In Memory of Joy 7/28/2024 – 10/23/2025
On July 28th, 2024, in Laredo, Texas, two tiny kittens came into the world, a brother and sister born to a community cat. A kindhearted local caretaker, who regularly looked after neighborhood cats, quickly stepped in to provide the little family with food, safety, and a place to call home. In a region with limited resources, their mother and her kittens were incredibly fortunate to find such compassion.
But life outdoors can be unpredictable. When the kittens were only a few months old, tragedy struck when a loose dog attacked, and their mother perished. The caretaker, devastated but determined, promised that the two surviving kittens would still know love and care, even without their mother’s protection.
That promise led them to Shadow Cats when the kittens later tested positive for feline leukemia, as options nearby were scarce. Yet hope found its way, and we welcomed them both with open arms, knowing that every life, no matter its length, deserves to be lived fully and joyfully. Jiji and Joy, bonded siblings, began the rest of their lives in comfort, safety, and warmth.
Jiji was the more outspoken of the two. Joy was a little on the shy side, but she was fortunate enough to have Jiji as the fierce protector she needed. But it didn’t take too long for them to come out of their shells, and before we knew it, they were galloping across Cookie’s Place like so many young feline leukemia kittens before them. A sanctuary not only for the elderly you so often associate with hospice, but for the young afflicted by such a virus as feline leukemia.
In previous years, we had Bob, the father of Cookie’s Place, to take the young kittens under his wing and teach them manners, and Pixie, the respective mother. With both of them gone, it left only Goji to take their place. Goji has grown leaps and bounds since first coming to the sanctuary over a year ago, and acted as a sweet Uncle to the kittens. He bonded with Jiji & Joy beautifully, quickly, and with as much grace and loving energy as would’ve been expected of his predecessors. They’d spend their time playing or even reclining outside on their catios, watching the wildlife, and chirping at the birds.
Joy found her independence with time. She remained playful as ever, especially with her best kitty friends, but over time uncovered a rather queenly demeanor that surprised us all! She had a calculating eye and preferred to take in the events unfolding before her before acting, unlike her more impulsive brother. And she wasn’t shy about letting the other cats know her boundaries. It was on her terms! She was still an incredibly affectionate girl, and would often rub up on your legs to initiate attention, and run off to some corner of her kingdom if she wasn’t in the mood!
The kittens brought us endless laughter. They were always up to something, and always together. To say they loved each other dearly would be a dire understatement. They were bonded, they were one, and that isn’t always the case when siblings come to Shadow Cats and are introduced to other cats. They both made it to their first birthday, and we threw a little party for them, giving them a special helping of their jointly favorite thing: food & treats!
A few weeks ago, Jiji was suddenly sick. When we rushed him to the vet, his lungs were filling with fluid from the lymphoma so often triggered by feline leukemia. We had to make the tough call to let him go, and we weren’t sure how this would affect his sweet sister Joy. She became very affectionate, it turned out. She wasn’t shy about asking for extra love, and we certainly were happy to give it to her.
Unfortunately, despite her appearing to be okay, perhaps the loss of her brother was simply too much. Her heart itself, as if a signifier of grief’s weight, began to fail. Just two weeks after the loss of her brother, we had to say goodbye to Joy.
It never becomes easy. It shouldn’t be. It won’t be. The sting fades over time, but the magnitude of loss remains, and so does the memory of the tiniest paws dancing across Cookie’s Place. But with this heavy weight we bear, it simultaneously does not diminish the happiness we felt with them. The warm memories. The days spent chirping & sunbathing. The days filled with mischief and the quiet afternoons spent lounging on soft beds. The sadness doesn’t diminish the joy of Joy, of watching her and her brother grow from their tiny kitten state and into adulthood. It doesn’t diminish the time we spent with them, and they with us. Jiji and Joy passed into the next life having known the comforts of love, of a home, and we’re sure that is all their mother could’ve ever dreamed for them.
Now, Joy stands at the steps of life’s crossing. As she moves across the rainbow bridge, bathed in an aurora glow of color, she peeks over its crest and beholds an endless field. Wildflowers bloom freely in a land that is ever encapsulated in the beauty of spring. The birds she could never touch flutter wingbeats across a cerulean sky. And before her, with the wide eyes that so mirror her own, is her brother, and the gentle presence of the mother she knew for such a short time. Now, she can catch her up on all the wonderful mischief she and Jiji got up to at Shadow Cats. Now, she has eternity to bask in their warmth. Together, they can run free of disease, of viruses and pain, of tragedy and sudden loss. Together, they can finally, endlessly, be free.
Thank you to Joy’s wonderful sponsor, Jewel W. Thank you to the wonderful volunteers who always made sure our infamous kitten siblings got plenty of playtime. Thank you to the wonderful staff who raised Jiji & Joy into adulthood, and tenderly lifted them into the beyond when their time came. Thank you to the fantastic medical care they received at Vista Vet. Thank you to anyone who looked at Joy’s beautiful markings and recognized her tigress power and her boundless spirit.
We love you, Joy. We always will.
Joy has 1 Sponsor
Jewel Walker