2/5/11 - Nilly

We have 2 cats.  Steinway is mine, and Nilly is the cat Rich brought to the marriage.  When they coined the phrase "scaredy cat", they were talking about Nilly.  As long as I can remember, Nilly has been afraid...of everything.  I think the day we brought Nathan home from the hospital was perhaps the worst day of her life.  A screaming, wiggling being that was in HER room! She is still terribly afraid of Nathan who has been nothing but sweet to her from the very long distance that she requires remains between them at all times.  Let it be known...her fear is in no way based in reality.  She has never once been hurt by anyone or anything that I'm aware of.

I'm sad to say that Nilly is nearing the end of her young life.  Several months ago we found a malignant tumor on her leg and at that time made the difficult decision not to amputate the leg and fight the cancer.  We decided that for Nilly (who most definitely is not a fighter) it would be just too difficult for her to overcome losing a leg that way.  We opted instead for the "make her as happy and comfortable as possible for as long as possible" route.  It has been difficult to watch her decline slowly...but I'm positive that it has been easier on her than the alternative would have been.  She no longer has the use of that leg, but it was gradual and painless. 

With losing the use of her leg, Nilly has had to find more bravery than I think she ever thought she could.  She simply can't hide the way she used to.  She tries, but it's hard for her to get in and out of small places, so she has had to be out and about in the presence of that terror..Nathan!  She has had to trust us way more than she was ever willing to.  She has been a real trooper.  She's pretty much the same as she always was...except that we actually get see her more often.

Here are several pictures of our girl.

Here she is on our bed in her spot. 

She looks all ferocious in this photo...but she's really just chatting with us. 

 Pretty Green Eyes

 Neat and tidy

 No kitty has ever been more loved.

 or scared.  Here is her response to hearing Nathan wake up from his nap in the next room.

 This is Steinway.  I include this because my cat has not been as kind as one would hope to poor Nilly. When we added a food dish upstairs so Nilly wouldn't have to struggle up and down the stairs to eat, he started eating all her food. He pushes her out of the way and takes advantage of her in any way we can.  About a week ago, Rich bought this kitty bed for Nilly because it seemed she was getting uncomfortable laying on the floor with the tumor....and I guess Steinway decided that he needed it more. Hard to explain to a cat why he shouldn't be so selfish.