Thankful Thursday...This Is Not Goodbye

 This blog has been such a wonderful part of my life, a true labor of love...It has allowed me to share some of the sweetest souls I have ever known and in that process, I've made some lovely friends who, like myself, value animals as family...For me, Jacqueline's Cat House actually became a photo album of these precious babies that I have been blessed to love and hold in my heart forever...In January 2020, the blog changed after daily posts for 10 years to a once a week post, the result of losing 3 of my babies; now, after Halle's sudden loss, I have decided to stop regular posts and will only post sporadically, on special occasions...I started this blog for 5 very exceptional cats and with only 1 remaining, I'm finding it hard to continue...So, while there will be other posts, I would still like to give thanks at this time...Thank you for every single kind word and comment=they have put many smiles on my face and lifted me on many days...Thank you for caring about these sweethearts I've been so fortunate to call my own...And of course, I want to thank everyone for sharing our lives over the last 11+ years, it has truly been my honor to share these sweet, extraordinary babies with you all.

Adored, cherished, loved and treasured forever...

Calle, Halle, Sukki

2009

*****A special thanks to Ann from Zoolatry for her friendship and help over the years.*****

And Then There Was One...

I am devastated as I write this post...It is with a heavy, sad heart that I let you guys know my Halle Cat passed away last week in my arms...On Wednesday, 08.25, Halle was fine when I got home from work; a few hours later, she stumbled over to me and I realized she had suffered a stroke...After speaking with my Vet, I thought she could recover and made an appointment for the next morning...I spoke to Halle constantly, reassuring her "Mommy was with her and she would be fine", "I knew she was scared but I would not leave her"...I was holding her in my arms like a baby, looking into her sweet face, talking softly to her when she suddenly had a heart attack and died; it was reminiscent of my Calle's death...She was cremated the next day...It was a complete shock and I still can't believe she is gone; I truly never saw this coming...Halle and Sukki had their yearly Vet visit about 2 weeks before and while Halle's medication for high blood pressure was increased, her blood work looked good and she seemed fine until the last hour of her life...Sukki misses her sister like I do~deeply, terribly, constantly...Our home just doesn't feel right without Halle there...The last time I had only 1 kitty, I was in my 30s and Sukki has never lived as an "only cat" in her life so Halle's death has created a great emptiness that feels overwhelming at times...I'm grateful we have each other, but we are both truly heartbroken over Halle's loss...I was so blessed Halle chose me to be her Mommy for almost 17 years and that is what I will try to remember through this tremendous grief.

I know her family that went before, including Daddy Cat, Mommy Cat and her littermate, Calle, were waiting to greet my precious Halle as she went to the Bridge...

My darling angel Halle Cat.

Halle (10.23.04-08.25.21)

Love never dies...Love is eternal.

"What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose...All that we love deeply becomes a part of us."~Helen Keller

"Always the years between us...Always the years...Always the LOVE...Always the hours..."~Virginia Woolf 

Throwback Thankful Thursday

It makes my heart happy to remember these two like this~happy and always together, in our old back yard.

2009

Throwback Thursday

This silly boy used to love hanging out in the dirt at my next door neighbor's house. MOL

2008

Thankful Throwback Thursday...Happy 21st Birthday At The Bridge, Daddy Cat!

My handsome, sweet Daddy Cat did enjoy his nip cigar! MOL

2013

My precious boy will be 21 at the Bridge on Sunday, May 2; how lucky I was all those years ago to have his Mom, Orange Cat, give birth to him in my garage...Daddy Cat and the adorable family he created were a true blessing to my life and they are all forever missed, forever loved, forever in my heart.

(05.02.00-06.12.16)

Throwback Thursday

        2010    

These sweethearts had just recently moved into their garage apartment when I got this cute photo on our cat rug!  

             

                          

                                           

Happy Valentine's Weekend...

These adorable images are from last year, but they speak of unconditional, true, eternal love; we hope you all experience that priceless gift.

Happy Valentine's Weekend.

Throwback Thursday

Always together...

