When Neko crossed the bridge..

[SnyperKat]

My final day of grade 10, and I come home to find out my mom had very spontaneously adopted a sickly, 7-week old black kitten. I still thought she was cute despite a swollen eye and the heartbreaking labored breathing. We already had Graffiti by then, and after she learned the new kitty (whom we named Neko) was NOT a new toy, she was quite supportive by cuddling her and occasionally grooming her.
Mom and I then spent weeks putting creams in her eyes and giving her pills, and were ecstatic to know that our efforts were not in vain when she recovered. Fully grown she was still pretty small, but didn't let anyone push her around.
When we moved in with my stepdad, even though she was small, Neko was the leader of the pack. Graffiti nor Smokie dared to tussle with her, and neither did the cats next door. :whip She kinda became the star of the family, and it helped that she was very affectionate and friendly with anyone, and very funny (she used to headbutt our cheeks in the morning if we slept in too much and were late to feed her).
Unfortunately, not even a year after moving, she was hit by a car and did not survive. Awesome, friendly, tough-as-nails Neko's reign came to a bitter end when she was only two years old. I hope she crossed that bridge knowing she was loved by anyone who came across her, and we still miss her tonnes to this day.
Sleeping on mom's comforter (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/SnyperKat/Neko-1.jpg)
Sleeping on top of the cupboards (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/SnyperKat/Neko.jpg)

[MissDolittle]

That's quite a story! A lil bitter sweet though at the end..

How did you manage to give her pills? lol Have you read this?:
http://www.petsandwildlifeforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=39

She looks just like our Lucy who is also very petit. I got all of my cats xcept
the one the came with the house, from the shelter. I fostered them and they
stayed.

This is when we just got them:

http://www.amazes.us/album/albums/new/kittens/kittensinside04.jpg

[SnyperKat]

Oh my, I just die when I see those pictures, hehe. Lucy is so cute!!

Yes, I have read the "How to give a cat a pill" joke, but we didn't implicate any of those methods, haha. What worked for us, and what the vet instructed us to do, was the wrap the cat in a blanket or towel. To open her mouth we'd put a bit of pressure on either side of her jaw, push the pill far enough into her mouth then rub her throat until we were sure she'd swallowed it. It was effective, we only ever saw her cough up one pill (and that was after we'd thought she'd swallowed it.. sneaky little thing).

[WingedCat]

Thank you for sharing your kitten story.

It is wonderful that you gave her a chance to enjoy life and it sounds like she did. I'm sure when she passed over she knew she was well loved, how could she not with all you did for her!

[SnyperKat]

Thank you, WingedCat. :) I like to think that she did know we loved her very much, and even though she was only 2, she did live a good life in the short one she was given. ^_^