After the veterinarians took Thai away, Jason and I sat for a minute while I just cried. The veterinarian came back in, and reassured me that I did a “great job.” When he said those words, I automatically felt guilty, and told him that I felt like a “bad pet parent.” I didn’t realize how progressive Thai’s condition had become. The vet said nothing in response, and turned back out toward the lobby area. After a minute or two more, I told Jason that I was ready to go, because now Bella was all by herself, back at the apartment. That night, Jason and I just held Bella close and laid in bed, staring at the TV.
When they were just kittens, Bella and Thai were inseparable! They would eat together. play together. sleep cuddled up together. Wreak havoc around the apartment TOGETHER! They would even clean each other! Then, as they both grew to be adult cats, Bella tended to pick on her brother, as if she wished she was the only child!😹 She loved to be the center of attention. If Jason or I were giving her attention just by herself, and then Thai came in for the petting fest, Bella would get angry. She would tense her body, lick her lips nervously, swallow, hiss, and swat a paw, when Thai attempted to get close to her and Jason. Then she would leave in disgust/protest!
However, after Thai was gone, we could definitely tell that Bella was mourning her brother. She sat at the window where she, Thai, and Oscar would look out together and watch the birds. She did this for about a week after Thai’s passing. Jason and I don’t remember her moving much from that window perch. And she was not her spunky, sassy self. More solemn. Kind of lethargic. Wanting to keep to herself for the most part. Every animal greaves in their own way, even cats. One day, looking at Bella in the window, I could have sworn that I noticed a tear in her eye. I told Jason this, and he went over to the window and rubbed on her back, and petted her head where her ears were. She pushed against Jason’s hand, nudging him in return. When she was returning the love back in this way, we knew that she would be okay. She just missed her biological brother. 😿💔
Now that Bella was the only cat, Jason and I wanted to make it a point to stay home with her as often as we could, so she would not get lonely. December 2019, we were able to take her with us on Christmas break. When we had all three cats, and even when it was down to just Thai and Bella, we would have a good friend of ours who loved our cats, so he would check in on them and make sure their litter, food, and water were supplemented appropriately while we were away on short trips. And I made sure that he would stay with them for a little while and give them affection and pettings. However, now that it was just Bella, I did not want to leave her all alone by herself. So, Jason and I decided that we would pack up her food and litter box and take her with us to Asheville. We went to my in-laws, who lives in Asheville, North Carolina. Bella loved the car ride. She mostly slept the entire trip. And mostly in Jason’s lap! (#Daddy’sgirl) 😻She was able to go on one more trip to Asheville, in August of 2020. I think she enjoyed both trips, and she was glad that Jason and I were always beside her. I think that was the main part of taking any pet on a trip, instead of leaving them at home. As long as we reassured her that we were going with her, she enjoyed everything. (Indoor cats are very fond of routine, and when you mess up a cat’s routine, it can be a scary and difficult experience for both cat and owner trying to take them on trips and get them in the car.)
Now that it was just Bella, she and I got to bond extremely close. I knew that she loved me before. I also know that female cats tend to gravitate toward male owners, like my husband Jason. But, after Thai passed away, I feared that I was going to lose Bella at any moment. And I think she could sense that fear in me. She started laying on my chest and I would cuddle her and talk with her whenever I was laying in our bed. If I was in my power chair, she would follow me to the living room, and wait patiently as she looked at me, because she wanted to sit on my lap if we were in the living room.
Bella and I bonded so well that she would literally sit next to me when she knew it was time for me to eat dinner, because she knew that I would give her bites of my food. She was already used to this when we had all three cats. All three cats would look up at me, and I would try to ignore their stares, but eventually I would always give in and give them some of my food! Now that it was just Bella, all I had to do was yell, “Bella, time for dinner!” And wherever I was, she would come galloping and sit right next to me, looking at my plate, and then right back at me. A lot of times when we did this, I would have to feed her first, and then worry about myself second, when it was time to eat MY dinner! 😹 (#Badpethabits)
I learned early on that Bella had her favorite foods. Some of the foods that were her favorite: anything creamy (that had a milk base to it), fish, chicken, and tomato sauce. Most of the time, whatever I had to eat on the plate, she was right there with me! Don’t get me started on when I would eat a bowl of cereal! She would sit with me, and if I hadn’t given her a bite, she would literally stare at me without blinking! It was actually the milk she was after, not this cereal. Sometimes when I would eat, I would have to take turns with Bella. I would take a bite first sometimes, and then I would give Bella a bite next. When I would scoop some food or milk up for Bella, I would try to teach her that NOT ALL THE FOOD was for her, and that we were sharing by saying, “Okay! Now Bella’s bite!” She was still pretty cute and funny to watch when I would then take my turn to take a bite, as she thought whenever I lifted the spoon or a piece of food, that it was going to be her bite. But instead, I was taking a bite.
Bella was also the first cat that I had known that loved the shower! In my apartment, I have a walk-in shower with a shower bench. My bathroom is wheelchair accessible. I have my own shower chair, so I don’t use the bench that is already in the shower. Instead, Bella learned that she could get on the bench, and whenever I took a shower, she would get on the bench and enjoy drinking the water from the shower hose! Of course, I would have to give her her water out of the shower hose, even before I started my shower routine! There is a saying when you own a cat for a pet: what belongs to the cat is theirs. What belongs to you (as the human) is also theirs! With my Bella girl, this statement was, oh so very true!
Through both 2021 and 2022, I had a few medical emergencies and surgeries. Every time I came home from the hospital, Bella would always be there for me. I would get in our bed, and she would gently walk up on to my stomach, and she would love to look at me face to face as I talked to her, sang to her, and called her by silly little pet names that I have had for her over the years. She would always love to kiss me on my nose, and was always happy that I was back home. I believe she knew that I would need her those past couple of years. She in return, wanted to make sure that I would be okay. It was almost as if she was watching over me for Thai.
In October of 2022, we celebrated her 16th birthday. Of course, her birthday treat was ice cream! As a pet parent, I always celebrated Thai and Bella’s birthday at the same time I would celebrate my birthday. It only made sense, as I received them during my birthday month of October in 2006. Jason and I told Bella this past October that we wanted her to make it to 20 years old. All she really cared about was my birthday cake I was eating, and the ice cream that she was eating! 😼
