Sad, sad news....

It has taken me all day just to be able to actually compose this letter.

It is with great shock, and overwhelming sadness that I am writing to let you know that Bijoux has passed away.
The amazing little white cat that came into my life just over a year ago, is no longer here.

Bijoux was the little cat with the squeaky voice that was rescued May/07 by Liz and Georges from a pound in Montreal - where she was to have been killed within the hour.

In the past year since she underwent her surgery, she blossomed into an amazing, joyful and beautiful cat.

We fell into a comfortable routine for managing her condition, and the two of us really have shared a very special bond. She has had a very good few months - playing with the other cats, (pushing Fluffy off the top of the cat tower was her favorite game!), cuddling with Murphy, acting the royal diva and hoarding all the crinkle balls. She had an incredible spirit and a feisty, mischievous approach to life.

In the past month or so though, she started losing a bit of weight. In the past week, the weight loss really accelerated, and in the last few days she seemed tired, and so I had booked her to see the vet on Friday to redo some blood work, and see if perhaps there was something else going on.
I was thinking perhaps a thyroid issue? diabetes? or???
In fact after doing bloodwork and an xray, we could see that there WAS something going on.

Bijoux had FIP. Her liver was nearly nonfunctional, she had fluid in her abdomen and a very large granuloma in her lung. She was dying and FIP is totally non treatable.
For those who don't know, FIP is a weird virus - cats can live with it for years and it might never be an issue. Or it can turn deadly.

Actually if Bijoux's mom was a FIP kitty, that might actually explain why she had the congenital issues that led to her megaesophagous. Regardless of why, the reality was that she was dying. The vet recommended euthanasia but I couldn't get my mind around it.

Besides - how many times had she bounced back from things that should have killed her already?
Maybe she could lick this too...., so we gave her a mild painkiller and I took her home.

We spent the day offering her all of the foods that she had craved and had been denied for so long because of her megaesophagus, but she was uninterested. That in itself told me something, since she has been a fierce little kitty about food. Always trying to steal stuff she knew she shouldn't have - but determined to get it anyway.
She had a great zest for living in the moment!

Anyway, I had a feeling that she did not have long, and since she didn't seem to be stressed or painful I decided to keep her here.
My darling kitty passed peacefully and gently in her sleep last night, laying in my arms.

This whole thing was so "out of left field" that I am having a really hard time believing it.
Bijoux has cheated death so many times that I keep expecting her to come peeking around a corner to tell me that she has done it again.

I guess this time it really is for keeps.

So many people who met her, felt the special spark that she carried inside of her.

So many of you were touched by her story last year, and had written to ask about her.

Thank you for caring.

She was greatly loved and is greatly missed.

Rest in peace darling girl...

Shelly