Raven's Story - Raven's Bond With V - Part 3

Raven's Story - In Loving Memory

It's almost like she's saying, "Don't take my picture!"

This is the third installment of telling the story of the beautiful bond between Raven and her V.  It's hard to believe it's been 9 weeks tomorrow! Time continues to feel like it's standing still. I suppose that boils down to the pain still feeling so fresh that it feels like it just happened a few days ago. I still miss her so much!

I did get another kitten on January 13th and she seemed to have chose me. My friend and I went a good distance to get her and out of herself and two brothers, I was drawn to her and she was drawn to me. I was not 100% ready, but I never would have been, so now was the time for a few reasons. I am definitely still grieving Raven and still cry daily for her.  I knew getting the new little one wouldn't take away the pain, but I hope it will help me focus some of that painful energy elsewhere.  I have a lot of love to give her and I know that. The kitten is ten weeks tomorrow and I have named her Luna.  Actually, somehow she ended up with a middle name from a picture of her on Facebook, so it's Luna Rose.  

Luna Rose

This blog will continue and it will continue to be about Raven's life and my memories of her.  Back to the original subject of this post.

I've already mentioned that V looked after Raven every time I went away. The same applied for whenever V went away. I was then responsible for all three of the furkids - V's dogs, J & C, and Raven. It went way beyond that though. We had a pretty good system going.  If one of us was going to be arriving back later than normal, we could either arrange ahead of time or text the other last minute, to arrange to have the appropriate furkid(s) needs taken care of.  It was definitely comforting to know we didn't have to worry.  It worked out better for Raven anyway since she preferred how V made her dinner.  The furkids all had their separate routines that they knew with both of us and in a lot of cases, those routines were quite a bit different than what they all knew with their appropriate moms.  

I may have touched on this before, but I know I didn't expand on it. Raven was a "hall runner". She got out into the hall as often as she could and she knew all her ways out of her.  If I was doing the litter box, getting the kitchen or bathroom garbage, sorting laundry, putting shoes on in the hall or even if she saw me grabbing my iPod and bag for work, she would go to the door and start "melting down" to get out.  Quite often when she felt like going out in the hall she would go sit at the door and just meow and meow and meow and meow. Raven was relentless. Those "meltdowns" could literally go on for over an hour straight.  Distracting her never worked.  Well, it worked if she got a treat, but then as soon as she was done with the treats, she would go right back to melting down. 

Below is a video of a mild meltdown. Trust me, they got a lot worse than that.

There are several pictures of her hall time.

Raven would bolt out and just roll around.  Sometimes it was hard to get her back in.  Apparently she liked to play "chase me down the hall".  That was never fun when you're trying to leave in the morning and not miss the bus.  Locking her out in the hall didn't matter to her. She would just go about doing her thing until she felt like coming back in.  V used to just prop the door open for her so that she would come back when she was ready or when something startled her.  
The amount of times Raven wanted out increased and got worse after V started looking after her.  Raven knew that for the most part, both V and Auntie Billy would let her out if she sat at the door and freaked out.  Although sometimes when Raven was melting down at the door V would just sit on the couch and say, That's nice, Raven.".  Raven was in her glory once when she had both V and Auntie Billy here at the same time.  She was so over-stimulated with all the love and unlimited hall time that she didn't know what to do with herself.

I've mentioned before that Raven preferred how V made her dinner, so we used to joke that she was going to V's door to ask her to make dinner. We were waiting for her to knock.  Raven was definitely aware that V lived there.  After V moved away mid 2014, Raven stopped going to her door.

Below are some pictures of Raven either heading to or coming from V's door.  The last picture is one V captured from Raven's view of the hall.  V's door was on the left before the tiled floor.

There was an 8 week period in 2013 where V went away, so I was on furkid duty for all three.  It was very interesting to say the least.  All three quickly learned the different set of keys that were used that had a set for both doors.  When I used them on my door, I would hear J start crying and then get up and do the mad dash to go get her toy to bring me. When Raven heard them to lock V's door, she would start screaming at the door because she knew it meant I was coming back and she could bolt out into the hall.  Raven was definitely in her glory with hall time during that 2 month period.

