Psyche
kitty cat has returned to SPIRIT.

Rest in Peace – June 1993 – January 6, 2010.

Psyche was a great cat and had a grand
life for 16.6 years, looking after me and my parents. 

Her kitten nickname was Psycho-Kitty.  This is because when my friend's 14 year old daughter and I went to
the Burnaby SPCA looking at kittens, she was the one trying to climb
the bars of her cage while loudly mewing.  We quickly named her
“Psycho-Kitty.” 

A few evenings after bringing her home I listened to Lister Sinclair on
the CBC Radio program IDEAS, speak about the Greek Goddess Psyche – the goddess of Soul, who was also the wife of Cupid.  You can't call a kitten “Psycho-Kitty” for the rest of her life!

Little Psyche was a great animal companion for me.  I had recently separated from my wife, so I gave everything to this new female for whom I was her world.  We lived in a shared house beside Burnaby Lake, on GVRD property next to the Wildlife Refuge Centre.  We also lived with John and Arlene, a dog named Bodhi (after the tree that Buddha meditated under), a black spaniel named Chelsea, a big white cat named Spike, and a small Burnese cat named Cleo.  Spike, Bodhi and Chelsea were great with little Psyche.  She would chase after them, and they would put up with her.  Spike would swat the energetic kitten away, and she would come running back and tackle his tale… only to be swatted away again. 

Burnaby Lake was a great place to grow up.  We would sit on steps in the summer and listen to all the insects.  She would chase them and be wide eyed just watching them fly past.

Every night for our “going to bed ritual” – Psyche would climb the first few steps of the landing, then climb out on the railing.  I would come along and bend down, so she could climb onto my shoulder.  Then she would balance across my shoulders, as we would walk up the stairs to our bedroom.  We lived at the Burnaby Lake house for five years until 1998, when I moved to the North Shore to be with my parents.

Psyche quickly became part of the family with my parents.  Dad would feed her extra treats, while Mom would always shoo her out of the kitchen.  Psyche became an adept mouser, and loved all the room in the big house with all the rooms and crawl spaces downstairs to play hide & seek.  She also liked going outside and exploring the fern garden in the back, as well as Mom's flower and rhododendron garden in the front.  Our bed-time ritual would continue – but in different direction.  She would come and tap me while I was working late on the computer to say “Come to bed now!”

She was an excellent mouser, and would bring mice to my room, but somehow lose control of them, as they scurried underneath the bed or cabinets.  It was these times her nick name would be changed to “Stupid Cat” or usually “Goofy Cat.”  One time while we lived in Burnaby, she brought a young squirrel into my bedroom and let it loose under the bed.

Sometimes I would find her waiting for me if I came home late.  During summer months, she would be sitting at the bridge deck to the house, or at the edge of the driveway.  She always came over to say hello.  If I had been away for a few days, she would pretend to ignore me by sitting nearby, but not approach me.  I had to make it up to her.  She had me trained to bring her treats if she greeted me at the door!

Psyche kitty hair has
accompanied my travels over the years to Beijing, Scotland and the Grand Canyon. She made friends easily and she was loved by many.

Psyche noses the camera

Psyche sneezes and shakes her head.

WHAT HAPPENED TO PSYCHE:



Psyche had a stroke about 9pm last night… affecting her front right leg and
balance…  I first noticed when she climbed off my lap and sort of
rolled over… She gimpily tried to walk out of the front room…
before I could stop her – then she tumbled down 4 steps to the next
level. 

I
brought her to the front room for observation and she lay down and
rested.  A little while later, she again tried to walk down the steps –
but I stopped her before she could fall again.  I took her to the
litter box, and she had trouble standing up.  She was favoring her
front right leg and she kept losing her balance.

Mom
drove us to Emergency Animal Hospital in Kitsilano.  Deb met us there. 
The young vet diagnosed my suspicions – stroke.  They also diagnosed a
hyper-thyroid condition.  They recommended overnight observation and
I-V for hydration and other tests. 

Instead,
I took her home and cuddled and petted her all night – She was happy
and she purred. She just wanted to be close to me, like when she was a
little kitten.  Then, whenever she slept on my bed, she often curled up
against my neck.  If I ever rolled away, she always had to have at
least her paw touching me. 

By
the morning, she had lost use of her back legs, and had problems
rolling over.  Dad drove us to a friend's Animal Clinic on the North
Shore.  On the way, Psyche reached out with her paws and wanted to hug
with me.

At the clinic, a wiser older vet discussed all the complications of her situation.  Psyche was put to rest.

Peace and Blessings, Todd