Rest In Peace, KC

I wasn't really going to share this until I got an email from my dear friend Ayelet with her sympathies because my mom had emailed her. Thank you, sweetheart. I know many of you who read my blog were familiar with/fond of/allergic to KC, and I felt I could share this and it would make a little peace in my heart.

My cat, KC, came to me when I moved into a Germantown, MD apartment all by myself in 1994. As it was my first time living alone, I craved some low-maintenance company. I went to a vet office one Saturday after reading in the paper that they'd be having an adoption event. KC was one of four siblings, about 4 months old. I didn't know she'd be my loyal companion for almost 14 years, but I did know that the moment I held her and she purred like a freight train and stared into my eyes, she'd be an adoring friend.

She licked my face lovingly (ouch) and purred so loud and so constantly that you'd hear her enter a room. She would purr AS she meowed so it'd make the funniest vibrating meow sound you'd ever heard. If you had a rubber band or a pencil, you had a friend. Tuna? Fuhgettaboutit.

When she was 4, she made the move with me to San Diego. I met Craig and when I'd clean up her vomit after she'd eaten ribbon (read "crack") that I left lying on the floor, he'd say, "When are we getting rid of the cat?" to which I'd always quickly retort, "When are we getting rid of you?" KC came first, he knew that. Through her allergy/health problems, he understood that I was her mommy.

And when we got orders to Okinawa, and subsequently found out that we wouldn't have her inoculations and paperwork up to date in time to take her with us, we had to leave her behind. She was almost 14 years old, and honestly a trip to Japan wasn't something I thought she'd do so easily. We certainly had no clue how pet-friendly this place would be.

My friend Anastasia connected me with a woman named Chris who lived only a few blocks away from us in Scripps Ranch. That amazing animal-loving woman took KC in with the promise of love, cuddles, treats and helping me to get her to Okinawa too, if that's what we decided we could do. Bless her heart. She'd also been through cancer with a cat in the past, right around holiday time - so when this happened with KC back in November, it was even more difficult for her.

I started getting emails about her vet visits, and feeling more and more sick in the pit of my stomach because that was MY baby to care for, MY kitty to hold and console - and this amazing woman did this for me, at what was apparently the end of her life. KC had an amazing last few months. She was treated like royalty by Chris, and I love her for that. She was loved and treated at least as well as I would've treated her. She developed a mass in her lungs, and then had some sort of seizure that was the beginning of the end. She wasn't purring, she wasn't eating - and it was really time to let her go.

I completely trust that Chris did the right thing in every way. I was in tears when I read the news, and Craig was there to console me. Mia doesn't know quite yet - when KC got sick I sat with her and shared that she was sick and older and would probably not be around for much longer, so I think she'll know it was coming when we tell her.

So cheers to you, KC - you were a real friend - I can't imagine how many tears your black fur had to absorb between three deployments and a few bad apple boyfriends before I moved out west and found the man of my dreams. I know you're up there rolling in some catnip and eating tuna while someone rubs you down real good. Purrrrrrrrrrrr.....

KC Fried - April 1, 1994- December 11, 2007