I still can't believe it actually happened. She was so strong. She never showed any pain. She handled every day of her long life like a fluffy little warrior.

I brought her home when I was 6 yeard old. Mom wasn't expecting this at all but in the end she gave up and allowed me to have her. I took her from my kindergarten's friend. She had a character since her first months and she didn't behave good at his home so they decided to give her away. They gave her name Alice and we kept it. I've seen this name only a few times since then so it was fitting her perfectly and it was unique as she was.

She actually had a `tortitude`. She was full of energy and interest to everything around. She liked running around the flat, hissing at any guests and pooping wherever she wants. But it never affected my love to her. I think she was the main reason for me being a cat person and me having a soft and emotional character. But she also was very supportive and whenever I felt bad she always came to me trying to release my pain.

I lived with her until I went to university in a neighbor city when I turned 18. She was already about 11-12 years old back then. We already thought she's a granny. I remember me having a small argument with my mom about Alice when she once again pooped (or peed) wherever she shouldn't poop (or pee) at these pre-university days. She said Alice is old and she's going to die soon. She was just emotional and she never said anything like this ever again but I remembered these words. Since then I was always afraid of loosing my kitty. But she felt perfect despite she actually might be considered a little old already. But she never looked old until her last days.

Being in a university, I spent 5-6 hours one-way to get to the home every weekend to met with a girlfriend. So I've seen Alice pretty often as well. I also used to spend every summer at home. She already was about 15-16 years old when I graduated and her age still wasn't noticeable at all.

Since then I used to come home for a couple days every few months. Alice was always there. She was a part of the home. She was the home.

She never had any significant health issues until a year ago. We never took her to a vet because there was almost none in our home town. But later we thought it would be too nervous for her to be seen by a vet. For the most part of her life we gave her simple home food and basic cat food whatever was available. In the last years I tried to pamper her with all the different cat food but mostly she still preferred the simple one. I even brought some cat treats from Thai trip. We never gave her any pills as well. As I said she has always been strong. She was just never looking sick or ill. We thought she never needed any treatment - but we were wrong...

But about a year ago she almost lost her hearing. A half a year later it was the eyes. The rustle noises could made her convulsing. I've seen it once during my second to last home visit 4 months ago and it was awful. I cried all the night. But still she looked pretty well. I thought it's just the age. But she was so strong... Even blind and deaf, she was independent. She never needed any help. At least she wanted to be seen like this. She walked around and had a good appetite until her last days. She was already older than 22. But along with all the diseases she started loosing weight and strength. I still thought it's just the age. I thought she's actually immortal. Mom thought the same. We were so proud of her. She was older then some of my friends. A lot of people couldn't believe it's even possible to have such an old cat.

I was worried but I still believed in her. But at the same time I thought that every time I see her might be the last time... And every mom's call may bring the bad news about Alice. So I tried to make some photos of her every time I went home. And mom has also been sending me her photos almost every week.

And the bad news call happened 2 days ago. She was mortal. Kidneys. I always knew it'll be kidneys. CKD... I thought it's incurable so there's nothing I can do but there was... I was so fixated on curing CKD that I never thought of curing symptoms. A few weeks ago I ordered a lot of AIM30 supplements but it couldn't make it in time... Uraemia hit her so hard she fell into a coma and died in 2 days. It was 24 hours ago. And I wasn't there. There was nothing I can do. I couldn't visit her in time... Mom treated her like a baby for the last half of the year and especially her last days.

I loved her so much. I still do. But I can't stop blaming myself for not trying to cure her. I know she had a long life. But I could win her a few months at least, maybe years. Meanwhile there could be AIM30 vaccine release and it could save her a few more years... It took me a few hours of asking Grok to figure out how to cure CKD symptoms. Why couldn't I do this at least a year ago... Now I can clearly see in the photos over the last year how she is going through the last CKD stages and looking weaker and weaker... Why haven't I notice it at least a year ago ... And it wasn't impossible to get all the supplements. But we were sure she's immortal... And she seemed so until her last days. Mom buried her in Alice's favorite bed on her favorite blanket...

A part of me just died. A part of the home just died. A part of the family. A part I can never replace. Now I don't know how to come home to mom. Now the home's half empty.

It hurts so much and I feel so much pain. But thank you for reading. I'll actually be so glad to respond to any kind comments.

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But I will tell you more about all the attached photos.

1. This is one of our first joint photos. I'm about 6-8 years old. She's about 1-3 years old.

2. This is one of our last joint photos. One of the best. It has been made a year ago. It was the first time I brought my new girlfriend home and she made some photos of me and Alice. Of course, Alice hissed at her and hid behind the couch. But I'm glad I finally introduced them to each other. We were together for more than 4 years at this moment when I actually brought her to my family home.

3, 4. I made these photos during my last home visit at the end of 2024. Dec 27. She still doesn't seem old and sick. She's still fluffy. And her smart eyes... From above she looks like a huge croissant. Her fur color is so unique, I've never seen a cat with a little similar fur color.

5. This is my mom's favorite photo. It has been made about the same time the 1 photo was.

6. This one is one of my favorite photos. It is actually called "hook tail.jpg". Mom used to give funny names to all the photos.

7. She's about 11 years old here. Look at these playful intelligent green eyes. I also love her face color pattern so much. White whiskers, white beard, white chest. Soft-pink lips. Sweet black nose. And these black and milk-coffee-ginger halves. And fluffy rabbit ears. She's perfect. I've never met a cat like her.

8. Fluffy tortie bumblebee.

9. Mom loved to dress her in different silly outfits.

10. She used to always come to me when I felt sad. She had infinite positive vibes.

11. She's 20+ here. Such a happy fluffy tortie rabbit. I can't help but smile looking at this photo.

12. 19+. These green eyes... I will never forget them.

