Zowie

On January 20, 2015, we lost one of our dearest family members, Zowie. We brought Zowie into our family in 2001, from the Fox Valley Humane Society in Appleton, Wisconsin. While her actual birth date is unknown, to us she was an Independence Day kitten, with a birthday always celebrated on July 4th.

She was a diminutive Domestic Short Hair, never weighing in at more than 6.5 pounds. She had beautiful color – blacks and grays, with a white furry belly and an adorable white tip on her tail. She had a mischievous face, with gorgeous green eyes that revealed an old soul.

Zowie was a real people lover, warming quickly to virtually all who visited our home. It was not uncommon for her to plop on visitors laps on their first visit, cuddling up for a short nap, often to their astonishment. To us, she was a constant friend and companion. She was always in the center of our home life, a loving friend who was there on both good days and bad. Like many animals, she had a sixth sense that recognized how you were feeling. If you were down, she almost never left your side, especially if you were under the weather. She was always waiting at the door for us to come home, rewarding us with a happy meow. She slept in her comfy round bed in the upstairs hallway, sleeping peacefully until the first one of us got up. She was quick to follow us downstairs in the morning for her ritual treats from the kitchen pantry. In later years, she’d hop up on the counter, waiting at the kitchen faucet for someone to turn on a small stream of cool water to wash them down. She had myriad ways of expressing her love – if you held her she would nuzzle at your neck and ears, sometimes using her scratchy tongue. She would lick your mouth and lips if you let her – something she always enjoyed. While she was always at home in our house, her very favorite place to lounge was on the porch, curled up sunbathing in one of the chairs. She would stay there for the entire day – from Sunday morning breakfasts through warm afternoons to beautiful sunsets, when she would often curl up at the base of your feet for some shared warmth. In winter, she was a fixture on the family room couch, moving from lap to lap, searching for the person with the warmest blanket.

Her final days with us were tearful and poignant. She was hurting, yet her love was unconditional even until the end. She passed easily, peacefully, knowing that her earthly work was done. She had brought love to her family for over a decade. We are blessed to had Zowie in our lives for the many years that we did, and we will always remember her fondly, and miss her dearly.