2015

Throwback Thursday

This picture is one of the first photos of these sweethearts exploring their new garage apartment...After living outside at our other house for 10 years, I worried about bringing them inside but knew I could not leave them alone in our old neighborhood...I was relieved to realize they were both very happy and content to have a comfortable place of their own where they were safe and together=look at those Happy Tails!

2010

Throwback Thursday

Mommy Cat's 20th birthday is on September 1 and when I think of her and Daddy Cat, this is how I like to remember them...together forever.

2009

Thankful Thursday

A neighborhood cat gave birth to Daddy Cat in my garage on May 2, 2000 and I found Mommy Cat sleeping in my garage on November 1, 2000, she was about 6-8 weeks old: I cared for them as outside cats for 10 years and brought them with me to my new home in October 2010...I had central air and heat put in my 2 car garage and it became their retirement home...Almost immediately after moving into their garage apartment, Mommy Cat and Daddy Cat became more accepting of love from me and started bonding with the indoor girls...They enjoyed exploring the new house much more than they ever did at our previous home=they would roam and hang out in our new home, but would only dart in and out of our old place occasionally, even though I invited them in often...I didn't know what to expect, but they happily embraced their new life indoors and I am grateful we were all closer for it=after 10 years of caring for them on their terms, they truly, finally became my babies.

 2015

Throwback Thursday

My sweet Daddy Cat really loved his tent!

2014

Throwback Thursday

These two sweethearts hanging out in our old back yard.
2009

Remembrance...

In loving memory of these three beautiful souls...together again...

Today is the 1 year anniversary of Mommy Cat's trip to the Bridge to join her Daddy Cat...and 2 weeks later, Calle had to join them as well...So today I will think of them all together and healthy, playing in the green fields surrounding the Bridge...until I can join them all again.

And that gives me comfort.

*Give your babies an extra kiss and tummy rub today in honor of unconditional love.. XO*

Throwback Thursday

These babies loved their garage apartment immediately when we moved in October 2010.

2015

Thankful Thursday

An early Valentine's post...

I hope tomorrow, and everyday, really, is filled with love and joy for us all... 

May we always have a thankful heart...

Happy Valentine's Day.

These sweet babies have truly blessed my life with so much love over the years and I am forever grateful for that unconditional and eternal love~a gift beyond measure.

Our 10th Blogoversary!

The beginning...



My first post on 01.14.10
L to R: Calle, Sukki, Halle



The first post of Mommy Cat and Daddy Cat together on Valentine's Day, 2010



One of the photos of the kitties in my life at that time from our 1st Blogoversary post on 01.14.11.
Top, L to R: Calle, Halle, Sukki
Bottom, L to R: Daddy Cat, Mommy Cat, Tom*

*Tom was a friendly neighborhood cat that befriended Mommy Cat and Daddy Cat after their son, Jax, disappeared; I believe he filled a void for them at that time...They hung out together for weeks and he did not have a collar, so I welcomed him and had him fixed, got his shots and kept flea meds on him...I eventually realized he was someone else's outdoor cat and we regrettably had to leave him when we moved in October 2010.


Jacqueline's Cat House started out with my 5 babies and Tom, but after losing Daddy Cat in 2016 and Mommy Cat and Calle this past year, I've decided to stop posting everyday...Today I am sharing our beginning but while the blog is changing, it is not the end=I plan to post regularly, probably on Thursdays, and will continue to add our blog link on the CB at those times...It's hard to believe but I have published photos of my babies everyday for 10 years=that's 3,654 posts!...What started as a whim quickly turned into a labor of love!...I am so blessed by the many friendships I have made through this blog over the years and I am grateful I've been able to share these sweet, precious souls with you all along the way.....I thank you all sincerely for the friendships, the kind words, and for the love you have shown my babies over the last 10 years...Wishing everyone the best as we start a new journey in this new decade!

Angel Mommy Cat And Her Angel Mancat On Monday

These two lived a real love story...

True love is eternal...for all of us.

Please stop by for our 10th Blogoversary celebration tomorrow.

Angel Mommy Cat And Her Angel Mancat On Monday

Cuddling in their green cube bed together...

Throwback Thursday

All their lives, these two couldn't stay away from each other!
2009