Y.Lee's Story

[jenluckenbach]

The wonderful orange tabby looking at the camera is Y.Lee. Please read his story below:

[jenluckenbach]

Y.Lee is the cat that started an avalanche of cats. See, from 1983 when I was married to 1994 when I met Y.Lee, we had 4 cats. No more, no less. Then one day Y.Lee came to work with a coworker. He had just lost his home at a children’s shelter due to a “no pets” regulation. He was big and orange with a smudgie looking face and holding him was like holding a big warm stuffed animal. This coworker seemed SURE that I would take him home. I am not sure why, I had not taken in another cat in years. How could this one be so convincing? But those big soulful eyes and perfect contentment just to lay in my arms DID convince me.
Now to say Y.Lee was loveable would have been an understament. He had true empathy. He could sense your sadness and would come running from wherever he was to comfort you with his big paw tapping on your face until you could not help to smile. And then came the love bites. A gentle placing of his teeth on either your nose or your chin. (He preferred the nose, I preferred the chin). They were very gentle and he’d always start by rubbing your face a few times with his face them brace for the bite. But surprisingly, they never hurt.
Y.Lee was layed back and playful at the same time. Most of his movements were slow and deliberate, emphasis on slow, but he could really get up to speed when he was wound up. He adored being held in your arms, not an easy task at 17 pounds. He got heavy pretty fast but as soon as you’d put him on the floor he’d be asking to get picked up again. Now not verbally, he was very quiet, no, he’d stand up and paw at you or at the door if you were looking out and he wanted to also. And then he’d “dig” until you could not stand it any more and you picked him up again.
He was the perfect alarm clock. Always settling in to bed at exactly 10 minutes before I needed to get out of bed. He was also the perfect baby sitter. As I mentioned, more cats came after Y.Lee and he took each one in stride by allowing them to play with his ever wagging tail and never getting angry.
When Y.Lee was diagnosed with diabetes I knew that treating at home would not be a problem. He let me do anything. What I did not know at the time was that he’d come to be the vet’s worst nightmare. He needed to go in to the vet quite often for blood tests and he’d stay all day. Well, many was the time that I got the phone call to please come get Y.Lee out of his cage for us. I could reach right in without even the slightest hesitation but I saw my pleasant little boy become Cujo right before my eyes towards the vet techs. 6 months after his diagnosis when his diabetes had still not become regulated and more time at the vet’s seemed inevitable, I made the hardest decision in my life. I did not want him to suffer, and he would have with treatment after treatment, I had him gently put to sleep. I held him tight and I kissed his head and he still hissed at the vet one last time as the needle went in. I miss him SO much!! I loved that little smudgie face.
Thank you for listening

[Pam]

Jen you stories are all just beautiful. Y. Lee sounds like a wonderful friend and I am so glad I got to "meet" him tonight. I felt the tears start as I neared the end of your story and, amazingly, my lips turned up to form a bit of a smile when I read that he gave the vet a little hiss before he left. He was still communicating his feelings even at such a time as that. I know your presence added a measure of comfort for him as he left for the Rainbow Bridge. Thank you for being so loving to this very special kitty.

[wolflady]

Oh, what a wonderful tribute to Y.Lee. He sounds like an absolutely precious love-bug!! I chuckled about him becoming 'cujo' with the vet techs! LOL Our Scooter is the same way. I call it the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde syndrome. Honestly...they're purrfectly fine at home...but get thee to a vet's office and watch out! LOL
**hugs** to you and thanks for sharing your memory of Y.Lee. Stories like this help them live on in our hearts as well as others!

[Miss Meow]

What a treasure of a cat. And going to the Rainbow Bridge in style by hissing at the vet - what a cat. Like Pam, I had tears and a little smile at the end.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Jen, thanks for sharing Y. Lee's wonderful story with us. You sure are a talented writer. I felt like I was reading a story from a book that I have called "Cat Caught My Heart". I also had tears in my eyes at the end. He sure sounds like a sweetheart. My cat Pepper will also paw at me to get my attention. I'm sure you'll meet up with him again some day.

[jenluckenbach]

Thanks everyone. I still miss my Y.Lee (it was only April of this year) and I needed to talk about him. He was truely one of a kind.

[Cataholic]

Oh, Jen, what a lovely story about Y.Lee. I am so sorry for your loss. Doing the right thing is often times the hardest thing. Y.Lee turned to you, to do the right thing, when it was time. You comforted him, and loved him, like he did to you. He is at the RB, loving the ones already there, welcoming them as they cross over. Thanks for sharing such a tender story with us.

[Chinadoll]

oh!!! Another story that makes me want to break out into tears. What a sweet and heartbreaking story. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to have to put him to sleep. There are similarities between him and Bixby. Bix knows when I'm upset. He loves to pat your face with his paws almost as much as he loves licking your face. He does love bites but only to my ear(which I try not to let him do because of the earrings) What a wonderful kitty your Y. Lee must have been to have. (hugs)

[delidog]

What a wonderful Kitty story....i know how you feel...i let my dear Ms. Puss go to the bridge in Aug.
it was such a hard decision....but now i know that Y.Lee was up there waiting for her...they can tell savage vet stories together,next to a warm fireplace at The Bridge.....
He will be in your heart forever....
i know how much you miss him....i still pick myfeet up from under the computer so i don't disturb her.....
time heals some....but they are always our Fur Babies!!!!

[Randi]

Oh Jen, that was a wonderful story about your sweet Y.Lee! I can imigine how you miss him! You did all the right things and I know he felt your love, also when he had to go to the RB. What a style - hissing at the vet one last time.

Thanks for sharing! I love the way you tell a story!

[Vio&Juni]

Originally posted by Miss Meow
What a treasure of a cat. And going to the Rainbow Bridge in style by hissing at the vet - what a cat. Like Pam, I had tears and a little smile at the end.

Great cat! I hope Juni will welcome any kitty like Y. Lee did with your cats.

[jenluckenbach]

A shameless BUMP

[Barbara]

Oh now I feel tears for Y. Lee.

For many people cats may just be cats but we know that everyone has his or her own special character -they are so nicely defined purrsons and Y. Lee was a special one.

[ChrisH]

Y.Lee`s story is wonderful and yet heartbreaking. Such a special beautiful boy.
Hugs