RIP, Magnolia the three-legged Calico.

[Denis]

Some of you may know of my three-legged Calico named Magnolia. In 2000 I found her on the side of I-40 on my way to Wilmington to visit a girl I was dating at the time.

The kitten was sitting on the side of the road watching something in the median. I went past and pulled over and started walking down the shoulder. When I was about 30 feet away she stepped right into the road in front of a 15-passenger van, which jammed on it's brakes. All I can think of now is a bunch of old people plastered all over the dash! The kitten turned around and ran into the weeds.

So, I walk over there and even though there was not a soul around to here me, I sheepishly said "Here, kitty kitty kitty". I will be damned but she came right over to me. Scooped her up, put her in the truck and took her to the beach. She climbed onto the dash and watched the highway, looked out of all the windows and obviously wasn't too worried about being in a moving vehicle.

Had her ever since. Named her Magnolia since that was the closest town to where I found her. In August 2012 a nickel sized lumped turned into a thumb sized lump in about a month so the vet said that she would live if she took her leg off. So, on a Wednesday that's what happened. Brought her home on Friday. That weekend, with about a 7" incision where her leg used to be, she broke out of her room in the house and went down to the basement to use HER litter box.
I started referring to her as Incorrigible, which is what she always was.

In April I found out that the cancer had come back after about a year and a half. It was mostly inoperable so we decided to leave it alone. Since it was a fibrous sarcoma and would continue to grow out, we figured that the best thing to do, since it wasn't causing any pain or limiting her in any way, was wait until it got large enough that it ruptured her skin. At that point, the vet would go in, "debulk" it, and sew her up.
With steroids and antibiotics, Magnolia did pretty damn well.

At that point the sarcoma became really angry and aggressive. Magnolia, who was planning on using every one of her nine lives, fought well. And even though her immune system was tremendously burdened, it found time to totally heal the scar from the debulking procedure.

But, it became too much and Tuesday I took her to the vet for the last time. Though it was the right thing to do it was still difficult.

I really, really miss her.

Here are some pics. She's a kitten here, shortly after I got her, with my other cats, Nick and Finway (brothers) and Gideon (yawning). They are all gone now.






Synchronized napping with Ellie the dog.



Magnolia checking out the newly arrived box with the '60s NR. It was automatic that any new cardboard box was presented to her for inspection.



Magnolia and me over the weekend. She always photographed well.

[Pilgrim]

Denis, thank you for posting this. I understand and wish you well. You are fortunate to have had Magnolia for so many years; be glad about that.

[Highlander]

They come and they go... all you can do is look after them while you have them... rip and thoughts...

Think of it in this fashion... in kitty-heaven, she's fit and nimble and four-legged and Gawd help the little critters...

[gweimer]

It's hard to lose a pet.  I still miss my cats.  My condolences.

[Dave W]

 RIP, Magnolia. So sorry, Denis. You gave her love and a great home all these years and did the right thing for her.

[westen44]

You can tell by her eyes she was a cool cat.  I've lost a few and it can be really difficult.  Nothing to take lightly. 

[Rob]

RIP Magnolia
Sorry to hear that Denis.

[Denis]

Thanks, guys. Magnolia was a tremendously cool cat, Calico through and through. She was smart, affectionate, bitchy, fearless, incorrigible.

It's the first time since 1992 that I don't have cats greeting me at the door when I get home from work.

[Nocturnal]

Truly sorry for you loss Denis.

[Basvarken]

I'm sorry for your loss

[patman]

So sorry for the loss of your companion...

[Lightyear]

RIP Magnolia.

Good for you for saving a kitten and giving her the opportunity for long an pleasant life - kharma will catch up to you in a very good way.

[TBird1958]

Denis,

So sorry for your loss. You gave her a wonderful, loving home for many years, always cherish that.

[godofthunder]

 What a wonderful thing you did rescuing that kitten and she had a wonderful life and you a companion. We have dogs I've been down this road many times. You did the right thing it's part of the bargain isn't it?

[uwe]

No three-legged cat had it better. You did well taking care of her and also taking that final step.