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DAISY

November 1988 – November 10, 2006
18 years of love.

Daisy seduced us the moment we saw her at the Cat Haven; a soft, fluffy ball of fur, black and white with a pale pink nose.
She must have been the most loved cat around and she certainly had her fair share of adventures. She made the most of her nine lives, one time having to be rescued from the roof of a building – in pursuit of a bird no doubt. We needed a fireman’s ladder, a backpack to put her in and a very brave daughter to climb that ladder. To sustain her whilst she was stuck up there (and letting everyone know it by mewing most pitifully), we ‘frisbeed’ her frozen meat patties. Quite a crowd witnessed that event.
Another time she was hit by a car and had to have her jaw wired.

Daisy was the best mouser around, quickly dealing with any rodent silly enough to venture anywhere near her territory. She used to bring me the odd, very ugly, huge rat, depositing it at the foot of my bed so as I wouldn’t miss it.

She used to follow me down the street, trotting behind like a dog. I would have to leave when she wasn’t looking and then make a dash for it. But she was always there waiting to greet me when I got home.
Daisy made a daily pilgrimage across the road, often many times a day, to visit her many admirers and check out any opposition. It was also sunnier on the other side of the street. I’ve heard and seen cars slow down for her as she ambled her way across. Beeping horns didn’t faze her either. She couldn’t hear them. She was deaf. My heart has been in my mouth too many times to count. She had a very special little friend who lived across the road, Elena, and she and I have now become firm friends thanks to Daisy.
She shared her affection with anybody and everybody – she wasn’t called the tart of Howard Street for nothing! People knew Daisy from miles around – I often met people only to hear “Oh, you must be Daisy’s mum”. A family a few streets away even chose a cat the spitting image of Daisy due to her personality and good looks!

She was known to spend the night with my neighbours in their bed. Another time I was told she was queen of the castle in that family’s home. People would often stop and pat her, cuddle her and pick her up. It crossed my mind that she might ‘disappear’ one day. She had so many admirers and was so trusting.
But all this lounging around in the sun was the start of treatment needed on her nose.
The visits to Colleen – the wonder vet - for yet another “nose job” became more frequent, until the inevitable day when the cancer became untreatable.

I knew in my head that her time had come but the heart doesn’t easily follow. We spent three days together on my bed saying goodbye. She, resting peacefully whilst I was a total mess. She comforted me with an occasional lick on the cheek. When the time came, Colleen visited us. She died in my arms and I cradled her for the time it took for her soul to leave her body.
Then came the special send-off. I placed her in a basket, wrapped in her blanket sprinkled with rose petals. We toasted her long and happy life with champagne when Colleen returned to collect her. Daisy left me that evening in style – Colleen has a very nifty sports car and there she was, in her basket on the front seat. Go Daisy!!!

As so many people knew and loved her I arranged a wake – nearly 20 friends and neighbours came to her send off and they all had tales to tell about Daisy.

I am deeply moved by the generosity of Dr Colleen Rigby, and would like to take this opportunity to thank her and her staff at Central Fremantle Animal Hospital for the kindness and compassion over the years. Thanks also to M.U.V.T for allowing me to honour Daisy in this way.

Noelle Steenhauer