One of my fondest memories of our angel cat Samantha is how she used to lick my feet when I’d go into the bathroom at night! Before we moved, our master bathroom at the old house was one of her favorite places to hang out, so she’d usually be in there at night if I got up. She also loved to lick our hands when we were petting her, though the little bites she’d inevitably throw in at some point were not as appreciated as much!
She always seemed so nurturing to me, and I thought she would have made a great mother, but of course we had her spayed when she was young. She also was a loner though; she was not known to hang out with the other cats much, though she would hang out with the dogs at times. She always especially loved our beagle Kobi because he was so laid back. The bigger dogs were a bit too rambunctious for her, though as seen in the photo below, she did hang out with them when they were being mellow.
The dogs slept with us, so she rarely did, but when my sister Lynn lived with us for a few months, Sam loved to hang out in her room with her.
Sam was always an indoor cat, but when she was younger, up until we moved to the new house, she often escaped outdoors. She was a smart girl and she knew just where to hang out and watch, and when the dogs were being let in and out, sometimes hesitating as dogs do, she’d make a run for it. Most of the time she’d come back in at night, and if she didn’t, I’d be up and down all night checking for her.
The only time I got really upset when she escaped was when she raided a robin’s nest that was on our deck in the wood pile! She was not a very sweet girl then!
Samantha did have her mischievous side, she had a love of plants and all indoor ones had to be kept out of her reach (other than the catnip plants I gave her). Her penchant for digging up plants gave us blog material on more than one occasion! It was just last spring when she got into some seedlings I had started in the house and we wrote a fun post “Busted – Cat Mischief” in 2014 when she got into some plants on our screened porch at the old house.
Sam contributed a lot to the blog with her adventures and her reviews of cat products, which sometimes had to get “outsourced” to her kitty cousin Nina when she didn’t have interest in toys, or was being fussy about food or treats.
Being a black cat, she was difficult to photograph inside the house. Some of my favorite photos of her at the new house are when I started taking her outside.
Here at the new house she was known for her farm cat jobs as chick mama and grandma. She spent almost all her time for those few weeks in the spring in our upstairs room where we raise our birds when they are young.
She watched over them, and then later got to visit them outdoors. Here at the new house, I’d take her outside, first on a leash and then loose. Her fading eyesight made it so that she didn’t move too quickly so as long as I watched her she was fine. She did enjoy cruising around the open areas! Some of my favorite shots were of her and the guinea hens. They were totally fascinated with her, and she was quite oblivious!
I think my favorite post I ever wrote about her was “Soft & Sweet – 10 Things I Love About Samantha”. That post helps me to remember all the best things about her.
Unfortunately, some of her other contributions to the blog were updates on her various health conditions. She gave us more than one scare over the years, once with joint issues and more often appetite issues. But she was a strong old lady and she carried on for quite some time with both hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure, which led to her blindness.
She had at least some eyesight all that time, except for maybe at the very end this winter. We could see her age finally catching up to her over the winter, with more and more time spent sleeping in her favorite “fort”. She still came out this late winter though to sit in the sun and even in my safe box! Her appetite would wax and wane over the winter, with it getting worse at one point in March. We had to change her food every so often because she’d get bored with it, and we did that one more time and once again she bounced back. However, I had a strong feeling that was going to be the last time we’d see that.
For the last 2-3 weeks of her life, she was often refusing to take her pills. She ate, but not a lot. She still made her way from her fort to her food and water dishes even though she wasn’t eating much. We knew her time was coming, and we just wanted her to be able to go on her own terms. While in the end we had to help her a bit, we feel she still got to do it her way, staying strong for as long as she could. She seemed like she did not want to give in to it, but eventually she lost the strength to keep up the fight.
In her later years, hanging out with her chicks was Sam’s favorite activity, and I’ve been so pleased that many readers commented how much they enjoyed reading about that. She didn’t play with toys too much, though occasionally she would, and she loved to chew on her catnip plants. She was quiet and other than not using her litter box, an easy cat, always peaceful and content.
She has left an empty place in our home, and the chicks that just joined our family won’t know what they are missing not having a special old kitty to watch over them. But we will, and we’ll hang onto those special memories of our sweet girl and her chicks forever.
We are joining our friends at Comedy Plus for the Awww Mondays blog hop. Please visit them and others through the links below.
It was sad for me today, looking at your chick posts and knowing that Samantha was not there watching over them. I know that you miss her; things will never be the same.
While we are still enjoying the chicks, it’s just not quite the same without her. 🙁
She was a special girl and I know you feel her absence. I’m so glad you wrote about her so often, you will have those stories to look back on and treasure.
