The Blessings of a Feral Cancer Cat

19 DAYS AND COUNTING

I cannot believe it's been nineteen days since Kara went Home. Nineteen days since we made the decision to put her to sleep before she suffered. I cannot help but feel at times she was stolen from us. We just didn't have her long enough. 

Then, I try to look at things with reason and logic. We had her seven months longer than we were supposed to, according to the veterinarian. So, oh, how we are thankful for that. 

And, if you knew Kara, you would know one day with her was larger than life and full of love. We had her one year and six days. Could we be more blessed? 

She knew a life she never had prior... and she had it for over a year. She knew love for the first time. She learned how to be loved and how to love extravagantly. Again... what blessings!

I should count the blessings we had with her and since. I shouldn't want her back. I should be grateful for what we had with her and how we can live fuller lives because of her. 

But, oh, how I miss her. The problem is there is so much to miss. Kara girl looked like the size of a kitten, but her heart and spirit were larger than Alaska. 

Rather than be sad, I try to count my blessings. 

THE CLAW

Yesterday I ripped off the bandage and did something B and I were not ready to do, but knew we had to... it was hard, but a blessing was found. Kara hung out mainly in our bedroom and in our guest bedroom, and sometimes in my study. So, yesterday, I decided to clean the sheets on the guest bed. 

Sinan, our other cat, came to give me a hand... I mean a paw. I'm not sure if he came to stop me or to hang out with me. He sniffed for her in all her favorite spots as I put my hand there and tried not to sob. His head fell forward and his shoulders slumped as we both looked and remembered. Then, as I pulled back the sheet to strip it from the bed and I gasped. I didn't expect it. I felt pure joy and anguish rush through my system at once in response. There was a claw there. 

I took it as a hug from the Lord.

I reached for it and added it to the baggy we have of a whisker and some of her fur we have found. Silly, I know. Some would say it's ridiculous. But, they are physical reminders of a cat who was here... a blessing from the Lord... and I want to count those blessings as much as I can as often as I can and those physical reminders help me to do so. Silly? Probably. But, if it deepens my faith and helps me appreciate my blessings, I would rather be silly and do silly things. It's worth it. 

A hug indeed. 

THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THESE BLOG POSTS

I write each blog post throughout the day, a day to a couple of weeks before they post. And when I write them, I write them in segments. I write a section and then go do something else for a while (like reading the holy book and prayer, never mind housekeeping) and then come back to it. I do not write it all in one setting. Consequently, if you sense a change in my feelings or thoughts as you read, it's because an hour or more might pass between each segment or section. 

THE PLANS FOR BOOKS 1 AND 2: A BOOK OF FAITH AND AN INTERACTIVE DEVOTIONAL MEMOIR AND PET JOURNAL

Book 1: I am writing the first book in the Moments with Kara series as a book of faith, and will even talk about the Lord and prayer, and may even quote some Old Testament verses from time to time. But, I want to keep this generic enough anyone can read it and get a lot out of it, regardless of what one believes. I want faith in general and life to be the focus and the blessings and lessons received from Kara the feral cancer cat. 

Book 2: This will be a Christian focused book. It will be more of a devotional memoir of sorts, where you will interact with the book. 

I hope this helps you know my heart and where I am/we are headed and to know my present focus. 

COUNTING MY BLESSINGS DURING THIS SEASON OF THANKS

As I mentioned yesterday, I have tried the last couple of years to live a life of thanks, not just a holiday or season of thanksgiving. However, in October through the end of the year, I try to step it up a notch or two and count even more blessings. After all, every moment, in every situation, and in days of sun or days of rain (my way of saying good times and challenging times), it is important that o be thankful and show gratitude. Every moment is blessed. 

Every moment has its blessing. All. Without fail.

The catch is are we going to just let our blessings pass us by, or will we choose to look for them and count them? 

Just the thought of missing a blessing makes me sad. I don't ever want to miss one blessing. 

A blessing is when the Lord shows us favor. 

It's when He throws us a bone, so to speak. Or, is a hug from Him to us. It's how He shows us love and teaches us about Himself. He loves us unconditionally and without limit. Hence, He blesses us. And every moment is blessed. He wants to show us constantly how much He loves us. 

Kara is/was a very large blessing. She was for us and we were for her. She showed how blessed she knew she was. She purred almost non-stop. Even when her lungs were filled with cancer... Even as she died in B's arms and as she rubbed her face and head all over my hands... She died purring. She died showing love and counting her blessings in her own cat way. 

This is why it is so important for me to count my blessings... always... and especially until the end of the year as I try to count far more each day than I usually do. 

