Nine-Lives came to live with us when I was about seven years old. She had originally been kept by a neighbor who entered her in cat shows (she was a beautiful Maine Coon). She sneaked into our garage no matter how often my mother chased her out, but when she had kittens in the garage mom decided she could stay. She was a magnificent cat, beautiful, smart and sweet. She stayed with us through many moves. I think she was happiest when we moved to the country a few years after she came to stay with us. She was an awesome huntress and thought nothing of bringing down rabbits, lizards, mice, bugs, and even an opossum bigger then she was. She frequently grossed me out by leaving rabbit parts in the washing machine (I guess she wanted to clean them up?). Once she left half a scorpion in my bed (the stinger half) to show me how much she looked after me! As we moved so frequently she often was my only friend and companion. She was very sensitive to my moods and always there to cheer me up. We had several cats during Niner's lifetime and moved a total of 10 times. When I was about to go away to college my mother moved and took Niner to her final home in Florida. Niner spent her retirement years in the sun chasing lazy lizards; she had lost most of her teeth and had gone a bit senile. She no longer remembered me, but continued to be sweet and loving to my mother. Niner died in her sleep when I was in graduate school after living over 15 years. She will live on in my heart.

In Loving Memory of Nine-Lives

Copyright © Mechele de Avila
December 24, 2002