RIP Willow

We had a tragic accident happen on Saturday (my birthday).

I had gated Hope off into the kitchen and was pouring her food when Willow jumped the gate and ran up to the dish. It all happened in seconds. Next thing I knew Willow was flipping around on the floor like a fish out of water and blood spraying out of her nose.

I grabbed her, we ran to the car and called the vet (they were closed) to let them know we were on our way (they are only 2 minutes away). The drive over I was holding Willow while the vet was giving me instructions. We got to the parking lot and Willow went limp. What color is her mouth? Pinch her toes really hard. Blow on her eye and see if she will blink.

She responded to none of that. Willow was dead.

It wouldn't have mattered anyways ... the vet said she was half hour away so even if she did make it to the vets we would have had to wait a half hour.

I miss Willow like crazy. Everything around the house reminds me of her. She was the best kitten ever! She had such a spunky attitude, loved the dogs, loved to cuddle, and loved Roxy. Roxy loved her too.

We buried Willow out back, and I am going to plant some flowers there.

The worst part was coming home and having to clean the blood off the floor and walls. It was splattered everywhere. Even now I still find the odd spot of blood that we missed, and it sends me into tears.

We don't blame Hope at all. She has been living on her own the past two years. She never knows when her next meal might be, and thought Willow was going to take it. It was weird though because when she first got her I checked her to see if she was food aggressive. She was fine with me near her food, the dogs even were near her food, and even our older cat Roxy has been semi near her when she was eating and nothing. Not a peep. I have no idea what set Hope off this one time. But it is definitely not her fault.

RIP Willow. I wish I had of been able to say goodbye. Instead I was on the phone with the vet freaking out. Then you went limp. And it was too late. You were gone.

My heart aches for you Willow. I would give the world to have you back. You were the best kitten ever. So special, so cool, so loving. I wish you could have lived longer. Finish growing up. Experience many different things that you didn't have a chance to yet.

Sometimes I still expect her to come around the corner, to run up onto the bed at night to cuddle, to hear her "nursing" off Chloe and her loud purr.

I think that was the worst birthday ever.