Raven always knew what she could get away with and with whom.  Watching her routines with V both when I was home and away was pretty cool. I think I have mentioned she always knew when V was coming over, but she also knew when she was leaving as well.  Raven would get up and walk V to the door.  Most of that was probably because she knew she would get some hall time, but she would only do it when V was leaving. If V was heading in the same direction to go to the bathroom or kitchen, Raven didn't get up and follow her. Raven also used to have a thing with V's shoes - she'd always lay on them for a period of time before her snuggles and massages with V. Probably to prevent her from leaving. Although, V told me that whenever I was away, Raven would definitely try and stop her from leaving. If I remember correctly she would try and block V in the kitchen and try and block the front door. Of course V would just step over her, but props to Raven for trying.

While I would be away, V would always send the most amazing pictures of Raven. They are all my favorites and will be posted now. Some will be repeats because I have used a few as intro pics on posts.

The two pictures of Raven "admiring" the dolphin pictures on the wall are priceless. I thought maybe V set the shots up with the laser light, but she didn't - it was all natural and a once in a lifetime opportunity photo opportunity.

The tongue sticking out was also a rare photo opportunity.

As was the yawn...

Here are the rest of some of the amazing shots V captured of our beautiful Raven.

So, in closing on the bond between Raven and her V, yes, Raven did indeed have V wrapped around her paw! Their bond will always be remembered and treasured by me.  I'm glad they both had it and I am so honored that I had such an amazing person and friend that I trusted to take such amazing care of my baby.  Thank you, V!

*For the beginning of the story, see November 2014*

*Disclaimer - I do not proof-read anything I write, so if there are typos, please excuse them

Raven's Story - Grieving Continues - When Will it Get Better?

Raven's Story - In Loving Memory

My original plan was to have this post be the continuation of "Raven's Bond With V", but since the last couple of days have been particularly bad for grieving Raven, I went with this theme instead. My partial OCD nature would prefer to have the posts in some sort of order, but this one will be the exception. The story of Raven and V will continue in the next post.

While my grief might not be quite as intense as 7.5 weeks ago, it's still pretty bad. While right before I go to sleep and as soon as I open my eyes are a given as far as crying goes, there are days where I cry less throughout the day, especially if I am kept occupied by a variety of people and things.  There are days where the tears flow just as much as they did they day she died and the last couple of days have been like that.

I often read the below poem and others that people have sent me over the last couple of months and while they make sense, they don't help me to feel better about this loss. I have had this poem in my possession for almost 10 years as I believe it was given to me after Soleil died. I just don't remember how I ended up with it.  The problem still lies in my guilt feeling.  I am not sure that the "last battle" couldn't have been won anymore and it's too late to find out.

If It Should Be...

If it should be that I grow weak.

And pain should keep me from my sleep,

Then you must do what must be done,

For this last battle cannot be won.

You will be sad, I understand;

Don't let your grief then stay your hand.

For this day more than all the rest,

Your love for me must stand the test.

We've had so many happy years -

What is to come can hold no fears.

You'd not want me to suffer so;

The time has come, so let me go.

Take me where my needs they'll tend

And please stay with me until the end.

Hold me firm and speak to me

Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time that you will see

The kindness that you did for me.

Although my tail its last has waved,

From pain and suffering I've been saved.

Please do not grieve - it must be you

Who had this painful thing to do.

We've been so close, we two these years -

Don't let your heart hold back its tears.

My niece sent me the below article the other day and it's greatly appreciated. I edited it to include both the words dog and cat. I also replaced the word, "dog" with, "pet" in the main article.

15 ENCOURAGING THINGS TO REMEMBER AFTER THE LOSS OF A CAT/DOG

"As we wrap up 2014 and look toward 2015, we can’t help but think about all the amazing dogs that have passed on this past year.  The support and friendship offered up to those who lost a pet has been nothing short of amazing and proves that there really is no breed of people better than pet lovers.

