In the Summer of 1989 when my husband and I were first married, we were visiting my brother in law, David. Underneath his mobile home, we heard a tiny meow. It was the sound of a lonely kitten who had no mother nor family in sight. Bob and I brought her into the mobile and I remember my brother in law saying, “I’m not paying vet fees.” I could care less about what he was going to do. I had already decided to adopt Orphan Annie. Bob named her right away as she was all alone. We took her home and Bob kept saying for me not to get attached so that my heart wouldn’t be broken. Annie was so fragile. Her eyes were still closed and her ears were forward. She fit in the palm of my hand and weighed 3 ounces. We had to call the vet to find out how to feed her Kitten Milk Replacement with a doll bottle and how to make her pee by using a wet cotton ball. We put her in a box with a hot water bottle, a clock to mimic a mother cat’s heart beat and a warm towel for her to sleep on. I also let her sleep on my sweat shirt so she would be surrounded by a familiar smell.
She woke up every two hours to be fed for six weeks and when it was time to wean her, she went straight for the adult food. She gave us fifteen wonderful years of playtime, lap sitting, and she would sleep under my arm and purr. I never could imagine that those wonderful years with my baby would end. Two weeks ago, she was diagnosed with mass cell cancer.
One week after that, she had the surgery to remove the tumor and three days later after the vet tried everything to save her life, she went to live with Jesus. Bob and I will always love our baby and we still cry when we think of her. Annie’s passing has taught us how short life is and that every single moment with our loved one’s must be treasured.
We will always remember the good times and forget about the claws on the furniture. Orphan Annie, you are our special cuddle kitty and we will miss you.
All our love,
| Orphan Annie |
| Robert and Deborah Sullivan |