I can't believe just how hard it was to even type the thread title here.
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I don't often talk about my cats here, so I guess many of you don't really know her. Mishmish was the cat that started TCS. We rescued her and her four brothers and sisters when they were about a month old, from some kids who were trying to drown them in a canal. We found homes for all of the kittens, except one and ended up keeping her because no one would adopt her.
She was never an easy cat, and I suspect she may have been a hybrid really, with some wild cat blood in her. She had a very difficult time interacting with people or other cats. She got me into the field of cat behavior, as I started devouring the literature trying to figure out how to handle her temperament. This was over 15 years ago, and the Internet was in its early days. I couldn't find a lot of information online, so decided to start my own website about cats, sharing everything I was learning. This was how TCS was born. Mishmish really changed my life in more ways than one.
Mishmish stayed with us ever since, despite a lot of protest from my mother and mother-in-law when my kids were born. I always said she was the best educator they had, as she taught them very early to keep their distance View media item 149502
She would purr away for hours like this, but I still had to be careful. Too much petting or even staring her directly in the eye and she would lash out. She certainly was a fearsome cat.
Mishmish was always remarkably healthy, but half a year ago she had a stroke. It was a fairly dramatic event, but she pulled through, and the vet said there wasn't much to be done. A few days ago, she disappeared. We looked everywhere, inside and out, and she was nowhere to be found. Yesterday, my DH finally crawled under our house and discovered her body there. We don't know what happened, other that she didn't look injured in any way. I hope she just felt tired, and crawled in there and died in her sleep. She rarely went outside and when she did it would only be for a sniff of air in the patio. I don't know why she chose to leave when she felt her time was coming. It hurts that I didn't get to be with her during her last moments. Then again, this was very much in character.
Rest in peace, my sweet baby. Thank you for allowing me to get close to you and share your special magic all those years. It's really hard not having you around anymore. I miss you very very much.
I'll never forget you.
View media item 149503
I don't often talk about my cats here, so I guess many of you don't really know her. Mishmish was the cat that started TCS. We rescued her and her four brothers and sisters when they were about a month old, from some kids who were trying to drown them in a canal. We found homes for all of the kittens, except one and ended up keeping her because no one would adopt her.
She was never an easy cat, and I suspect she may have been a hybrid really, with some wild cat blood in her. She had a very difficult time interacting with people or other cats. She got me into the field of cat behavior, as I started devouring the literature trying to figure out how to handle her temperament. This was over 15 years ago, and the Internet was in its early days. I couldn't find a lot of information online, so decided to start my own website about cats, sharing everything I was learning. This was how TCS was born. Mishmish really changed my life in more ways than one.
Mishmish stayed with us ever since, despite a lot of protest from my mother and mother-in-law when my kids were born. I always said she was the best educator they had, as she taught them very early to keep their distance View media item 149502
She would purr away for hours like this, but I still had to be careful. Too much petting or even staring her directly in the eye and she would lash out. She certainly was a fearsome cat.
Mishmish was always remarkably healthy, but half a year ago she had a stroke. It was a fairly dramatic event, but she pulled through, and the vet said there wasn't much to be done. A few days ago, she disappeared. We looked everywhere, inside and out, and she was nowhere to be found. Yesterday, my DH finally crawled under our house and discovered her body there. We don't know what happened, other that she didn't look injured in any way. I hope she just felt tired, and crawled in there and died in her sleep. She rarely went outside and when she did it would only be for a sniff of air in the patio. I don't know why she chose to leave when she felt her time was coming. It hurts that I didn't get to be with her during her last moments. Then again, this was very much in character.
Rest in peace, my sweet baby. Thank you for allowing me to get close to you and share your special magic all those years. It's really hard not having you around anymore. I miss you very very much.
I'll never forget you.