While no one can take the heartbreak away, it helps to openly miss our beloved pets and to remember them always.

We like to reflect on the joy that dogs bring and to consider that as our pets watch over us, they would want us to be happy and at peace.

To help you do just that, here are some encouraging things to remember after the loss of your pet.

1.       It’s okay to cry.  Reach out to those who understand your grief and let them hold you up.

2.       You gave your cat/dog the best life possible-you did all you could and had there been a way, they would still be with you.

3.       It is always goodbye. Sometime, someday, we all have to say a final goodbye.  As much as we wish it was not so, some goodbyes come sooner rather than later but it does not change the fact that our cats/dogs are only a temporary gift to treasure here on earth.

4.       Reflect on the ways your cat/dog made you a better person and in their honor, continue to live up to their standards every day.

5.       Laughter is healing. Remember your cat's/dog’s funny antics or even the moments when they were bad and allow yourself to laugh and those warm memories to heal your heart.

6.       It is okay to get angry over the loss of your cat/dog. It is one of the stages of grief. Allow yourself to recognize your emotions.

7.       It’s okay to vent your frustrations, feelings, disappointments, or whatever you are feeling as it helps you process the loss.

8.       While it is true that the passing of time heals, it’s okay to recognize that you are still raw and when those emotions well up, take a moment to remember and miss your cat/dog.  However long it takes.

9.       Sometimes allowing your cat/dog to leave this earth gracefully is the most selfless, final loving act that you can do.  Your cat/dog did not fear death and although it is heart wrenching, allowing your pet to go is love.

10.   Do whatever you need to do to find closure – if you need a funeral, memorial, cremation, burial, to create a memory garden or scrapbook-whatever it is, do it for yourself.

11.   Never feel embarrassed over the feeling you have toward losing your cat/dog. If someone does not understand, find someone who does and share with them.

12.    If you find yourself suffocating in your grief and unable to get past it, there is nothing wrong with finding a support group or counselor to help you through your loss.

13.   Be gentle with yourself.

14.   Recognize that your routine has changed and as you experience the pangs of loss, recognize them for what they are and try to incorporate new activities into those moments.

15.   If and when you’re ready, there will be another cat/dog just waiting to love you.

Losing a pet leaves a huge hole when they are gone and the pain of loss is real. They affect our lives on many levels from friend, companion to protector.  By recognizing how important they are and surrounding yourself with people who understand, things eventually will get better-even though you’ll miss them forever."

I am not convinced I did all I could! I'm more convinced she is gone because of me. That's a tough one to get past.  I know that has been brought up in several blogs, but it is because it's still how I feel. Perhaps in the future someone will read these, still feeling the way I do, and they won;t feel so alone in their feelings.  They won't feel like they shouldn't be feeling a certain way like I do with some of these feelings.  I feel like I should be further ahead than I am and that while people mostly understand, they may not understand why I am still feeling so blah.  I don't know, really - I don't ask them.

I have a great support system and I appreciate each and every one of you! Everything that is said above makes sense, but just doesn't help take the pain away and after almost 8 weeks it feels like it is never going to go away.  

I am at the point where I am considering another cat and have been actively looking. However, I still go back and forth with it so much and really don't know if it is the right time or not.  I honestly don't think I will ever know when I am ready.  I just know that maybe it will help give me something to focus on.  To help take away the 24/7 heartache and focus on Raven.  I know it won't take most of my pain away.  I also have so many fears associated with getting another cat.  Fears of whether there will be a strong bond or not. Fears that even though I know I shouldn't, that I will have expectations because of Raven. I worry I am not making the right decision at the right time. This time there is no clear cut answer as to when I will be ready.  So far it has been hard to find the age range I am looking for.  There are so many black cats out there.  I know black cats are hard to adopt out and I wish my heart could handle it, but I just can't handle a black one right now.  Black cats are amazing, but it's way too soon for me to consider one that is all black.  Black and white, maybe, but not close to solid black like Raven.  It would be too painful.