That is the wonderful thing about having a blog, isn’t it? ♥
Lovely post about Sam. She had a wonderful life with you and even got to bite you. I’ll bet she often drooled when watching the chick-hens.
Hee hee, after the baby robins, you just never could really know!
Reading about sweet Samantha taking care of the chicks was one of my favorite all time tales. I am smiling just remembering it. The new chicks are really missing something. I am sure that your heart hurts. Sending hugs.
Thank you so much. It makes my heart happy while sad that so many people enjoyed her stories. I bet not many bloggers have written about their cat watching over their chicks!
A beautiful loving post on your Samantha memories, so sweet and wonderful. My special niece kitty she was, and I missed her the other day at your house-so I know how hard for you to feel that every day, Jan. But the great memories you have of her will make you smile, more as time goes on. Great pics here, love the one of the crew on the bed! And you did a super job on the memorial one of her at the top, cute cute frame with her beautiful self standing out! And I always loved when you took her outside, and the pics from that, and of course how she watched over the chicks, was just too amazing. So many good memories right there, and that is just a few! Boy, though, seems like just yesterday with the robin story, I remember that for sure! Wonderful pic of you and her, glad you have that. Sending more hugs!
I can’t take credit for that memorial photo, Lynn, a wonderful blog friend made that for me (the same one that designed our farm logo, but this was something she just did for us on her own).
It’s been weird, every time I head towards her room and realizing she’s no longer there. Then I left something dark by the window and did a double take!
Last night when we moved the chicks I thought of her, because that was the only time we’d shut her out of the room, when there was risk the chicks could get loose while being transferred. Even though we thought we could trust her, I never forgot about those baby robins!
Beautiful tribute to Sam. We loved her story line – and found ourselves always wanting to know more! She was an incredible girl and I can’t even imagine your sense of loss.
It’s been sad caring for the chicks and not having her right there all the time.
What a lovely story on Samatha she was definitely a special cat. She reminds me a lot of our Saffie, a tortie, and hard to take photos of except in the sun, but independent and mischevious too. Sam has left a mark on all of your readers thanks for sharing your stories with us.
It’s been such a pleasure to share them and know that they were enjoyed. Thank you, Sandra.
What a beautiful girl who was so very loved!
**Hugs**
OH Sam what a sweet sweet girl you were. What a beautiful tribute to her. I love the selfie of you two. She will be a wonderful memory in your heart forever.
She certainly will, thank you. ♥
That was a beautiful tribute for sweet Samantha. She was a special girl. No amount of time is ever long enough with our furbabies. XO
So true! Thank you, Ellen. xxoo
my eyes are leaking…this was a beautiful tribute to one special girl. Cody and I will miss her…….but we will hold the memory of her close. (((hugs))) to you and the family
Thank you so much, Caren. xxoo
Of course, I am crying like a baby. What a beautiful tribute to Samantha. I always loved how she mothered the chicks. She was a special lady and it was nice getting to know her. We are sending you hugs and love.
Thank you, Melissa. It means so much to me to know that she touched you too. ♥
What a beautiful tribute to Samantha. Love the portrait of Sam and her mom♥
Thank you! That one will be forever treasured. I remember some old ones of her and I (before selfies) but I haven’t been able to find them yet. I lost a bunch of old photos on an external hard drive that failed, but I still have an old computer to power up that might have them.
What a beautiful tribute to a special kitty. Your post gave my eye a bit of leakage. Dear, sweet Samantha. 😻
Thank you. xxoo
So precious. I get these memories. We often have them for our Little Bit. They embed themselves in our hearts and forever remain there.
Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Awww Monday. ♥
All we can hope for is that in time those memories bring more smiles than tears. ♥
What sweet memories you have of your beautiful girl.
Aw, this post is so sweet. Just like Samantha. It’s a wonderful tribute to your sweet old girl. I’m sitting here smiling through tears. (Since we said goodbye to our sweet Shadow, I find myself tearing up at the drop of a pin.)
I, too, always enjoyed the stories of Samantha watching over “her” babies.
Oh, I get that. I spend a lot of time sitting at my computer crying!
She was a very special girl and she was so amazing right up until the end. I’m sure it is a huge hole that has been left behind in your heart.
She sure was, and it sure has. 🙁
She was a beautiful cat. Great memories and pictures. I always enjoyed reading about her chick babies!!
Thank you!! ♥
we will always remember the pictures of the chick mama… and yesterday samantha came into my mind for mothersday first … funny but it is…. some things stay with us forever and ever and they are always first at special days ;O)))
It means so much to me that you are thinking of her too. Thank you. ♥
Those are all such wonderful memories, they’ll never fade and they will make the heart smile.
♥♥♥