Rest in Peace, Darling Girl

​If you’ve been with me for a long while, you’ll all know the story of how Jasmine and I became roommates, and then dear friends. But you might not be aware of the story of how Persephone came to us.

As I was making preparations to move in, I received a message from my soon-to-be roommate (I don’t remember if we were actual roommates at the time… we may have been). Why don’t we get a cat? she asked.

That was a brilliant idea, I thought. I suggested we get two, just in case we’re both away for any length of time, they’ll at least have each other for company.

It was a good thing I agreed, because apparently Jasmine had been out to the park with friends and was approached by a tiny slip of a tuxedo cat with a swollen belly and a deep desire for affection. She took her in, but not without doing her due diligence.

Flyers were put up. Are you missing a cat? I believe posts on Facebook was also a thing. But no one came forward for the poor, underfed thing. Jasmine took the cat to the vet.

Her belly was not swollen because of worms, but because she was very pregnant. So, Jasmine and I decided that we’d keep that love bug, and the smallest of her kitten when they arrived. We named her Persephone, and she was such a delight.

She gave birth to four kittens; Herne, Callie-Rose, Galahad, and Sméagol. Galahad was the runt of the litter, so we kept him and found loving homes for the rest.

Persephone was as full of sass as she was love. She provided endless hours of joy and companionship; particularly to our male friends. I used to joke that she was a hoe. She loved men.

And she was deeply loved.

Persephone was very much Jasmine’s cat, and so when Jasmine met her now husband and moved in with him, Persephone naturally went with her. Galahad, thankfully, came with me.

Persephone took to Jasmine’s husband immediately (like I said, a hoe), and was treasured and adored. As she should have been.

Her death was sudden and unexpected. She was old, but not ill. There was a mass on her side, which had a biopsy done. She died with the results pending. They came back inconclusive after the fact. She was old, but not ill; very much her sassy, demanding self one day, and the next was suddenly lethargic and not eating at all. She was taken to the emergency vet that night.

And shortly after, they got the call. Blood work that just days ago was looking good came back with terrible results. There was nothing to be done. It was time to say goodbye. Hours later, she was gone.

There is no real explanation for what happened, but they suspect that it was something called a Mass Cell Expulsion. That would go a long way to explain the suddenness of it all.

Persephone didn’t live with me, and she was very much Jasmine’s cat, but I was her other mum for eleven years. The loss hit hard.

Reflecting now, all I have, beside the grief, is gratitude. I am incredibly lucky that the stars aligned as they did; that I was forced into a flat share with Jasmine, who has become a dear friend, and thereby was able to have Persephone in my life for a time. She was so sweet and so goofy… I am lucky to have known her, and to have had eleven years of cuddles.