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Rikki was my very special kitty! Unfortunately she is no longer with me. Let me tell you a little bit about why she was the greatest cat in the world.

I was 14 when Rikki stole my heart. I had just recently swore off having cats for a while because my beautiful tiger cat named Jupiter was hit by a car. I told my grandmother who raised me, that I didn't want to go through that heartbreak again. But on my birthday, she gave me one of the greatest gifts I could ever ask for. A beautiful little black & white kitty with a big red bow tied around her neck. Well I just couldn't resist. I fell in love right away.

Rikki saw me through the trials & tribulations of being a teenager. She was always there for me to listen when I needed to talk or just give a little head butt or rub against me to let me know everything would be alright. My grandmother died when I was only 17 and I was all alone in the world, except for Rikki.

Rikki & I managed to moved several times over the next 2 years. We stayed with friends, my aunt,then finally made the big move to the state of Maine to my first home on my own. Rikki didn't seem to mind moving too much. I didn't mind either as long as I had her with me.It was sometimes a struggle to work & go to college but I wasn't about to give her up just so that my life might be made a little easier.

About 6 years ago I came home to find Rikki on the floor under the bed with her head kind of tilted upside down. I was terrified...I thought she broke her neck or got into some poison. I was able to determine that neither of those things occured. I brought her to the vet & he recommended a neurologist and made an appointment for Rikki right away. He said that she appeared to have had a stroke. She was partially paralyzed & blind. I thought I was going to lose her!

The neurologist told me to give her a few days. Those were 2 of the loneliest days of my life. I got a call from the doctor telling me that Rikki was back to normal! She had a vitamin B1 deficiency. She recovered almost all of her sight and you would never have known what she was like a few days prior to that.

Rikki was later diagnosed with Kidney disease but continued to lead a normal life. My vet told me that she was a very lucky kitty because she was an indoor kitty and loved very much. She had a very good chance to live a happy & healthy life for several more years. And she did. Until last summer.

Rikki was always a little kitty weighing in at about 7 pounds at her heaviest but last year she gradually lost a lot of weight. But she really started to eat less and be less active. That's what worried me more than the weight loss. Unfortunately the kidney disease was starting to take it's toll on her body.Yet she still seemed pretty happy and I knew she was less active because she was 16 years old.

October 27th, 1997 was the day I knew it was time for me to end her suffering. She was a trooper up until the very last day. I called in sick & held her on my lap all day long caressing her head and trying to get her to eat or drink just a little bit. I was glad that I was able to spend that quality time with her. I told her how much she meant to me and that I would never forget her. I was with her when she went to a more peaceful place so that she wouldn't be afraid.

For weeks after her death I cried. Not only did I lose my best friend of 16 1/2 years, but I almost felt as though I was losing my grandmother again. Rikki was the last close link that I had to her. I am still very sad that she is not running through the house or greeting me when I get home from work, but she will never be gone from my heart. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about her.

The following poem is one that reminds me of Rikki. I hope it means as much to you as it does to me.

This is Rikki & me!

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