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Ninja came to live with myself, my (ex)c/l husband and stepdaughter early fall, 1984. She was a multi-coloured Siamese and very beautiful. Her former owners did not want her any longer. The main complaint was that Ninja was too hyperactive and crazy to live in their home.
Hyperactive was too soft a word to describe Ninja. Simply going near her sent Ninja running away at high speed, where she'd hit the wall, scramble up, do a flip, hit the ground and run for the other side. We spent much time using quiet voices and food treats to gain her trust. Eventually she came to trust us and loved to curl up on our laps.
Dave eventually asked in a joking manner (to the former owners) "what on earth did you do to Ninja? beat her and throw her down the stairs?" He was shocked when the reply was "yes." The former owner went on to state that Ninja meowed too much and was too high energy, so he would hit her, grab her, then throw her down the basement stairs, locking her in the darkness for hours.
No wonder Ninja did wall tricks to escape us - she was terrified for her life!
Shortly after Ninja settled into our home and hearts, another cat came into our lives - Honey or as we affectionately called her, Weasel.
My friend and coworker told me she had a kitten to give away and tried to convince me Ninja needed a friend. I refused. Living in an apartment with a child and cat was enough, I simply didn't have the room. My friend had other plans though.
She invited over to where her husband worked (a hotel) to "just meet the kitten, you'll love her." It was winter and very cold - minus 30C/40C was the average temperture. When I arrived, she unzipped my parka and her husband put a beautiful kitten inside, zipping it back up. My heart was stolen, just as they had planned and I simply couldn't part with the little lonely kitten. As she purred, nestling in the warmth of my parka, the story unravelled. She appeared one day at the hotel door very cold and hungry. No one claimed her and my friends had so many cats, they really didn't want to keep one more.
Later that evening, I went to a party where she refused to leave the security of my parka, so I kept it on all night! When I arrived home Dave and I finally got her out of the coat and onto the floor. It was then my heart hit the ground. This sad little kitten dragged her back legs as she wheezed for air, trying to walk over to meet Ninja. I thought her back was injured and my mind went sadly to what we'd have to do if it was. It was also then we noticed how frost bitten her ears were.
I picked her up gently and turned her over. Her feet were black from frost bite which explained her inability to walk. I listened to her lungs with my stethescope and heard wheezing, along with congestion. Being a nurse, I knew Honey was struggling with pnuemonia.
I treated her ears and feet that night with peroxide (diluted with water) and continued to do this several times in the day. I treated her pneumonia with oral penicillin and we pushed fluids until she was completely rehydrated. As she healed, we realized that she wasn't a kitten - the nursing practitioner and I estimated her to be over 6 months old and simply tiny from neglect.
Honey was cream coloured with a splash of brown over her back, which dripped down her sides - hence her name. She and Ninja quickly grew to love one another. They were often found curled up tight against one another. How did Honey come by the nickname Weasel? Simple. Her ear tips were frozen and eventually fell off. The result gave her the look of a weasel.
A few years later, we moved out of the apartment to a trailer outside of town. One day Ninja did not return home. Honey looked around the trailer and property for her, meowing and searching in all their favourite spots. Eventually Honey took refuge on top of the microwave oven, watching out the window, meowing at times in a way I never heard before or after. After 3 weeks, we thought we'd never see Ninja again and felt very sad for Honey.
Never say never though! Dave was driving when he skidded to a stop. Ninja, skinny and very exhausted, was standing in the middle of the road! He scooped her up and brought her immediately home. She came inside the trailer and I called for Honey, who ran to the door. She ran up to Ninja, whacked her so hard in the head that Ninja tumbled backwards, meowed a sharp call and walked away. In fact, Honey refused to cuddle, stand near or even eat with Ninja for days! My ex and I swear she gave Ninja a stern talking to for getting lost and frightening her to death!
Eventually they cuddled, Honey "forgave" Ninja for being lost and all returned back to the happy home it always was.
Ninja and Honey lived a long life, never leaving one another's side again. Eventually Ninja grew more ill from a hernia that was inoperable and Honey's chronic chest problems grew worse. One day, Ninja and Honey went for a walk to the bushes. We never saw them again.
Brandi was heartbroken, believing there was something she could have done to have prevented their disappearance. I comforted her by stating, it was their time and in death, they did as they did in life - they stay together, never leaving the other's side.
Ninja and the Weasel....they will never be forgotten, the lessons they taught us will always be remembered and they will always live forever in our hearts.
~~2001~~
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