In Memory of Purrsephone 8/24/2023 – 2/17/2024
When a kitten is found during TNR efforts, the usual protocol is to socialize them and try to adopt them out…except when they come back positive for feline leukemia!
Purrsephone joined us here at Shadow Cats in December of 2023 after one such situation, where the person who took her in needed a place for her and her sister, Penelope, to land. We were in desperate need of some kitten energy in Cookie’s Place…how could we say no to such a sweet Christmas miracle? These kittens defied all the odds, surviving where some of their siblings had not. They deserved a chance, and we were happy to supply it.
To Shadow Cats, the pair came, and they were so incredibly tiny! Penelope was a little on the thicker side, but Purrsephone was so small…she could practically fit in your hand. Where Penelope was outgoing and affectionate, Purrsephone preferred the comfort of a cat tunnel or bed. As her rambunctious sister climbed the walls around her, Purrsephone would inspect you from a safe distance. Still, if you looked through the isolation window without the sisters knowing, you may have been shocked to find Purrsephone balancing on top of a cat scratcher or climbing the walls with her sister! At the time, it seemed that she was just a little more private about her chaotic nature.
So tiny, so timid…with such a sweet little face, but looks can be deceiving! And our precious Purrsephone proved to be quite the little pistol as we found out during her integration into Cookie’s Place. Small in stature, big in personality. Purrsephone was ready to duke it out with the best of them, puffed up and spitting as the bigger cats looked at her curiously…and maybe with a little confusion! Bob and Pixie had quite a time trying to raise Purrsephone and Penelope to play nice, but it didn’t take too long…our girls blossomed and fit right in.
Ferris would often position himself outside of their condos, waiting patiently for their debut, gently stroking the air around them in an effort to smooth over the little pistol’s tiny temper. Jacky looked on with a tilted head. Everyone seemed ready for the girls to be a part of the family, and it didn’t take long for us to start seeing cute little tabby streaks dashing along Cookie’s Place from door to door to catio and back. Pawl absolutely adored these kittens, and they were often seen running back and forth, pleasant and playful.
When she’d sufficiently tire herself out, Purrsephone could be seen snuggling with her sister Penelope…though Penelope never did grow out of resting with her foot in Purrsephone’s face. But she didn’t mind, she was just happy. Finally, our precious girl could live out her life as a kitten, free of worry about meals, safety, shelter…she got to live life simply and to the fullest.
Unfortunately, our time with leukemia cats is sometimes shortened. Purrsephone had to be taken to an emergency clinic after she was observed having some labored breathing. We hoped for another diagnosis, but we had a feeling it was one we are all too familiar with—pleural effusion, spawned from her leukemia, and with no cure. We had given Purrsephone the gift of love, of a full belly, warm beds, and plentiful cuddles. We had one last gift to impart, the gift of a gentle passing. She nuzzled into our hands and licked our fingers, soaking up the affections we could muster through the tears and laughter about her little quirks, and the funny way people would mispronounce her name, like pursey-phone.
Until the end, our girl lived up to her namesake, Persephone, goddess of springtime and love. She grew warmth within our hearts, brimming with love she inspired, and reminded us that even the smallest life, the shortest life, deserves a chance to flower and bloom. Purrsephone did just that. Now, she carries her warmth to another plane, where many Shadow Cats wait to welcome her across the rainbow bridge. Where she can inspire growth even still, an eternal garden, a grove for all our beloved cats to frolic and be free.
We will miss Purrsephone terribly, but feel incredibly blessed to have had her touch our lives even for a short time. We will never forget her, and have immense gratitude for those who loved her in her lifetime. Thank you to her sponsor, Pam Lind, for loving Purrsephone so wholly. Thank you to our amazing staff, our incredible volunteers, the wonderful woman who brought Purrsephone into our care, and all who have been touched by her story.
Purrsephone had 1 Sponsor
Pam Lind