In Memory of Sprite 06/18/2016 – 03/17/2017
Sprite came to us from the Austin Animal Center where she tested positive for leukemia. While she did not get to stay with us very long, the time she had here at Shadow Cats was filled with love. She had a safe and warm sanctuary home where she could climb to the tallest shelf to overlook the creek, lots of food, and plenty of play time. She did all the things young kittens get to do – run, play and have lots of kitten buddies. She was one of the lucky ones. We are never guaranteed a long life and precious Sprite certainly never had that, but what she did have was a life filled with joy until the end.
Statistically, in our experience over half of kittens born with leukemia won’t live to their first birthday. But for the time they do have with us, our kitty nannies and volunteers work hard to give them the best we can possibly give. Their sponsors allow us to give them the very best life possible and they love them from afar.
Sprite developed acute issues related to leukemia and started to have respiratory problems this morning. She passed gently surrounded by loving hands and hearts. Rest in peace, little Sprite. You were something else.
Sprite had 4 Sponsors
“In Memory of Paws”
-Susan Arvin
“In Memory of Sherlock”
-Mary Diermier
Laurie Heupel
Sully
In the Spring of 2004, a striking young tuxedo cat stood watch over his colony. Tall and strong, he reigned supreme as the Top Tux. It just so happened that is when Shadow Cats discovered this un-managed colony of 100+ cats at a local church and put his dreams of unregulated breeding to rest.
Nikki had the thickest, most lustrous coat of any of our long-haired cats at the sanctuary. She was at the top of our brushing list to keep her fur from getting matted, and in the summer we sometimes gave her a cool “lion cut”. The first year Nikki got clipped she was prancing around like a runway model when she came home with her new style, but as she’s grew to tolerate being brushed more we were able to keep her groomed ourselves.
Nikki came to the Sanctuary as a skittish and difficult to approach teenager. She spent several years with a special foster and the last ten years of her life here at Shadow Cats. When she left us this morning she left as a sweet, headbutts, in your face, lap cat. The power of love and TLC overcame even the most frightened and difficult of hearts.
Oliver came to us via the Austin Animal Center. Very sick, he spent two weeks in intensive care at the hospital but miraculously he bounced back and came to join the cats in Cookie’s Place soon after. We celebrated when he passed the five pound mark and cried when he could not sustain it and started the ultimate decline from the ravages of feline leukemia. Danielle, one of Shadow Cats kitty nannies, took him home on his last night and loved and cuddled and comforted him. He wasn’t alone. This morning, surrounded by loving hands, we helped him gently cross over.
If you were to first meet Otis, you would think he was a stern old man cat. However, if you spent any time with him at all, you would know that behind those serious eyes and penetrating gaze rested a character ready to be your best friend. He had his days when he enjoyed the younger kittens, but for the most part, he enjoyed the volunteers and nannies telling him he was handsome and scratching him under the chin and his ears. He reigned supreme in Cookie’s Place.
Otis was rescued off the streets in San Antonio by Kara and Rita Short, until they found safe haven for him at Shadow Cats. He lived a wonderful life here for several years.
Sometimes you have to really look hard to see the positive in a situation and today is one of those days. Our precious little Sandy, only four months old, has passed from the ravages of feline leukemia. Just a tiny one, we’d hoped she would have many years to enjoy her life at Shadow Cats but it was not to be.
On a cold winters night many years ago and around this time of year, a little black declawed cat was eeking out a living on Austin streets. Tiny but mighty, she did her best. Lucky for her, she was rescued and brought home, where she promptly bit the rescuer’s dad! Another stroke of luck – the rescuer belonged to an entire family of animal advocates and they worked diligently to find the right home for her.
Over the years and with constant reinforcement, Noelle seemed to mellow out. She enjoyed small amounts of petting, stroking and even allowed lap time for her favorite people. Noelle lived a full and happy life here at Shadow Cats for well over a decade. She lived her best life and it was a good one. We take our hats off to this fine little lady who ruled us all.
Sometimes a cat looks at you and you feel an immediate connection that can’t be explained. It’s as if it always was. As though you were always a part of each other. That’s the way it was with Andy. As though he was somehow, someway, always a part of Shadow Cats. When a cat with that strong of a connection decides he has to leave us, it leaves an eternal mark on our hearts. We are all forever changed for having known this little black and white cat.
Andy lived a full life at Shadow Cats. He forgot what it felt like to be hungry or cold or alone. He knew only a full belly and a soft bed and many friends. He especially enjoyed the kittens and spent many hours in the last few days grooming our newest Shadow Cat, Sandy. He found cozy spots to curl up for a nap, and an outdoor porch with sunbeams and lots of perches overlooking the creek. Life was good and that is what he remembered, that is what he took with him.
