Demeter is 17
years old. She was named after the Greek goddess and she never
lets you forget. Imperious and demanding Demeter has been known
to wake you up in the middle of the night to demand pets or to
have the heat turned up. Demeter's absolute favorite place in the
world is sitting in front of a fire in the fireplace. She gets
really mad at us for not lighting a fire all year long. Just
because it is spring is no reason to stop lighting fires says
Demeter.
Demeter's hobbies are sleeping, dozing, napping and demanding treats. At night she sleeps on the back of the loveseat next to the heater. In the morning she comes in and takes over the bed and lounges against the pillow while we go off to work. If we sleep late she meows and meows until we get out of HER bed.
She has very long fur but she hates to be brushed. As a matter of fact neither of our cats liked to be brushed. I have never heard of cats who don't like to be brushed before and now we have two. She doesn't mind visitors because that means more people to pet her. People assume that she gets in their laps because she is friendly. Actually she just believes that every human lap is hers by divine right.
In December of 1998 Demeter began to have thyroid problems. While she was in for radiation treatments she suffered from one, possibly two, strokes. The only thing that saved her then was that she was already in a high level animal care facility. Blind and weak she returned home where she lived for weeks on a heating pad to help keep her temperature up as she was force fed and given intravenous fluids. But even at her weakest it was clear that she was not giving up on anything. Today she is a little underweight and has only partial vision at best -- but she is still Demeter, and entitled by divine right to any lap that happens by.
On November 30, 2001 at the age of Nineteen Demeter passed away. She was a strong and feisty fighter till almost the end. It was only her only sheer determination that kept her alive for the last few months, and in the end her treacherous body just refused to go any further. Even though I knew she was dying, I was devastated by her death and remain heartbroken.
Demeter loved Marshall so much. She would lie down next to him when he was a baby and as he got mobile she would follow him around the house. Even when he started pulling and poking at her, she wouldn't leave her baby. I am so sad that Marshall won't be able to remember the cat that loved him so much. But I will never forget my stubborn, feisty, wise and wonderful Demeter.
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Updated: 27-Apr-2002 02:45 AM
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