August 20th, 2012. Obituary written by Tierney
Chip was not only a good cat, but she was a good sport. She joined our family fourteen years ago despite Tierney's protests. See, Tierney wanted a different cat, but her brother (who never had cared about cats before) insisted on Chip. Many tears later, Chip jointed the family and received her (gender-confused) name.
Major Chip Hazard, the plastic protagonist from 1998's Small Soldiers,
served as the inspiration for Chip's name. The fact that the character
was a man, while Chip was a female didn't seem to matter. Chip was a
good sport. Chip's best friend and big brother was a sweet black cat
named Licorice. Licorice was the beloved pet of the family--preferring
to snuggle in laps and on the edge of the tubs while her owners took
bubble baths. Chip kept to herself--sleeping on top of the cat tower
and squirming when picked up.
When Licorice went to cat heaven after a tough bout
with stomach cancer, Chip took center stage. Maybe she missed her
black-haired friend, or maybe she sensed her owners were sad. Either
way, she started sleeping with Tierney every night--insisting on
sleeping on stomachs, chests, or legs. She had a place at the dinner
table--her own chair--and she would only get scraps if she sat politely.
Tierney and Taylor would drop bits of egg, hamburger, or whatever else
they were eating on Chip's placemat. Chip would reach up with a
(polite) paw and pick up the bit of food to eat it. Chip had impeccable
manners.
Chip loved music. Tierney would sing her songs
about household items, the color of her fur, or the day's events. Chip
would come out of hiding whenever the music started and sit in front of
her--watching. Tierney could press her cheek on Chip's back while she
sang, and Chip would sit still and listen. She was a good sport despite
the awkward warbling, and sometimes would purr during the musical
numbers.
Some people don't like cats, but Chip acted more
like a dog. She always sat at the top of the stairs waiting for her
parents to get home. She would growl deep in the back of her throat
when it was someone she didn't know. She rarely bit or scratched
(unless Taylor was trying to make her learn boxing moves), and liked to
be pet behind her ears.
When Tierney moved out and Chalupa the Chorkie
joined the household, Chip was a good sport. She was content to sit in
the background while the new puppy got lots of attention. She knew it
was her house, and the new puppy soon learned who the boss was.
Chip lived a good, long life full of lots of
happiness and food. She was a good sport, despite being the target of
constant snark on Choopie's Blog. She knew she was loved, and she will
always have a special place in the hearts of her family.
Chip is going to cat heaven today. She is excited
to get to sit at a giant table in the cat heaven kitchen and eat some
heavenly food, and she is looking forward to all the ear rubs she'll get
from the designated lap-cat-petters. Most of all, she is excited to
see Licorice again. They have lots to catch up on--starting with
catching up on their former owners, followed by a long nap in the
sunshine. They might even see Pumpkin, Linda and Tierney's first cat
with a pretty orange coat and six toes. Together, Chip, Licorice, and
Pumpkin will live together in their cat heaven mansion--an exact replica
of their favorite house in Virginia. On holidays, they will go visit
Snickers and Sheba in dog heaven, where they will pretend to hate each
other but secretly love catching up. Chip will go and have a great time
because she's a good sport, and it's what her owners would have wanted.
Rest in Peace, Major Chip Hazard. Your family will miss you.
P.S. This is Linda. Chip is gone, in kitty heaven. Chip feasted on a boneless chicken breast with cheese from McDonald's as her last meal. Linda hid the sedative pill in a bite of the chicken and Chip didn't notice it. As she got more relaxed, Linda gave her scratches in all her favorite places and used the kitty brush. Chip purred the whole time. She was awake on the way to the Vet, but still calm. Jerry and Linda spent 20 minutes alone with her while Linda cried her eyes out. Tierney called in from work and was listening as the final dose was administered. She died purring, peaceful and surrounded by love. Goodbye Chip cat. This is her last picture as she started to relax from the first shot; before the final kitty heaven dose.
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| Farewell. You are out of pain and cancer free!! |
