October 30, 2006 (best guess) – June 19, 2017
She was my first little girl…before Butter, I had only ever had male cats. I rescued her from the backyard of the first place I ever lived alone on May 1, 2007. She was eating half-rotten food my neighbor had thrown out his window. A couple weeks later, after seeing a “Found” poster I had plastered all over the town of Madelia, MN, a woman called me and told me she was an alley cat her kids had brought home, but she threw her out because she went into heat and didn’t want her. I did. She stole my heart with her adorableness. From the moment I brought her inside, Butter never ate people food again – she hated it. I always thought in Butter’s mind, “people food” was for “strays”…only “pets” get “cat food” – and perhaps she was right. Regardless, never have I met a cat so content to be a pet.
She was little – I called her “tiny baby” (among many, many other things), but she was mighty. She battled major bacterial infections as a young cat – and many nights, I thought I would lose her. I carried her around for weeks on end Baby Bjorn style – and after she pulled through those rough months, she wasn’t happy unless she was attached (quite literally) to me. She learned how to scarf (aka: sit on the back of my neck) because she knew she couldn’t have my lap when I was correcting papers – and not being snuggled was simply not acceptable.
She would say “mahm” with her quiet, incessant meow; it sounded A LOT like “mom” so it always sounded like she was a little kid trying to get my attention…and she usually had it. She LOVED to help do laundry, play in her tunnel, find tiny nooks and crannies to nap in, and cuddle up in fleecey blankets. Her favorite thing was to be “cozy” – curled in a little ball on or next to me or her daddy. She was my little snuggle-baby…my precious baby girl…the most beautiful kitty in the world…my little love…my purrfect fluffiness…and the “cutie-est” and “sweetie-est” little thing I ever had the opportunity to call my baby. Ten years was not nearly enough time for me to love her, and her loss leaves an enormous void that I have only begun to realize. My lil Bus-bus loved so hard and with so much intensity, she wore her little heart right out.
To our little fluffiness, you will always be in our hearts. Mama and Daddy love you so much. Rest in peace, my little one.
Thank you to Caring Pathways and Dr. Kary for making it possible for our little sweetheart to pass away in the comfort of her own “beddy” with us by her side. We are eternally grateful for her peaceful exit from this life, and for the immense care and compassion shown by Dr. Kary – for both Butter and her devastated humans.
With deep appreciation,
Josie Thulien & Craig Clark