6/3/2026

It has now been a full week since we had to say goodbye to our special little furry friend. We still tell her to be good when we leave out of habit. I reach for her every morning where she used to jump up and cuddle in next to me. Little things like her half eaten can of tuna in the fridge still bring an emotion that is hard to comprehend at times.

Little Ms Liza, a little gray tabby kitten came to us 15 years ago. We were going to “watch” her for a week or two while my daughter’s friend got through a move. They were temporarily staying with family, one with a cat allergy, so this little fur ball needed a place to stay.

We had just added to the household with as many know him as Larry the SportsCat. Larry was a white with burnt orange patches and nub tail we got from the Lewis County Shelter. Larry was very sweet and one of the most personable cats I’d ever been around. He had an extra thumb and we jokingly called him “man-hands” because he literally could grip. He would hug by wrapping his paws around your neck.

And he loved having friends. We’d come home and there would be 3 or 4 neighborhood cats on the patio with Larry just hanging out. So we thought he would be ok with a little sister even if it was for just a week or two.

Then came the delay in Liza’s family getting into their next place and after 3 months we told them, “you know you’re not getting her back”. They knew and were happy she had a good home. And of course Larry adored her. He looked out for her and they would have their little battles but they looked out for each other.

Liza never got very big she had these huge beautiful green eyes and she was a bit more of an introvert than Larry. She liked her alone time but then would come meandering in like a model on a cat walk and wanted the attention that Larry loved, all the time.

A few years ago we had let Larry out late and a cold February night and figured he’d be back in after 10 or 15 minutes as he did every night. This time he didn’t come back. We looked for him, put up signs, checked with the shelter, put out notices on Facebook but he was gone. Our hearts broken. I grieved more losing Larry than I did when my dad passed.

My Dad was 86 and had been struggling for a bit and we knew he was not going to be with us much longer. I got to say goodbye, we got to share some great moments, he admitted that he is simply tired and he was ready. I was there when he passed. Yes, still an emotional and sad time but also knowing first hand that is what he wanted made it easier and without wishing I had a chance to say this or that to him. I and he got to say things we wanted before he was gone and I know he appreciated that time.

A few months later we found Larry in a neighbors shed way back in a corner where he likely got into some kind of poison maybe antifreeze. It was hard to see him like that but at least we knew where he was and his ashes are with us now.

Liza was clearly upset through this time of adjusting without her big brother. She was clearly depressed and missed him. One of the good things that came out in this was she did become more cuddly and wanted to be next to us more than ever.

This amazing little creature then started to lose weight and there was certainly something wrong. We took her to the Vet and after a blood test most certainly thought it was cancer. However, she was doing well not in pain and we decided against paying $2,000 just to get the Vet’s diagnosis confirmed and then the follow up treatment which could go up to 10k and with less than a 50/50 chance of it working.

The Vet said as long as she is not hurting and everything is pretty normal then just take her home. We asked if there was anything he thought he could try. He said well let’s blast her with some antibiotics a vitamin regimen and see what happens. After two weeks we took her back and he called us a few days later and said, “I have never seen this, but her blood tests are within 2% of being normal.” She was doing very well but the Vet told us part of the meds was a steroid and she would need to stay on this medication forever.

The steroid eventually led to her getting diabetes and she lost more weight. She was eating 2-3 cans of food a day but outside of that was bouncing around the house, purring, going outside and just kept going.

Last November we noticed one of her eyes was beginning to bulge so we made an appointment but before we could get her in we heard here meowing out of character. She was in the back room and her eye burst. It was 8pm so we took her to a 24-hour vet in Olympia about 20 miles away. They took her in and said the eye would have to come out and their cost was about $8,000. They said she would be ok until we could get her in to our vet the next day.

We got her in first thing and fully expected this may very be it for her for the second time. The Vet confirmed the eye should come out but he was concerned with her weight being down so much that she may not survive the anesthesia. So he gave more antibiotics to protect against infection and some cream to put in both of her eyes twice a day.

This was the amazing thing about Liza. They would go to draw blood and she just sat there no issue at all. We would give her meds orally and then rub cream in her eyes and she just sat there. Now she always got a treat after meds so there was an expectation. She many times, would come in the room and remind us it was meds time and snack time. We swore she had a little Hello Kitty wristwatch on with an alarm.

After about a month we took her back and the Vet again astonished. Her eye had healed and he wasn’t convinced she was blind in it either. He said the rupture was not in the pupil so she very well may be able to see. Her eye was a touch cloudy other than that it looked normal.

