever in your debt. You did not let her suffer, it takes strength and love to end that pain. Although it hurts so very much to let them go, know that you made such a difference in her life, and she is at peace now and has gained her angel wings, free of her earthly chains and free of the pain and suffering that those dreaded diseases bring. You will be blessed for the love you brought to her, I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers. Take care......RIP beautiful Mabel, you are free now to soar the heavens, your ears are healed, you now hear the voice that misses you so very much. The joy that was brought into your life will be forever held in your loving heart, as the love you returned will be forever held in StephenQ's. Sleep tight sweet Princess!

les26 · Mar 16, 2017

While that was sad to read that she has passed, that story made my heart smile, God Bless you for adopting her and giving her that 1 great year!

She was beautiful, thank you for taking her in and giving her a great life with you.....

Mia6 · Mar 16, 2017

Stephen,

I am so very sorry about Mabel's passing. She was a beautiful girl!

Hugs,

Mia

stephenq · Mar 16, 2017

Although it is raining cats and dogs as I type this, tonight I will look to the skies for the new shining star in the sky.

Fly Free Sweet Little Mabel, and land softly-- You are so loved!!

What a beautiful thought, thank you so much, deeply appreciated.

Stephen

stephenq · Mar 16, 2017

Di and Bob said:
My heart goes out to you, I know how much we miss those furry faces. She sounds like a wonderful, sweet little girl and will be so very missed. You gave her so very much, she will be forever grateful for you rescuing her and giving her the world. I hope you can take comfort in knowing you made her life so full of love and caring, I would pray that all the precious little ones without homes could find someone like you.

Thank you so much for sharing her story, this brave, sweet, tiny panther needs to be mourned by many as she so rightly deserves. The bond you formed with her will be with you forever, you got to share your life's journey for a year and now hers will follow yours for eternity. you are so blessed to have known her, your big heart opened to include her and she will be forever in your debt. You did not let her suffer, it takes strength and love to end that pain. Although it hurts so very much to let them go, know that you made such a difference in her life, and she is at peace now and has gained her angel wings, free of her earthly chains and free of the pain and suffering that those dreaded diseases bring. You will be blessed for the love you brought to her, I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers. Take care......RIP beautiful Mabel, you are free now to soar the heavens, your ears are healed, you now hear the voice that misses you so very much. The joy that was brought into your life will be forever held in your loving heart, as the love you returned will be forever held in StephenQ's. Sleep tight sweet Princess!

Thank you both, you two have been such an important part of this community and yet we are all valued and needed. Mabel was needed too, such a lovely girl and we miss her so.

stephenq · Mar 16, 2017

As Suzanne Clothier writes in Bones Would Rain From The Sky: 'There is a cycle of love and death that shapes the lives of those who choose to travel in the company of animals. It is a cycle unlike any other. To those who have never lived through its turnings or walked its rocky path, our willingness to give our hearts with full knowledge that they will be broken seems incomprehensible. Only we know how small a price we pay for what we receive; our grief, no matter how powerful it may be, is an insufficient measure of the joy we have been given."

2Cats4everLoved · Mar 18, 2017

@StephenQ - I'm so sorry Mabel had to leave you so soon.

I remember when I first read your story I was grieving over my own boy Simon, and how I felt this joy to think, my boy was gone, but another was found. A "Circle of Life" if you will.

I found her story to be truly inspirational.

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2Cats4everLoved
Mar 18, 2017

"The Many Adventures of Mabel, The Island Kitty"

I guess we'll never know how Mabel's story started, but in the end we know

her story ended with an adventure many furry angels don't get to experience.

Mabel found love! Was love and gave love!

Mabel's story ends with her taken from the confines of a shelter,

to sunny beaches and endless dining.

What a life she had this past year - a loving home feeling safe

and fun hanging out with her friends on the beach.

Rest in peace Sweet Mabel.

My heart is heavy but knowing she was able to experience the adventure of love makes me feel a bit less sad.

Be well my TCS friend. xoxoHope

stephenq · Mar 19, 2017

2Cats4everLoved said:
@StephenQ - I'm so sorry Mabel had to leave you so soon.

Rest in peace Sweet Mabel.

My heart is heavy but knowing she was able to experience the adventure of love makes me feel a bit less sad.

Be well my TCS friend. xoxoHope

Hope

That's so comforting to hear your story and of how my Mabel helped you in a way. I love your title The Many Adventures of Mabel, The Island Kitty and we did find her on an island! What we do know about her earlier life is that her owner gave her up by leaving the island that we got her on, and the roommate took her until he/she gave her up to the shelter. The shelter has a lot of cats and no one wanted an older deaf cat so she lived there for 2 years. I think she learned to live with very low expectations, so when we got her home in march she was very food motivated, slept a lot, and stayed mostly in the bedroom. In time she came out of her shell and came to love the home, and us, and tolerated our other cats. We're now back to our two cats, happy blind from birth Jenny and her protector and friend Cricket.

Be well

Stephen

babiesmom5 · Mar 19, 2017

I can tell by just looking into Mabel's face that she was a very gentle. sweet girl. Her story is an inspiration to all about the value of adopting a handicapped or unwanted cat. Seeing Mabel's sweet face brought a tear of remembrance of my dear Rascal who could be Mabel's twin sister. Years ago while a student at culinary school, (and grieving over a cat I had just lost), I often visited the nearby SPCA after classes. I saw many cats come and go. Months went by and there was one sweet black cat who everyone passed by--she had been there for over 2 years... and she stole my heart. When the semester was over, I adopted her and brought her home. She was the best cat ever and graced our lives over the next 18 years.

I know your heart is very heavy with grief now, but may your grief be softened by Mabel's love which is with you for eternity. Thank you for sharing her amazing story with all of us.

Mabel's sweet spirit will be with all of us here on TCS with each of your knowledgeable, helpful posts.

rubysmama · Mar 19, 2017

I rarely read the Crossing the Bridge forum because the messages always make me cry. This time, however, I am crying tears for your loss, but also tears knowing that Mabel's last year was spent in a loving home and not in the shelter. Love the pics of her seeing the ocean for the first time. Imagine her look if she'd also been able to hear the roar of the waves.

RIP sweet Mabel.

Antonio65 · Mar 20, 2017

What kind of God would take such a young and beautiful cat out of the hands of those who gave her a perfect and filled with love life?

That's so unfair!

The photos of Mabel looking at the ocean are so sweet. Every time you are on a beach you'll see Madel's wonderful eyes on the crests of the waves.

RIP beautiful Mabel!

riley1 · Mar 20, 2017

I am so sorry for your loss! You gave her a wonderful year; much better than staying at the shelter!

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