Bendigo Lioness: August 2015

You've probably noticed that's it's been rather quiet around here lately. If you follow me over on Instagram or Facebook no doubt you would've heard my tragic news. My beautiful little girl is no longer with us.

Back in 2001, Gemma was barely 12-months old - her previous owners had moved overseas and abandoned her. She become feral and roamed the streets of Drouin near where my brother & his family then lived. When my sister-in-law noticed that this pretty kitty looked heavily pregnant she managed to catch her and cared for her during the remainder of her pregnancy. Gemma gave birth to a litter of 5 healthy kittens which were adopted out. I adopted Gemma.

Looking back it is hard to believe that Gemma started life as a feral as she was the most loving & affectionate cat that I have ever known.

At M&D's Vermont South

Not trashy at all!

Gemma always thought she was a Lioness!

After my diagnosis in 2010 when I was forced to give up work, Gemma and I developed an even closer bond. Not only was she my daughter and my best friend, but she also became my full time carer & my nurse.

She often nursed me post surgery & when I was unwell

She liked to kick the lions off their couch & steal their spot! - Monbulk

She loved playing with the lions - Monbulk

I lost her one day when we were moving from Monbulk to Kallista - I eventually found her curled up in a box full of lions!

Hanging out with her brothers - Kallista

Gemma & our neighbour Olly the rabbit. He thought she was the most beautiful rabbit he had ever seen!! She thought he was the friskiest and weirdest looking cat she had ever seen! - Kallista

After we moved from Melbourne to Bendigo in November 2011 (away from all our friends & support network), we became inseparable.

I wondered how she would cope with the move up to Bendigo

But her first night in our new house she asserted her dominance as Top Cat and knocked Kabira off the couch!

We shared everything - including my Tuna steaks!

And Fish & Chips!

Happy cat!

I used to go to bed with this,

And I used to wake up to this!

And if I got up, I would lose my spot in bed!

Gemma was an expert shiatsu masseur!

She loved snuggling up with Mr Kuddles

And hanging with her brothers

She was very maternal and would often be seen grooming the lions

But Kuti was her special little guy

They were inseparable

You may remember Gemma as "Queen of the Selfies"

If I left my iPhone lying around unattended, I would later find her selfies on it

Gemma was also deeply spiritual.

We often read the Bible together

And we enjoyed our Family Study

And she would join me when I phoned through to the meetings.

Gemma became a fully qualified Quilt Inspectpurrr - she was a big fan of Sarah Fielke & treasured this Dresden Circle that Sarah sent us (it was in a scrap bag that I purchased off Sarah in a destash)!

Gemma was also a fully qualified Parcel Inspectpurr - all parcels were carefully examined by her and underwent a thorough cat scan before I was purrrmitted to open them.

She ruled this house!

And had many minions to do her bidding

A house isn't a home without a cat!

My cat isn't spoiled, I'm just well trained.

She wasn't my cat, I was her human!

I was often her hostage on the couch.

With her mouses - "Bubble" & "Squeak"

Me & Gemma - September 2014

I noticed earlier this year that Gemma had lost considerable weight. Despite running tests, the vet failed to detect the tumor that was growing inside her. Over the next few months my little girl slowly faded from being a chubby 8.4kg fatty boombah to a lethargic & waif like 3.2kg.

Posing in front of the quilt that Lynda made.

But despite our health ailments we looked after each other.

Gemma and her betrothed - HB Honey Cat - July 2015

When I took her back to the vet on the 6th of July (suffering from what I thought was a bowel blockage), they finally detected the tumor. It was now so large that it was impacting on her internal organs and was now inoperable.

I was forced to make the hardest decision of my life and said goodbye to my beautiful girl.