Our Cat Named Ninja

This blog post is in loving memory to honor our precious cat, Ninja. 

 May you forever rest in the arms of angels.

All my life I wanted a cat as a pet.  As a child, I could not have one for many reasons including a house full of people allergic to the fur.  Therefore, when I moved out and lived on my own, I decided to adopt a cat.  Her name was Ninja.

In 2012, there was an advertisement on Craigslist and it showed a picture of a malnourished 1 year old cat.  She had beautiful black fur with white paws and a white belly.  The ad deemed her “unadoptable because people only want to adopt kittens and no one wants a cat".  And the ad continued with, "...but if she is not adopted she will have to be put to sleep” because the shelter simply could not keep her any longer.  I saw the pictures, I saw the ad and I saw our cat named Ninja Mittens Massaconi. 

Ninja earned her name because the owner of the shelter would see her doing little ninja-like back flips off the couch in the middle of the night when the kittens were sleeping.  And she clearly exemplified her name through actions such as squeezing under the dresser, hiding under the kitchen table, and sneaking onto my husbands lap for her daily dose of Daddy pets. 

Ninja was a very special cat.  Whenever I was physically or mentally ill, she would lay with me on our bed.  There were days of depression where she would not leave my side, snuggled up at my hip keeping me company.  On those days, she provided me comfort and reminded me that her love was unconditional. 

Ninja never missed a family dinner because she always sat underneath my daughter’s chair while we ate.  And although she was not much of a “lap cat”, she always sat with my husband while he worked remotely.  She slept at our feet at night and meowed for breakfast first thing every morning.  At some point, setting an alarm clock became redundant because we always had a "Ninja meowing alarm" instead. 

Ninja was a part of our family for many years.  Unfortunately, a month ago, we were devastated when she was diagnosed with bone cancer.  Yet we kept asking ourselves, "Ninja's last forever, don’t they?"  However, the world had other plans and our Ninja passed away last Friday.  There is not a day that goes by that we do not think about the profound presence she had in our lives. 

She was a special cat and today, I wear my high heels for her.  She battled cancer like a champion.  She persevered for a month through this horrible illness, and she still purred and loved on all of us as we surround her with pets and kisses on the forehead during her last weeks on earth.  Our hearts ache now that she has left this world but our family will never forget the presence she had in our lives and the little furry legacy that she left behind. 

Love Note:  With all my heart, I genuinely request that due to the content written, please seek the guidance of professional help should you feel you need it.