Will you join me and count our blessings this day? 

In Remembrance of...

A BEGINNING NOTE

Since these blog posts will be turned into at least one book, I decided to start Kara's story like a book. Here are the first couple of pages:

///

Working Title of Blog Post Series and Book:

"Moments with Kara: What a feral cancer cat taught me about faith and life"

///

DEDICATION

Kara, our Baby Girl and Little Bit, you will never be forgotten, our faithful and loyal friend and companion. Your strength and love will inspire us to live better lives and be better people as we wait to see you again in eternity. You never let even their cancer hold you back or get you down and allowed love to help you be steadfast. 

What an inspiration you were and are. Your resiliency was absolutely remarkable.

Snuggle up to the Lord for us.

ONCE UPON A TIME

There once was a cat. Her name was Kara.

This is the story of a merging of lives and this is the tale of our journey together.

///

A LED MEMORIAL CANDLE SHINES 

I am a writer of nonfiction and fiction and am a journal keeper. Therefore, I have an office in one of the bedrooms of our home. It's devoted to writing and reading and has no bed in it, unless you count our bald faced eagle's sighed, where he is now, sleeping away. This is where I sit now and I have a round pedestal table, which I use as a desk. On this desk sits a LED tealight candle in remembrance of Kara Duplease.

It is a flameless LED candle since I cannot have regular candles because our other cat, Sinan (pronounced see-nawn), a crazy and woolly Maine Coon who caught his tail on fire once when he jumped on my desk to get in the way of my writing. He was and is just fine. I will share the story another time, but this is why I don't use a real candle to stand as a memorial of our Baby Girl.

Every time I write at my desk, or at the sofa downstairs, I make sure to light it and remember our feral cancer cat who thoroughly stole our hearts. It is the least I can do. 

OUR BABY GIRL

It has been sixteen days since my husband and I made the choice to have Kara put to sleep. 

Pardon me as I pause for a moment and try to recollect myself as just writing that sentence has stirred up several emotions, never mind memories. 

Here it is Fall, and my favorite time of year, I am reminded as I look out my window and see the yellow, orange, and red leaves of trees in the distance. And that flashes an image in my mind of when Kara found us, how it was Fall and I have a couple of pictures of the feral cat with colorful Fall leaves beside her. She made Fall my favorite season all the more because it brought her into our lives. 

It was just over a year ago.

Kara stepped into our open garage, and into the lives of my husband and me, in the Fall. And, she stepped out of our physical lives just one year, six days later, and she has so thoroughly changed us that her story must be told. It must be remembered and shared. 

Oh, what a year!

When Kara stepped into our garage and into our lives, it was after my husband and I found out we were both infertile, after we tried two rounds of IVF, and tried to adopt... and we had just made the decision to not have children. 

We thought she was a feral kitten with how small and malnourished she was, only to find out by our veterinarian how she was a senior on one visit, and only to find out on another she had both breast and lung cancer. Therefore, we decided to spoil her rotten and love on her as long as we could, in a way we knew she had never been loved. 

Those last two paragraphs were a teaser as to the rest of this blog and book. I hope you now understand more of the context in which she came into our lives. And, I hope you see when we call her our Baby Girl, she was just that. She was probably the closest thing we will ever have to one and we loved her with our whole being and spent great resources (time and money) as we tried to give her at least some time of the life she deserved. She sure hadn't deserved being beaten and abandoned (I will write more on that, too). 

Kara never knew before us the kind of love we gave her and we didn't know the kind of love she gave us.

Yes, Baby Girl... This Blog and book are in remembrance of you.

NaNoWriMo and Writing Kara's Story

NANOWRIMO

I'm sure you are wondering what NaNoWriMo is... and if you know what it is, you probably wonder why I'm participating, after all, this looks like it is a work of nonfiction. I will answer both questions.

NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month and is a competition where people all around the world have gathered together to write a novel of 50,000 words in one month--and that month is November. I am taking part in this challenge in November, but in truth am starting to write the book now. Whatever my word count is at the end of October, I will add 50,000 words to that as my goal.

It isn't necessary to write fiction for NaNoWriMo; needless to say, I am using NaNoWriMo to write Kara's story. Consequently, between now and the end of November, I will be writing multiple blog posts per day. I will, however, spread them out and publish them for you to see once per day after today (10/12/2015).

"Moments with Kara" is Kara's story and is our story about her.

This is a temporary "book cover" of sorts. I will in time create a real one.

BLOG TO BOOK

Also, it is my goal to turn the blog posts of this blog into a book or two in time. Therefore, this blog will not be the final polished version of this material. Nor will this blog include as much material as the book(s). I just wanted to give you fair warning.

