Joli Bebe

Joli & Beau (see The Older Generation) are sisters. I adopted them at the age of 10 months. I was 18 years old at the time

and preparing to move away from home for the first time. My sister, Jenina had a friend named Doris who needed to find a

home fast for her two kittens. Her father had told her that if she didn't find a home for them, he'd either kill them himself

The abuses they'd already suffered were pretty bad. A few of them are mentioned in a poem that I wrote as a tribute her

(see 'Tails' Of Love: Pet Poetry). I was told over the phone that one was grey & the other black & tan but that's all I knew.

When Jenina told some of what had been done to them, I decided to change their names (Mittens & Muffins) to Joli Bebe

& Petit Beaute. The grey one was to be Joli & the black & tan one to be Beau.

Little did I know until I met them that I'd named them perfectly! Joli was short haired with huge eyes that always had

a gleam of orneriness behind them. Beau turned out to be a regal looking kitten with the same huge eyes as her sister and

It took a long time for them to get over their fear of strangers but when they did, they blossomed. These girls who at 10 months

were the size of kittens half their age, doubled their size in no time! As they relaxed, they grew more & more loving. Joli loved

for me to sing! All I had to do was start caterwauling and she was in my face, rubbing it with hers and purring as loudly as she

could. She had more silly quirks than any cat I've seen to date! The first time she turned a somersault, I almost turned one

I found out that she liked being pulled backward by her tail when I tried to catch her for a trip to the vet. She was on the

move by the time I got close & her tail was what I happened to get. She stopped, looked at me and started purring. She ran

a few steps and looked at me again. I put my hand on her tail and she hunkered down a little as though getting ready to go.

I thought, what the heck and pulled her back! It was an ongoing game until she became sick for the last time. The first time

she was sick was at the advanced age of 14. She was tested for all of the usual illnesses for a cat of her years and found to be

During the fall of 1996, I had the worst bout of flea problems I'd ever had to handle & everyone ended up with

tapeworms. With this crew it took two separate treatments of flea sprays & Droncit to clear the problem. By January 1997,

everyone had regained their weight except Joli. In fact, she was still losing weight. Needless to say, she went to the vet

for testing. She was diagnosed with both hyperthyroidism (see Links) and hypokylemia.

We first began treatment on the low potassuim problem in order to restore her appetite. I gave her favorite soft food

laced with vitamins & sometimes tuna or salmon juice. She seemed to be improving in every aspect but her weight. She

was more active, ate more and was gaining strength. She started playing again and the day she scrabbled her paws on

The next day (2-19), Joli had weakened dramatically. She collapsed on her way to the litter box. I picked her up and

held her there while she did her business. Then I cleaned her up & called the vet. I wasn't able to get an appointment

until Friday, the 21st. During those two days, I wrestled with and made my peace with the situation. Joli lay limp in my

arms, giving me pats on the face, purring. By Friday, I was having to force feed her and I had a feeling that I was going

Her doctor said,"She's dying. The only system that doesn't seem to be shutting down is her heart. I know you probably don't

want to think about this but you'll need to decide to take her home and wait for the end or to euthanize her here." My

decision was already made. She was so weak that she could only lurch a few steps before she fell again. She wouldn't

eat & she seemed to be in pain. As much as I wanted her with me forever, it would have been cruel of me to make her

Joli lay there watching me with one of the longest, most loving looks I'd ever received, while I wet her pretty grey

fur with my tears. When she crossed over, she took with her one of the last living remnants of my childhood and a large

piece if my heart. When we made her last trip home, the song, "Learning to Fly" was playing though I'd barely noticed

I miss you every day! Life isn't the same with- out your lilting meow, running up my leg into my arms or "helping"

me make the bed. I know I'll see you again and when I do, I'll pull you by the tail if you like but I'd rather just hold and

"Babe" courtesy of Midi Database