# Nellie



## tigressbythetail (Dec 1, 2010)

Nellie April 2nd 2009-Feb. 15th, 2011

Nellie was one of nine born to two feral mothers on April 2nd, 2009. I was looking forward to celebrating their second birthday, with all nine safe and healthy. We almost made it. 

With nine rambunctious littermates, it was easy to get lost in the crowd. Nellie was the shy, timid one, always the last to try something new. Well mannered in all things, sweet and unassuming, never demanding, she never gave me reason to speak a harsh word to her, nor do I recall her so much as hissing at her bratty siblings. She was not a counter surfer or a furniture shredder, not a chicken snatcher or a people scratcher. She was a fine little lady, just like her mother. 

The world is a dangerous place for us all and no matter how we worry and try to protect those we love, sometimes it is just not enough. I am reminded once again that I cannot control everything that happens. This is what my nine bratz have taught me in the almost two years since they entered my life. It has been a hard, gut wrenching lesson at times, never more so then now. 

The death of Nellie and her mother Lady has tempted me to put them in lock down, to make a prison of their home and a prisoner to my fears. But it would make them terribly unhappy. Home is a place they choose to be when they are hungry, cold, afraid and need love. Outside is a place they love to explore for all its sights and scents, not to mention the bugs they encounter. In fact, the last time I saw Nellie healthy was the night before she became ill. I was calling her into eat and she didn’t want to come because she had discovered a spider to pounce on but she did eventually come in to eat and then settled down in her favorite chair to sleep. 

She died sometime the next day at the vet’s office of anti-freeze poisoning. She did not last as long as her mother Lady. 

I still look for her funny little face in the crowd, and there is a hole in my heart that will never heal as each day I take count and find one of my nine lives missing.


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## Digikid (Feb 27, 2011)

atback I am so sorry to hear of your loss.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

Nellie was lovely. I'm so sorry that you lost both Nellie and Lady.


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## konstargirl (Feb 4, 2011)

Aww! Sorry to hear that. Neil was cute.


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## MarieG (Mar 7, 2011)

What a sweet little face!

I'm so sorry


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## Miso (Dec 5, 2009)

atback I'm sorry for your loss.


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## tigressbythetail (Dec 1, 2010)

She's been gone a month today. Would justice ease the heartache of losing her, I wonder.


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

tigressbythetail said:


> She's been gone a month today. Would justice ease the heartache of losing her, I wonder.


Justice would be desirable to hopefully ensure the same person doesn't repeat his actions again, but regrettably it likely won't ease the heartache of losing her. Only time will do that, along with spending your days loving your current little ones. What happened to Nellie and Lady was a tragedy...but I hope someday, you'll be able to remember them and smile a little in doing so.


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## Digikid (Feb 27, 2011)

Revengeful justice can backfire sadly....but I know what you mean. It is hard to imagine that there are incredibly horrid people that would do this to a cat....or any animal for that manner.

atback We suffer together atback


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