A Cat Called Chicken.

Norachan

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Chicken was born in my neighbour's garden in the summer of 2012. I'd been feeding her mother for a while, so she had her kittens quite close to my house. There were six to begin with, but the second time I saw them there were only four.
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Chicken is the one on the right here, with her sisters Twinkle and Sadie.
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I coaxed them inside as soon as I could. I had a litter of slightly older feral born kittens at the same time, so that made them feel more comfortable. They were all full of worms and had colds to begin with, but they soon got better with treatment.
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Chicken was the boldest of the four. She was the first to come indoors, the first to let me pet her, the first one to climb up into my lap. Her name wasn't always Chicken. At the time of caring for her litter, the older litter of three and five adult cats I had one older male called Harvey.

For Harvey, Five Years Gone.

He had trouble eating so I used to steam and mince up a chicken breast for him every day. She loved the taste of chicken. Whenever it was cooked I'd call "Harvey, chicken." and she would come too. So the name Chicken stuck.
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She grew up to be a beautiful, loving, intelligent cat.
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For the past five years Chicken, her three sisters and my other rescue cats have all lived here with access to a large enclose. I lost too many of the feral and rescue cats I loved on the road, so moving them all to a remote area where we could afford a big piece of land seemed like the best way to keep them safe.

Chicken loved it here.
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She loved coming for walks up and down the lanes with me too. She was so bright and inquisitive. She had some really good friends among my other cats and I loved watching them all chase each other around their enclosure. Chicken had a way of swirling her tail as she ran that made it look as if she was spinning a lasso above her head.
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She was perfect and I loved her with all my heart.
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On Christmas Eve I noticed that she wasn't her usual self. She didn't want to eat and seemed to have no energy. I syringed as much food and water as I could into her and we took her to the vet the next day. Her blood tests showed a high white blood cell count, but we couldn't find any injuries on her. The vet gave her SubQ fluids, an injection of antibiotics and a course of oral antibiotics too.

She seemed a little better the next day and drank some water by herself, but by that evening she was having trouble breathing.

My husband took her to the vet first thing on the 27th. Half an hour later I got a call telling me "It's serious." Chicken had fluid around her lungs. The vet drained her chest cavity and took out a lot of pus. Somehow she'd got an infection, but the antibiotics weren't working. The vet said they would have to keep her in for a while, give her antibiotics through an IV and put her in an oxygen tent to help her breathe.

Of course we agreed. Anything to help our girl. But after he left my husband got a call telling him we should both come right away. Chicken's heart had stopped. The vet had managed to get it started again, but she was in a critical condition. We drove back, not daring to cry, praying to her all the way.

"Breathe Chicken. Please breathe my love. Just breathe."

She was gone by the time we got there. The vet and his team worked on her for as long as they could, but they couldn't bring her back.
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Chicken. My beautiful girl. You made me laugh every day with your craziness, I'm so grateful that you chose to spend your life with me. I will never get over losing you. Lying you down in the cold, black earth was the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

It wasn't meant to end this way.
 

di and bob

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Words cannot convey the anguish one's heart goes through when they lose a little one so precious and loved. My own heart cries for your pain, the emptiness you feel right now is something that lingers for a long, long, time.
She was a beautiful, treasured girl, your little Chicken. She will always be that sweet, chicken loving little girl in your memories. Memories that you will treasure and bring back to comfort your grieving heart. Your love and hers will forever be tied together, it is a part of your very being, a part of your soul. She will forever be as close as your thoughts and prayers, and because it is a part of you, that love cannot die, it can never be taken from you, not even from death. "Death cannot take that which never dies"........
She would be the last one to want you so sad right now. Just as you would want for her if you were the first to go, so she wants for the one she loves so very much. To go forward into the future and seek the joys and happiness that come from living, to know that she will always be a good part of your past, and that you will carry her love forward with you now, to let it become a good part of your future too.
You gave her everything she wanted in life, a home, good care, and food. And most of all the love of a family. She will always be grateful for you, and though she took a little piece of your heart with her when she left, she leaves behind a piece of her own to bring you comfort.
Please take care of yourself, there are many who depend on you for their own comfort and care. They will help you get through this. you never get over losing someone you love, you learn to live with it, to make a new life's order for yourself. I wish I could take away your pain, I know how much this hurts. But I want you to know I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers, I cry with you for your loss......RIP dear Chicken. You will never be forgotten, you will forever have a secure place in loving hearts. May the good Lord bless and keep you, until you are reunited with the ones you love. Good night, sleep tight, sweetheart......
 

Maria Bayote

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This brought me to tears, buckets of tears.

For one, I feel so sad for you and your grief somehow has reached into my soul - touching me in ways I was even surprised myself. That was a beautiful tribute you made for Chicken. It showed how you loved her, so very much - and still do.

Second, she looks like my Bourbon - my soul cat. Looking at Chicken's photos are like looking to the eyes of the love of my life - and I cannot imagine my life also without her.

Please hang in there. You are in my thoughts and prayers - prayers that you would soon pass through this grief as Chicken would want you to be.

Until you meet again.
 

Mamanyt1953

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Rest you gentle, Chicken, dream you deep. Your pawprints are on someone's heart forever.

Darlin', you have heard me say this so often, but it is the deepest Truth I know, and that is that love never dies, it only changes form and continues on, still Love. The best part of Chicken, her love for you, is now purified and translated into Love, and Love abides. Always, forever, Love abides. She is with you still. Always. Forever. Because Love abides.
 
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