Edie Kidie

Edie Kidie joined our family on December 19th, 2009. I went to Cub Foods for groceries, was drawn into Pet Supplies Plus’ adoption day, and left w/ a cat! I had tossed around the idea of adopting a cat, but hadn’t made a connection w/ any of the rescues I had met during the previous weeks. Because of her gentle, chill demeanor Edie was the only cat allowed to roam free. She sauntered up to me, wearing a festive jingle bell collar, and proceeded to purr and rub against me. I spent 45 minutes analyzing her, asking questions, observing…I had to step away to think so I went grocery shopping. My two loves in life: Animals and food! When I returned to PSP, the volunteers told me that two other families wanted to adopt her and that I had to make a decision. Right then and there Edie Kidie joined the family.

To say her homecoming was celebratory and joyous would be a down right pants-on-fire lie. Crazy Girl & Billy Boy had been my only fur babies for 5 years. Edie hid behind the toilet while the rat terrorists barked their heads off. I cried because I thought I somehow ruined Edie’s sweet spirit. Nope, not that girl!

Not much was known about Edie’s origins, but I was told she was a feral. She came w/ battle wounds: a chipped tooth, broken bone in her foot, kinked tail, scuffs on her ears and face, and still she was gorgeous. She absolutely charmed and baffled everyone because she was so sweet compared to a typical feral. She was certainly comfortable around other animals and sought Billy & Crazy’s affection and acceptance right away. She’d run to join them and they’d run away from her. Billy would drop his chew bones right on her head. They were complete jerk faces, but she never stopped trying to love on them.

After a year, I decided Edie needed a kitty sibling since Billy & Crazy were still being creeps to her. Enter Nona Bologna. They got on very well from the get go (ok, mild lie, there was a brief adjustment period of hissing). Nona was what Edie needed and the Zoo Crew was complete.

Of the four, Edie was my most grateful. She had lived a rough life and was truly grateful for a safe place to sleep, clean water, and food. Admittedly, I turned her into a Wet Food Monster. I gave her wet food as a rare treat, then I thought it’d be easier to eat w/ her chipped tooth, and then finally she was addicted. She’d scream at me for wet food and I’d scream back that she already had some in her bowl, she wasted the previous can, and I’m not made of money. Hands down, she won every time and there I was, rotating flavors to appease her delicate palate. I fully own that I created a Wet Food Monster.

Edie was a talker and would howl throughout the house. If I pet her rump, she became a bootie popper. She loved to cuddle, head butt, but hated being held. For some reason, every time I tossed a ball for Billy, I’d somehow hit her, it was uncanny. She’d never break her stride, just kept walking towards me for lovin’. She never got into toys. She did enjoy the occasional cat nip. She’d beat the crap out of Nona, then they’d chill out together.

Last month Edie became ill. Everything happened very quickly. She fought a good, valiant fight and I did everything in my power to care for her and make her comfortable. She stumped the U of M vets w/ her maladies. That’s my girl! I write that w/ sincerity. Edie was an extraordinary cat, so I am not surprised she baffled the experts.

I prayed to God and asked Edie to let me know when it was time. She did and I’ll forever be grateful for that. Edie passed in my arms, in the comfort of home thanks to the assistance of Dr. Tracy with Blue Skies Pet Euthanasia.

Throughout the years the Zoo Crew became a tight knit pack. I didn’t realize how close they had become until I recently went through photos and saw them all cuddled together in picture after picture. I guess I took seeing that for granted, and/or got used to seeing it everyday. We’ve all been mourning and it’s the saddest thing I’ve ever seen; her loss has profoundly affected each of them in different ways.

I don’t know of a pain worse than this. I’ve been through it before, I’ll go through it again, and it only gets harder. But the joy and love I got to share w/ Edie Kidie far outweighs my sadness. I am so blessed I was picked to be her Mom.