My neighbor next door, who is quickly becoming a good friend is actively looking as well. She is ready, willing and able to help in any way she can. As I have been considering getting one, I already had it in my mind that I wanted her two-year-old daughter to be part of the socialization process because she is amazing with animals! I witnessed it whenever I would run into her with J & C. That's when she wasn't even close to two-years-old yet.  She is just naturally good and gentle with animals. It's truly beautiful to watch.  With Raven, she was socialized with several people in the beginning of her life and I truly believe that helped.  Part of it was still her personality, but socializing definitely played a part in it.  

So, given that I have given it some thought, you would think that means I have made up my mind and it is just not that easy. At this point, Yes, I want one, but I am terrified and I don't truly know it is the right time.  I also know that the things that were truly "Raven's belongings", will not be given to another cat. I have to start all over with a lot of things.  I am still going back and forth with Raven's dishes, but I don't really think I want another cat having those. I know I want at least one of them going in the shadow box when that gets done.

I miss that beautiful face! I miss her loud purring, her snuggling, her soft fur, her kissy faces, her getting in my face, her constant "talking" and everything else that has been or will be brought up in this blog! I love you, Raven!!!

*For the beginning of the story, see November 2014*

*Disclaimer - I do not proof-read anything I write, so if there are typos, please excuse them
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Raven's Story - Raven's Bond With V - Part 2

Raven's Story - In Loving Memory

In deep thought?

This is the second installment of telling the story of the beautiful bond between Raven and her V. It's been seven weeks and I wish I could say that this loss hurts a little less, but it doesn't. I am still in the guilt trap and left wondering if I should have tried harder to save her. I know the outcome might have been the same, but it might not have been and I might still have my Raven with me. I hope to look back on these posts one day and smile and laugh like some of you have mentioned that you do while reading them. Others have mentioned that they both laugh and cry while reading them. I am still honored so that so many take the time to read my blog.  I appreciate the support and it definitely helps keep me writing. Although, I really do want to do this so I remember as much as possible about Raven.

I'm not quite sure where to start in their story in this entry.  I guess a good place would be those head massages that V gave to Raven that she loved so much. In fact, she loved them so much that V was the only one who could "do them right". If I tried, Raven literally would just look up at me like, "Nice try, but you're not doing it right."  I knew I wasn't doing it right because when V did it, she would put Raven right to sleep. It didn't take long for Raven to start becoming quite demanding of those massages, both when I was away and when V was over for a visit. As her personal masseuse, V was able to put her right to sleep and down for the count. Completely "in the zone" as V would say.

Raven always knew when V was coming and I never understood that. Although, I really shouldn't be too surprised considering how smart she was in so many areas. I just never understood how she knew V was coming this way rather than heading out. Wherever Raven was, whether it be sleeping on me, laying on the bed, laying on the couch or in the bed she made for herself at the bottom of the linen closet, she would always get up and go to the door before V even got to it. You must understand that the reason this is big is because V lived right next door and our doors weren't far apart. Sleeping or awake, she knew V was coming and beat her to the door. There were a couple of times V came to just drop off coffee and Raven missed her due to being in a deep sleep. Once she woke up just as V was leaving, she would be upset that she missed her and meow at the door. That didn't happen too often.

I took the two pictures below. That was their last time together right before V moved. I took several, most not great - not like the two below are of good quality. The others won't be posted for other reasons. Also, this was not the position Raven was usually in with her, but I think the chips were in the way. You can see in Raven's face that she is totally heading in to that "zone".

All of the below pictures were taken by V various times I was away during their one on one bonding time and routines. From what I know, she used to get up on the arm on the couch and start giving V looks and slamming her head into V's hand. Probably looking at her wondering when the massages where going to start.

I don't know if Raven was just hanging and waiting for a massage or just hanging out watching TV with V in the next ones

Finally, the below pictures are of Raven "in the zone" after her massage.