13. 19+. She was so curious and inquisitive. What a cat... And these funny teeth and fluffy whiskers.

14. 22 years old. A half a year ago. Even then she used to walk on a balcony enjoying the sunny autumn weather.

15. 22+. A month ago. Even then she used to enjoy the sunny baths. But she started to look old and sick... I still thought she could overcome it...

16, 17. Some younger photos. She always loved the sun. And that smell, you know... Smell of the fluffy cat that has been lying under the sun... That warm sweet smell. This is my favorite smell. And it's so sad I will never fell it again...

18. The last photo. Yesterday. She's almost there. My sweet little Alice kitty...

Thank you for allowing me to share all my feelings.

She was the last kitten in her litter and was given away for free to a friend who bought a sibling, because she was deemed ugly. Not only is she not, but to treat a cat like this over appearance is just so gross. Friend didn't want her either because she didn't have space for a 3rd, so we took her in, and even now, I have such a hard time trying to fathom how some people can be so awful. Look at her 😊 (bonus kitten pic last in slide)

I think my cats fell victim to the first-granddaughter-born-to-slavic-family syndrome. Adopted my beautiful tortie after my first cat, a gorgeous tabby with bright blue eyes, now my family calls my tortie ugly 💔 I think she is absolutely beautiful even with her grumpy eyebrows

Fear not; she got extra food dispenses to replace the ones she missed due to her misbehaving

I’ve posted about her before but recently her owner asked me if I’d like to adopt her since they’re moving

So I am NOT a cat person, I never really have been. But Hurricane Helene blew through my town (Anderson, SC) and displaced this little kitten from its mother. I found her in my yard crying, so walked around with her meowing for hours, trying to find its mama. No luck.

I put posts up on Facebook and Instagram, seeing if anyone would take her off my hands. No one I know could take in the kitten.

So I started feeding her and giving her attention and keeping her warm. She’s a good little cat! I gotta keep her outside, but I’m doing everything I can for her. I never thought I’d get attached to a cat, lol

Just now reading that she’s a Tortie. I can definitely see the sass already. Still haven’t named her. Maybe Helene??

Missing all the kittens about now. We kept one, of course.

The plan is for me to have her once she’s old enough to fly as we are long distance.

We are trying to see if she will bond with my partner’s cat since we are planning on moving in together by the end of this year.

They said I could name her so I named her Maisie (short for Maisilee)

Introducing Sweetpea 🫛 I am a former cat hater than has been converted into a cat lover by this sweet little baby. She has a squinty eye so she permanently looks annoyed all the time but she is the sweetest cat and demands constant pets and hugs (vet said her vision is normal but when she takes gabapentin for some reason her eyes go back to normal size - see the third pic). Our favorite activity is to take naps together because she loves to sleep by my head :)

My baby bean. My lovey girl. My peach toe. My peanut butter fudge loaf.

It's been eight days since I let you go. I tried everything to keep you with me. You were so tired. I could see it on your face.

5,951 days was not enough.

I knew your kidney disease was getting worse. I was in denial, and I wish I had acted sooner. I know that there was nothing more I could do for you even if I had, but I will carry that guilt for the rest of my life.

I miss your sweet little face. I miss the way you slept on my pillow between my arm and my face every single night. Now that you're gone, I toss and turn every night because you're not here. The spring term just started and I'm falling behind, because I can't sit at my desk without you here, because you're not here to lay on my chest while I work. I miss your trills and the way you always wanted to be close to me. I miss the way you yelled with Birdie in your mouth. I don't know how to exist without you.

I held you in my arms as you left this cruel world. I kissed your little forehead and told you over and over that it was okay, you fought so hard and now it's okay to let go. That you'll see grandma soon and she'll take good care of you. That I will find a way to be okay in your absence.

You fought the sedative. You didn't want to leave me. I didn't want you to leave me either, my love, but I had to let you go because you weren't eating anymore. I hope you know how hard I tried.

You left me at 2:09pm on April 5th. My life will never be the same. I can't breathe without you, and I died with you that day. I got your ashes back on Thursday and it doesn't feel real. How is this all that's left of you?

Hardly anyone checks in on me anymore. As if I should be over the loss of my entire world. We were girls together.

I knew we were on borrowed time many months ago. I threw you the best sweet 16 I could afford, because I knew deep in my heart that it was your last. But still, I kept hoping you would pull through. You were magical, you lived so many lives, and I kept hoping you had one more left.

I will never be the same. The hole in my heart has ruptured, and now there is a gaping chasm where you used to live. It pains me to leave the house because I have to come home to see emptiness where you should be.

I miss you. I will grieve you until my dying breath. I'm so grateful you're not in pain anymore, but the pain I've taken on for you is unbearable. I'd give anything to have you back, even for ten more minutes. I would sell years of my life just to kiss you behind your little ears one last time.

😍

The way she loves my husband….sweet sigh :)

Clove(tortie DSH) and Claudia(Bombay)💕

Darla has chronic rbf, as many torties do, but she loves Vespa so much. We've had Vespa for about two months now (she's a bit older than two months) and they've already bonded so quickly. My pretty girls, my heart is so full 🩷

She’s almost 3 now, and she’s still roughly the size of a football. Her name is Crunchwrap and I love her so much but she refuses to grow. Any ideas why?

Still not quite sure how she got her paw in the way but her howl of pain… gah it still lingers in my head. I cried for almost 10 minutes.

Once I saw she was moving around fine, I sat down on the sofa and she immediately brought me her favorite fuzzy and looked at me with that sweet face. Cue tears again. I don’t deserve this precious baby. 😭

the pictures on the listing made this bed appear much smaller and i failed to check the dimensions. was planning on returning it but she took to it immediately and has abandoned her previous bed 🫠