This story starts 15 years ago while I was waiting in line at Superpetz in Summerville. It was 1997 and I was a junior at the College of Charleston but living in Mount Pleasant. My Mom was terminally ill with cancer and in and out of Roper Hospital. I was helping my Dad run some errands while my Mom was in the hospital in the fall of 1997. I had to pick up some dog food and found myself falling in love with a 9 month old all black kitty cat that was at the check out. There was a sign on her cage that said, "$20". There was also some information about the local SPCA and that they would give you a discount for the spay and neuter clinic. It was literally love at first sight so I put my dog food on the counter and said, "And I'll take that little black cat as well." That was how easy it was and boy am I thankful that I went with my instinct on that purchase.
Hannah got her name from one of the kids I use to babysit when I was a freshman and sophomore in college. The little girl I babysat was a red head, sassy, and oh so sweet. My Mom had named me (my middle name) after one of her favorite students and so I did the same and named this sweet black kitty, Hannah.
I pretty quickly took Hannah to the vet to get her checked out. She was almost 9 months old so it was past time to get her spayed as well. Within the first few months after I adopted her, she got a very bad kitty cold which I really wasn't sure if she would survive. Then after they spayed her, they realized they got her weight wrong before they gave her anesthesia. Long story short is that they gave her too much anesthesia and she had to stay in the kitty hospital for two nights. (most animals never spend the night after getting spayed) Poor Baby Girl! The fact that she survived her first year of life is truly amazing.
I never told my parents about Hannah after I adopted her. I was living on my own and I knew I would get a lecture from them about me not needing a pet right now. Fast forward to Christmas break, I was going to spend about 2 1/2 weeks at my parents house to spend time with my Mom (she was out of the hospital at this time but not doing well). I decided to bring Hannah with me but hide her in my room. I would sneak her in and then sneak her out. That was my plan . . . until my bedroom door was left open one morning. I don't remember where I had gone but by the time I got home Hannah was laying in the bed with my Mom (we had her hospital bed set up in the living room). I came in and said, "Uh oh!" You have to understand that my Mom was not a pet person. She tolerated the pets we had but was never overly excited about them like my Dad and I were. From that day on, she laid next to my Mom until she went into the hospital on January 2nd for surgery. Before my Mom died on January 17 (1998), she asked me for fried chicken and Hannah girl. So sweet!
Hannah was the greatest partner to me for the past 15 years. She lived in more houses than most humans live in their lifetime. She followed me through my finishing college, getting into the real world, she helped me chase my career, and she grew up with me. One of her favorite places that we lived was in Greenville, SC. We lived in a corner apartment with a wrap around porch that was up on a hill with a garden outside of the porch. She loved going out on the porch, rolling around on the concrete and then going into the garden. She was always scared so the garden (since it was up a hill) offered her the security that she could play without being attacked by another cat, dog or human. I knew she would not run away so I would often leave the porch door open for her to roam freely while I was home. One afternoon, she was outside and I saw her on the edge of the window. This was getting a little too far from where the garden was so I go outside to call her back in and I see that she is in the garden. I thought I was seeing things until I realized their were two black cats outside of my porch and I had no clue which one was mine! I said, "Hannah?" They both looked. Finally I was able to see Hannah's ear and identify her and grab her before that other black cat got her. She had a piece of her ear missing from a run in with another cat when she was about 2 years old. Poor Baby Girl! After this incident, I would often find that black cat sitting on our porch staring in while she was inside staring out to that cat. It was like she was looking in a mirror.
Hannah gave me cat scratch fever about 10 years ago. I scared her in my sleep with my hand and she bit it thinking it was something after her. She was scared when she bit me, broke my skin, and that is how I ended up with cat scratch fever. (google it if that doesn't make sense) I woke up with blood on my hand trying to figure out what happened. I vaguely remember her biting me in my sleep. I went to work that day with a swollen hand. I told the ladies that I worked with to look at my hand because it was swollen and had its own heart beat! (no lie) This lady Lisa, scared me to death and told me I could die if I didn't go to the doctor. I cancel my afternoon appointments and go to the urgent care. As I am in the waiting room, I had a minor freak out! What if they take my Baby Girl away from me for giving me Cat Scratch Fever!?! OH NO! What should I say? I go back and the doctor is looking at my hand and asking me what happened. I made it seem like nothing happened until he pressured me some more and I broke down and told him she bit me. I then proceeded to beg him not to take my Baby Girl away from me. He laughed and told me to relax. He said he wasn't going to send someone to come get my cat but told me it was good I got in to see him when I did. Note to self . . . if you get cat scratch fever . . . . get to the doctor.
One of my favorite Hannah stories occurred in April 2001. My company had transferred me from Durham to Greenville, SC. Hannah did not travel well. It did not matter if it was 1 mile or 300 miles. She would cry, growl, throw up and everything else no matter the time or distance. The drive from Durham to Greenville was a long one and about an hour into it I could not take the crying anymore. I got her out of her kennel and let her lay on my lap. At one point, I was stuck in traffic on the interstate and noticed the guy in the car next to me was looking in my car horrified. I looked at Hannah and she looked like a rapid animal. She was so sick because of the travel that she was foaming at the mouth with drool (and possibly the benedryl that I popped her with before we left). I laughed so hard imagining that guy thought I was riding down the road with a rabid cat in my lap.
I'm telling you all of my favorite Hannah stories because we lost her yesterday. She lived 15 great years. She died a happy kitty who got enjoy her favorite wet food a few hours before she passed and got to play chase the feather with Daddy last night before going to bed. Something happened to Hannah during the middle of the night Friday night because she lost her balance and fell over everything. We spent most of the morning with the vet and she progressively got worse throughout the day. By the end she was very uncomfortable and could not walk, stand, sit or hold her head up. My poor Baby Girl! I already miss seeing her come into the bathroom in the morning to say hello or meow so loudly at night. That was her call to us to come to bed when we were in the living room. It's going to take a while to get use to the new normal without Hannah. We will miss her dearly but I will always remember my funny Hannah stories. She was playful, sassy, sweet, vocal, and queen of our castle.
Cooper has been so sweet during the past 36 hours. He knows something is going on and has been extra caring and sweet to both Chris and I. He really would be a great therapy dog! I'm not sure Eddie really knows what is going on right now. Chris and I are heartbroken that we don't get to take our sweet Baby Girl to the new house. She may not be there physically when we move but she will be there with us no matter what. Give your 4 legged family an extra hug tonight. I would never have believed on Friday night that I would be typing this kind of blog update right now. We miss you Baby Girl!
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