The other thing that started happening once V started taking care of Raven is that Raven just flat out stopped eating her dinner for me. Dinner was 1/8 of a can of wet because that is all she would eat of it. Raven was a dry food "crack" addict. I think I have mentioned in previous posts that I will never feed dry food to an pet again. I digress - Anyway, Raven decided that she preferred the way V made her dinner and that was it. She would eat some of it for me, but for V, she would eat ALL of it. V would say to me, "I don't understand why. I only did what you told me to do." Hmmmm clearly not. Raven prefers V making it. So, not only was V Raven's personal masseuse, but she was also her personal chef.  I remember one occasion before we really figured out that it was her preference to have V make her food, V and I were hanging out late one afternoon to watch a movie. V went into the kitchen to heat up her coffee and Raven followed her in and started melting down. Meowing and screaming at her. V asked what her problem was. I looked at the time and figured it out real quick. It was close to dinner time and she wanted V to make it for her. Smart girl knew 1 out of 2 that feed her was in the kitchen, so she took full advantage. I replied to V with, "look at the time. She wants you to make her dinner".

I think V's success rate for Raven eating all of it was 99.9%.  V would often send me pictures of Raven's perfectly finished dish while I was away. I didn't keep any of those, but she rubbed it in my face often. As a joke, of course. This whole not eating dinner for me just continued to get worse. It got to the point that I wanted her to have that little bit of wet every day, so even though I wasn't away, V would come in as much as possible and make her dinner. Of course Raven ate it! If V and I were making plans and it was somewhere around Raven's dinner time, V would say, "Don't worry about Raven's dinner. I'll make it when I get there."  I even had V show me what she does differently. Honestly, other than mixing it better, it wasn't that different. I tried doing it the same way she did and had no luck. Sometimes she would eat more for me than other times. V would come in and look and tell me to, "add more water and move it to the middle of the dish so she can get to it easier". Yep, tried that to - Same result! Raven was just messing with me. 

I asked Raven one night if she wanted dinner (yes, she knew the word well) and repeated it for each of the three pictures that I took. Her look almost says, "Yes, I do, but not from you. Are you going to call V over? 

The other major difference between the two of us feeding Raven dinner comes from an instruction I gave to V when I first started going away. I instructed her to leave the kitchen when Raven ate dinner, because she liked to eat it in peace. Nope - turns out that only applied to me. V could do whatever she wanted in the kitchen while she was eating dinner. Turns out Auntie Billy could do whatever she wanted in the kitchen while Raven ate dinner as well.  

Another quirk Raven had about food was with her dry food. She had an oval dish and for some reason she would only eat the food out of the left side of the dish. It it was over on the right side, she wouldn't touch it. If she saw you move it over, she wouldn't touch it. You had to be sneaky about it so she couldn't see or hear you moving it over. Over time, I noticed that every time V came over, she would habitually move Raven's dry food over, even when I was home. I thought that was so sweet.  It worked both ways really.  I would do all the normal things with the dogs when I was over there. Just habits! I remember V and I were at the vet during the 2012 fiasco and they suggested that I put food all over the living room for Raven to hunt to help her lose a bit of weight. I think V and I both laughed. I said, "First off, Raven has absolutely no hunting skills or desire to hunt food, bugs, birds or anything else. Second, Raven won't take treats off the stool in the kitchen and she won't eat out of the right side of her dish. She's not going to eat in the living room." V chimed in and said, "It's true."

This is certainly not the last post about their bond, but on a quick final story on this post, V was sometimes Raven's personal chauffeur too. We took Raven in for her annual exam one year and Raven was freaked out and hiding. Oddly, Raven never used to be afraid of the vet, but that was the first visit after she had to go to the emergency hospital for a reaction to a vaccine. She eventually got back to the point where her vet teams could do anything to her and she was calm. Hence "calmest cat we've ever dealt with", but in the mean time, V took the opportunity to capture the Raven's fear.

Raven really is under there - She thinks we can't see her!

I lifted the towel and V got the perfect shot. She looks so scared though :( Look at those eyes

I will end part two here, but this is to be continued with plenty more to come.