We knew when she was diagnosed with diabetes that her time was going to be limited and we didn’t expect her to live the more than 2 years she did after the diagnosis. She burned through her 9 lives and lived another 9 easily. Her little insides finally began to really wear out a couple of weeks ago. We could see it and had made an appointment last Wednesday to get a blood test and see where we were.

Early Wednesday of her appointment at about 3:30am we heard her meow and found her on her side laying on the floor. It was a warm night and stuffy in the house and the diabetes always had her running a bit warm anyway so we th0ught maybe she was just trying to cool off.

We turned on the fan and eventually took her outside. We set her down and she could not control her back legs and fell. We knew then that we are likely spending our last few hours with her. We believed she may have had a stroke.

The Vet’s office didn’t open until 8am and her appointment was set for 9:30am. But I called and told them what had happened and they said bring her right in.

We waited for the Doctor to come in and they had already prepared for the final appointment. They took her back and put a catheter in her little arm. She never made a sound. She looked at us and we knew she was ready. She was exhausted and weighing about 5 pounds had used every thing she had left to stay in this world.

The Doctor explained the first round is a sedative and then the 2nd dose will stop her heart. He warned us that she will likely take some big deep breathes or make some otherf noises and not to be startled by it, it was normal.

He asked us if we had any questions and I had one, because she had beaten so many things he quickly said that this was the exact right thing to do. He said we and you have done everything but with diabetes and whatever else she had battled, it was now too much. It felt relieving to hear that. Didn’t make it easier to see her leave us but we knew she was ready and we were as ready as we could be.

This is the time we want to thank Cascade West Veterinary clinic in Centralia and their great staff including Dr Iverson and Dr Hensley who took care of Liza with great compassion and care. I know that everyone has their own Vet for their animals and it’s important to be comfortable with who is in charge. We couldn’t be more grateful to them and the whole staff.

Liza had one more surprise and was going to have the last say. She went out like she lived on her terms and this little dynamo after the sedative, passed very peacefully and did not make a sound. She was calm and at peace. And as hard as it was to witness, we know she went the best way possible.

We each have our way of dealing with such moments. 20 years ago I probably would not have been nearly as emotional. Maybe being 61 and on the other side of my own life, it’s a reminder that we are not here forever and in fact it is a very short time. Maybe it’s just simple maturing. Whatever it is it hurts no matter how peaceful the experience was.

Me, I am one that doesn’t like to show the emotions such as this until it is safe for me to do so on my terms and usually by myself. An old school way of life. But then you run into those little things that just catch you. That’s when I need to go for a walk. We all need to do things our way, even the animals. Liza did it her way. She was a fighter, small in stature but her heart was huge. She didn’t back down from bigger cats and she didn’t back down from certain death several times. She persevered.

I miss my little friend. She was something I could look forward too every single day. No matter how good or bad your day was she was there. It was weird how she and many of you know what I am talking about but they know when you’re not having a good day and get to know you. She knew when to wait and then after I calmed down and settled down she would always jump up in my lap and just look at me.

Animals are remarkable and now our home is empty. There is an emptiness in my heart. I miss her. I didn’t think I would miss her this much since we already knew this day would come and we got a chance to spoil her with all her favorite foods including a weekly bucket of KFC. Every Tuesday the $10 bucket of thighs and legs I would get for her. She loved KFC chicken and so did the neighbor cats and the possum who still visits every night.

I will miss her following me around the yard while I water the flowers and she wants to drink out of the hose. I miss her not being where I am used to seeing her. I miss her because her “helper” chair is empty. I many times write stories and coverage for the website at home at my desk. Liza had her “helper” chair and would sit next to me while I worked and just watched.

These crazy divided times we’re living in these days I will miss just being able to pick her up and scratch her chin and listening to her purr and snuggle in making the world seem right for that little moment in time.

She is now back with us on the shelf with her brother. Special thanks to Ark Northwest Pet Cremation near Spanaway. Scott is caring, gentle and trustworthy. He has taken care of our beloved furry family members and seemingly is always right there to help you. Thank you Scott.

We were supposed to have her for only a couple of weeks. We had the privilege of having her for 15 years. 15 years that were much better for us to be here because she was here with us.

Say hi to Larry for us sweetheart, and I am so happy you two are back together again. I am sure he was the first one waiting for you on the other side of that rainbow bridge. Until we meet again, be free little lady, you know we love you.

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