The blog to book posts will be geared for a few different books: a memoir or two, pet journaling (how to pet journal), how to turn your pet journal into a memoir, and pet loss and grief. The posts of this blog will turn into multiple books in time, but right now my main focus is a memoir and inspirational story about our rescued cancer cat, Little Bit. Kara Beara. Lady Kara. Baby Girl. Feisty One.

Over the next month, I will count the blessings of Kara and the faith and life lessons she taught me. So, stay tuned. This is actually the whole purpose of this blog. However, with Thanksgiving coming up, counting the blessings on Kara seems a fitting and appropriate tribute to the black and white purrbox.

An Introduction to This Blog

Hello. Thank you for stopping by and taking a peek at this blog.

This blog is my personal journaling, which I will turn into a book in time. It is about remembering a double cancer feral cat who adopted my husband and I on September 20, 2014 and she was put to sleep on September 26, 2015. She found us, adopted us, and thoroughly changed our lives.

Are you an animal lover?

Do you own a pet or have you ever owned a pet?

Have you ever had a rescue and/or a feral cat?

Have you ever had a sick pet?

Have you ever had a terminally ill and provided palliative care for a pet?

Have you ever had a pet with cancer?

Have you ever had a pet go Home?

Do you like to read inspirational stories?

Do you want to live the best life possible?

Do you want to learn how to count your blessings?

Do you want to journal about your pet so you can remember all the memories of them?

Do you want to write a memoir about your pet?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, this blog is for you.

Welcome to: "Moments with Kara: What a feral cancer cat taught me about faith and life." It's a memoir and inspirational story about a rescue, pet loss, and unconditional love.

Life and Writing Chronicles 04-30-2015.

THE DEFINITION OF LIFE: A JOURNALING PROMPT

I define life in this fashion: It's a series of blessings to be counted.

Every moment has multiple blessings, if only we search for them. If we were to do this with every moment of our lives, we would live the best life possible, a supremely blessed one that is acknowledged and counted as blessed. 

Journal your thoughts.

Count your blessings. List as many as you can. 

SINAN THE CAT
(APRIL 29, 2015: A VERY IMPORTANT DATE)

04-29-2015 was an important date. Our orange Maine Coon cat, Sinan, turned six years old. So, now he is older than me in cat years, but younger than B. He was given extra attention and wished a happy birthday, in which he looked a combination of annoyed and confused. He didn't care for the extra attention, after all it was not on his terms or time clock. Poor Puttins. 

I gave him an extra dose of playing flying fish on a stick and string, though,which cheered him right up, jumping high, going in circles, pouncing, somersaults, and running. It was a cat's paradise and ideal workout program. Sinan was then quite pleased. 

What a joy Sinan had been. He has one of the best personalities and is guaranteed to do something goofy to make B and I laugh out loud at least once a day. He is also a sensitive soul and knows anytime something is wrong with anyone in the household and he tries to take care of them. He's playful and talkative. His vocabulary amazes me. Never mind how he is too smart for his own good. What a blessing he is and has been. 

He was found by a cat rescue as a tiny kitten, he and his siblings, by the railroad tracks in Iowa. We adopted him in August. He was fourteen weeks old or so. So, he was our first rescue. We are not sure if we rescued him or if he rescued us. 

I cannot picture life without him. He adds depth and love to our lives, never mind joy and sometimes frustration. He is not a destructive cat, but his curiosity can get him into trouble where he accidentally hurts something. For instance, at an unfamiliar house, he wanted to jump onto the ledge which opened to the downward stairway. Since he hadn't jumped up there before, he didn't realize he could fall all the way through, and fall down the stairs to the bottom, if he didn't make his landing a perfect ten on the ledge. 

Well, let's just say there were houseplants there. He tried to grab one of the pots to break his fall, which meant the pot ended up somehow falling down the stairs and breaking into several pieces and it made one massive mess. Sinan was mortified. B and I wanted to wring his neck since it was not our house or plant. But, he knew he made a mistake. He didn't run. He waited for us to find him and he faced his scolding like a lion. We cleaned the mess, went to the store to fix what the cat did, and went back to the house to fix it and love on Mr. Mischievous. 

Never mind how he jumped on top of the fridge, didn't realize it was cold, slippery, or dusty and he slid right off in surprise, fell to the floor, unharmed except his pride. 

Or, do we need to tell how he loves the daily newspaper. He jumps on the table, buries himself under it, pushes it into the air, and onto the floor so he can wrestle with it and pounce on it? And, need I mention, the paper isn't ours, but is the paper of the house we are staying? (Ugh.) That accidentally destructive part I mentioned earlier...