*For the beginning of the story, see November 2014*

*Disclaimer - I do not proof-read anything I write, so if there are typos, please excuse them.

Raven's Story - Raven's Bond With V - Part 1

Raven's Story - In Loving Memory

It's been six and a half weeks since I lost Raven and I wish I could say the grieving is getting easier, but it's not. I miss her terribly and even though I try and think of good memories, I always end up thinking back to the last week and a half of her life from the moment the abscess was discovered to the last few days that she was getting worse with kidney failure and the last moments with her before I finally let her go. Thinking about good memories also makes me miss her more and feel like I should still have her here.  It's the guilt that I can't get past. I blame myself for letting the dog in that bit her when there was no need for the dog to be here that day. I also blame the vet for not recognizing that she was in kidney failure when I told him she wet the bed in her sleep and she was drinking excessively. I told him three days before the Internal Medicine Specialist at the emergency hospital diagnosed her. Those three days might have made a huge difference in being able to bring her kidney levels down. I know she got worse Monday, Tuesday and her final day of Wednesday. I informed him on Monday morning. He was so stuck on the potential of her having a pancreatitis flare up that he missed the kidneys. Perhaps he didn't know Meloxicam could cause kidney problems, but he should! I hope to hell he knows now. She did not pee the bed or drink excessively when she got sick in 2012. Either way, I still blame myself because I let the dog in that started the chain events that ultimately led to me having to put her down.  I read a lot and talk a lot about what I am feeling with the guilt and everything makes sense, but it's not helping me to not feel guilty. I would still love nothing more than to hug and kiss her right now - even just for a few moments. Raven loved being both hugged and kissed, as well as offering her own kissy faces. 

The story and bond between Raven and V needs to be broken up into more than one post mainly because their bond was incredible to watch blossom over the years, there's a lot to tell and V was the one who took most of the great pictures of Raven over the years, so there will be a lot of pictures to go with these stories.  I've mentioned before that up until the last few years, it was difficult to get a good picture of Raven without her showing up as a black blob. V was no exception in having those issues in the beginning, but once she was able to start capturing Raven and have her show up in the picture, there was no stopping her. V took amazing shots of Raven that I will cherish forever. The introduction picture on this post is just one of the many beautiful shots she captured of Raven. Admittedly, I wasn't great at taking pictures of Raven. Billy once said something to me along the lines of, "It's because you're trying to force it and V just lets the picture happen".  Fair enough and likely true.

I've been putting off starting this post because I know it is going to be emotional and somewhat painful for me at times.  V was undoubtedly the other one of Raven's favorite humans and I would say as much as Auntie Billy but with so many differences between the two bonds. Another reason I have been putting this off is because I really want to capture and remember as much as possible about them to be able to bring their story to the light that it deserves. 

V is a friend of mine that used to live right next door.  It's times like this where I miss her being right next door the most.  V had two German Shepherds, a female with a name beginning with a J, and a male with a name beginning with a C. I looked after them and V looked after Raven. We had a pretty good system. I basically used to just group the three of them together as the furkids. Raven had V wrapped around her paw and J had me wrapped around her paw.  I had a bond with both dogs, but J and I were especially bonded. While I admitted she had me wrapped around her paw, to this day V still won't admit Raven had her wrapped around her paw. I intend to prove otherwise. One of the reasons I am struggling with her not being right next door is because seeing and/or taking care of the dogs was a sense of normalcy. It would certainly help provide a good, brief distraction during this horrible time.

As life would have it, J passed away on October 1, 2014 and even though she wasn't my dog, her leaving this world hit me pretty hard. There was a part of me that was still mourning that loss when Raven died and is still mourning that loss today. I can't explain it, but we were connected and her passing hurt. RIP J, I hope that even though you and Raven were not friends here in the physical world, that you are together and friends wherever you are! That you are both still with V, C and I, watching over us and knowing how much you're missed and loved.  I would have no doubt that Raven would visit V and Auntie Billy if that is possible.  The difference between Raven and J's passing is that we knew J was sick and it was a bit sudden because we thought she had a bit longer to live, but I actually started mourning her as soon as I found out about it a couple of months prior.  I didn't have that option with Raven because I basically contributed to her death. Raven and J were close in age. Only 6 months apart. I used to joke that they went through a lot of same things together as far as aging pets goes. I never in a million years thought they would die a month and a half apart.

