Junior Veterinary Technician Jess has loved Katrina, fiercely and faithfully, for over a decade.
The feelings and ferocity were entirely mutual.
So none but Jess could do Katrina justice on this sad, shocking week. Thanks to Jess for writing so beautifully from the heart, through a haze of tears…
“Oh, Katrina-beans.
“I don’t know why I called Katrina ‘Katrina-beans,’ or when it started. Nicknames don’t always rhyme or make any sense. It has been very hard to make sense of the loss of Katrina.
“Katrina was a feisty but sweet 10-year-old girl. She was not old. The only health problems she had were some skin allergies. She had caught an upper respiratory infection; not a big deal. She was acting lethargic and not eating, but her bloodwork and radiographs were normal. All signs pointed to this upper respiratory infection just really hitting her hard. She even tried to bite us while we took radiographs, which made me very happy. I thought, ‘Katrina just has an upper respiratory infection. She just needs supportive care, and she’ll be back to her normal, feisty self.’
“The next morning, she looked worse and was rushed to the emergency hospital, where she went into cardiac arrest and had to be let go. The veterinarian said there was pressure on her brain, but they did not know why.
“We don’t know why Katrina had to leave us so young. We don’t know why our full-of-life girl was gone. There are many losses at Tabby’s Place, and they all hurt. Some of them hurt more like a punch. Losing Katrina is the worst gut punch.
“Some believe she was named after Hurricane Katrina, and her personality fit her name well. She liked to sit in your lap, but when she was done, she let you know with a swat. She did not put up with any nonsense. She was not a fan of other cats but did not usually start fights (usually!). She had her limits!
“What impressed me the most about Katrina was her spirit. She needed medication once a day for her skin allergies. If I drew them up in the room, she knew, and she would hide! If I looked at her right away, she knew! I had to get her meds ready before I entered the room. I would look at another cat and pretend that I was going for that cat before getting Katrina for her meds. She was smart, and she was strong. But she was sweet, too. I always relished the times that she would allow me to pet her
“Katrina-beans, we miss you. It doesn’t make sense that you’re gone. Every time I walk into your room, I look for you and my heart sinks as it remembers. I’ll never forget you, my sweet, feisty girl.”
Jess, we send you and all Tabby’s Place people (and cats) our most sincere condolences. These pictures do her justice – beautiful and full of personality. Always in our hearts, dear Katrina – we will always love you and never forget you. You are beloved.