Also, Sinan is the protector of our domain. He alerts us if he hears anything out of the ordinary and will growl and put himself between us and the threat (usually a perceived threat). He is quite alert and takes good care of us. This is one of his best qualities. 

Sinan is a character, that is for sure. What a blessing, though! Thank God for him in our lives. Laughter, love, and memories. 

CURRENT WRITING PROJECT

I am working on a new project, on top of the A SEARCH FOR HOPE project. I started it yesterday. I will let you know more about it once I get to 30,000 words. I want to make sure it is one I see through to the finish. 

WORD COUNT PROGRESS

2,299 words done of 1,000 words due on 04.29.2015.

NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS (FOR AWARENESS AND PRAYER POINTS)

In order these articles were found:

1
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/curtis-houck/2015/04/28/cnns-brooke-baldwin-blames-veterans-becoming-cops-police-violence

2
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ken-shepherd/2015/04/27/msnbcs-chris-atthews-blames-right-work-states-part-baltimore-rioting

3
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/barbara-hollingsworth/author-persecuted-christians-middle-east-are-defying-isis-their

4
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2015/04/28/baltimore-mayor-getting-heat-over-space-to-destroy-remarks-n1991756

5
http://townhall.com/columnists/michaelreagan/2015/04/29/another-coverup-for-the-religion-of-peace-n1992112

6
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/04/30/report-freddie-gray-may-have-intentionally-tried-to-injure-self-in-police-van/?cmpid=NL_morninghl

7
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/04/30/rescue-crew-pulls-survivor-from-rubble-5-days-after-nepal-quake/?intcmp=HPBucket

8
http://townhall.com/columnists/larryelder/2015/04/30/tell-people-theyre-victims--theyll-act-like-victims-n1992182?utm_source=thdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl&newsletterad=

9
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2015/04/29/friendly-reminder-52-percent-of-democrats-view-socialism-favorably-n1992316

10
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/danieldoherty/2015/04/29/mother-of-the-year-i-was-trying-to-save-my-sons-life-n1992201

11
http://townhall.com/columnists/victordavishanson/2015/04/30/an-ironic-drought-in-california-n1992114

12
http://cnsnews.com/commentary/l-brent-bozell-iii/obamas-bucket-contempt

13
http://cnsnews.com/blog/michael-morris/gallup-less-1-adult-population-part-same-sex-couple

14
http://www.ijreview.com/2015/04/309128-scotus-alito-gay-marriage-could-lead-to-polygamy/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morningnewsletter

15
http://www.ijreview.com/2015/04/308815-democrat-milwaukee-sheriff-baltimore-riots-failed-liberal-policies-fault/

16
http://www.ijreview.com/2015/04/308488-theres-no-excuse-reason-two-kids-received-unexcused-absences-pa-school/

A SEARCH FOR HOPE: JOURNALING THE WORD SERIES

Pray on this, think on this, meditate on, ponder, contemplate, all night and day:

Psalm 31:24 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

24 Be strong and courageous,
all you who put your hope in the Lord.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
~*~**~*~

Adoption

Adoption
2014-09-28 16:06:28, Sunday

My husband, B, nor I realized it at the time, but we were adopted one week ago today. A feral kitten appeared in our just opened garage and won B's heart when he found it. Then, he introduced the kitten and me. It was the most adorable and loving little one.

Monday through Wednesday, the kitten made repeat visits (probably because of the food and water we set out Sunday afternoon for the malnourished little one). Over that time, I figured out it was a girl, she was deaf, and was clawless on her front paws. Never mind how she was malnourished. There was no way she would survive on her own. She couldn't defend herself and how would she catch food? Never mind how winter is approaching.

Therefore, as of her Thursday appearance, she has found a permanent home with us, but is in a temporary home in our garage as we socialize her so we can take her to the vet for a check-up and shots.

Her name is Kara (Kare-uh). It means "friend" in Turkish.

She no longer has to sleep with her head up in the air, alert for danger. As of this afternoon, she no longer pigs out immediately on the wet food we set down for her. She does not know hunger any more. Her little tummy is plump, but her sides are still hollow. They are slightly filling out, but it is slow in coming. She is safe and protected and she knows it. Her life has drastically changed.

Every time B and I see her, she is more social and experiments with us to see what she can do to us and with us. She tries different ways to show affection. The kitten has several favorite sleeping places in our garage: dog/cat bed, on top of a paper bag, on the steps, and on a comfy patio chair with thick cushion.