Raven was not friends with the dogs, but they all knew each other's scents. In fact, C was absolutely in love with Raven.  The love was not reciprocated by Raven. I don't remember how it even started, but I do know his obsession increased over time.  Every time he saw her in the hall when he was about to go for a walk, his eyes would light up with love. When I would go over to take care of them, he would smell my shoes and get this look of love that seemed to say "*Swoon* I smell her.  When the dogs were on the balcony, they would usually stand up and say hi to me, except C had a different agenda. He would be trying to look in my door looking for Raven. When I would bring her out on the balcony for him to see her, that made his day. Unfortunately for him, she wasn't interested in being friends. As shown below, Raven wasn't even looking at him. In the second picture, it looks like she is looking at her V, who was taking the picture.  Excuse my bedhead. I think I had just woke up.

I don't remember when their bond started, but I know it intensified when I started to go away in 2011 and continued to grow each time I went away. I would go for 8 days twice a year.  When V moved last May, I was worried about who could look after Raven if I went away again.  Raven and V not only had their routines, but not only was V the only one I would trust 100% to look after her, I think Raven felt the same way. Plus, V was there every step of the way when Raven got sick in 2012, so she knew what to look for and what to do if something went wrong while I was gone. That would have been hard to do with someone else.  I guess if everything happens for a reason, I don't need to worry about who would look after Raven if I go away. The issue never came up due to Raven passing 6 months later and I don't intend on going anywhere any time soon. 

When I first decided to go away I chose to only go for five days and four nights. I knew Raven had separation anxiety, so I wanted to see how she would do with V while I was gone. Being away from her for long periods wasn't all that easy for me either. I missed her a lot!  Raven did great, but I will never forget the look of surprise and happiness on her face when I returned. She also talked her face off and stuck to me like glue for two days. That pattern continued every time I went away and returned. Raven definitely wasn't completely miserable while I was gone either. She had a lot of fun, massages, cuddles, hall time and love. We'll get more into that throughout the posts about their bond.  It's not like V just came in, fed her and left. She made sure to spend some time with Raven - just like I did with J & C. I never went in, walked and fed them and then left. We had our routines just like Raven and V did. The furkids all came to expect their routines from both of us.  

Raven quickly learned what it meant when I got the suitcase out.  The below photos are from packing for various trips over the last three years.

Trying to open it

Getting there

Success!

I love the look on her face here

I was always sent pictures of Raven while I was gone.  They will be posted in continuations of this story.  The below picture was from the first time I left her.

V didn't have a lot of experience with cats before bonding with Raven. At least no experience with cats that have as large of a personality as Raven had. Whenever V was over for movie & wine nights or any other reason to hang out, Raven used to sit between us, but always closer to V and of course she always had to be touching V.  She used to test Raven's patience and tolerance by poking at her, gently squeezing her etc., but of course Raven put up with anything from the ones she loved. It was very hard to piss Raven off. I used to stand over her with my legs spread, lift her up so she was standing and kiss her head like crazy. I thought for sure that would drive her crazy, but Raven loved it! She would lift her head back up to be kissed and then when I put her down, she would turn around, walk through my legs and come back for more. She was such a happy girl! Just looking at Raven would make her purr loudly. I used to tell V not to do to other cats what she can do to Raven because it likely wouldn't be received well by most. It could lead to hissing, scratching or biting. I think even V holds other cats to Raven's high standard. It's hard not to and not too many cats compare to her large personality.  

There is just so much I want to get into with their story. I will end part one here, but this is to be continued with plenty more to come.

*For the beginning of the story, see November 2014*

*Disclaimer - I do not proof-read anything I write, so if there are typos, please excuse them.