It's truly amazing.

Kara is wild. Feral. A little beast.

Who is also the biggest lover.

By the way, it's quite interesting trying to figure out how to interact with and socialize with a deaf cat who sleeps a lot. How do you approach her? I've learned to pet her and make sure to leave my hand right there for her to smell. The second she knows it me, or B, she perks up, meows, and gets to her feet/paws. Or, is she wakes before we get to her, or if she is already awake, she meows and rushes over to us.

She has learned a whole new life in the last four days.

Kara has gone from feral and homeless to lover and home. Hungry to full. Wild to gentle. Alone to having a family (B, beagle, cat, and two turtles).

The building of a relationship between between B, Kara, and I has been a special and sacred one.

Written: 2014-09-29 12:38:49, Monday

B and I keep doing everything we can do to tell her, through our actions, how we are trustworthy, faithful, and loving. She's responded to every gesture we've made, except for one. She does not like to be picked up. She hisses most of the time when we do.

Consequently, we wonder if she might be bruised on the inside (from either hurting herself or something/someone hurting her) or if Kara had something dramatic happen to her when she was carried. Therefore, we're slowly trying to recondition her. I started off picking her up off of the ground about half an inch and for just a couple of seconds. Now, I can hold her to about three inches off the ground and for about ten seconds. I make sure to pet her and love on her after she allows me to do so--and she gets all excited to receive my affection. Hence, it's a win-win. I just wish she could hear me as I tell her, "Good girl." But, I'm sure she senses it.

I wish she could tell me her story. She does in her own Kara, sweet thing, and girlie way. But, I wish she could speak to me and tell me all about it. Like, who dumped her? When? Who had her declawed? (I personally think this is inhumane. It impacts their every movement the rest of their lives. They are defenseless and cannot walk, jump, climb, like they could. It takes all of three minutes to trim their claws and is quite easy actually.)

Other questions I want to ask her: How old is she? What type of cat is she? Why doesn't she like being carried? What does she want from me/us?

I also wish I could tell her how she was loved and never had to worry about anything again. she'll always have shelter, food, water, and love. I wish I could tell her how sorry I am for whatever she experienced in her past.

Kara talks to us every single time we walk into her haven, the garage. She has the sweetest wildish meow and she tells us how excited she is to have company. She trots over to us and immediately starts to purr. Who knew that someone so small could make so much noise? What an absolute delight!

We can make fast movements and she doesn't flinch. She trust us.

I think she has a very laidback, happy-go-lucky, charming, sweet, gentle, loving, easygoing personality. She's as cool as a cucumber. It's wonderful for us--and for her. But, it makes me even more glad she adopted us because this tenderness wouldn't bode well for her in the wild. Thank God she found us--and we found her.

I cannot help but wonder the story of whoever dumped her. They clearly wanted to love her (she's fixed and declawed). Did they move? Did they figure out she was deaf and didn't know how to handle her?

How could they put her in the wild--so defenseless?

She didn't get out. If that was it, I learned last week how many times she returns, if it's a good home. Also, with how malnourished she is/was, she wasn't fed or taken care of by anyone.

I count our blessings she is so loving and has been from the second B met her. Feral cats and kittens usually aren't that way.

It also amazes me how she doesn't door dart or want to leave the garage. Nor does she try to walk away from us when we visit her in the garage. She knows she has it good where she is and likes us. (Praise God.)

B and I did not want another cat right now. (Let me stress that. We did NOT want another cat right now.) It's too soon. Five animals? That's just plain nuts. We are not a zoo or an animal sanctuary.

Yet, Kara adopted us. She is wild. Feral. But, she loves us and trust us. She had no reason to trust us or love us from the onset, but she did. And, she is a thief--of hearts. She has stolen ours thoroughly, that is for sure.

Kara is a reminder to me of my faith and how I am with God.

{Note: It's 214 p.m. as I sit in the garage on our patio chair and Kara is curled up in a tiny ball, on her paper bag, with her head down, whiskers back, sleeping. She has her guard completely down as we hang.}

The feral cat reminds me how I am wild, too. I am a sinner. I run around and try to do things on my own. I act independent.

{Kara just got up and ran to me for affection. Purred. Then, went back to sit on her bag.}

I act wild and have several deficiencies which could kill me (spiritually). The reality of my situation is I am totally dependent on God. I need Him in order to survive. I need to keep my eyes forever on Him because I cannot always hear Him.

Yes. I have a lot to learn from Kara about faith.

So, who adopted whom?

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.)

--Stacy Duplease
http://rypstories.blogspot.com/
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet