A Tribute to Charlie (2003-2020)

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.” – Jesus

As if 2020 wasn’t already hard enough, we lost our dear Charlie on December 23, 2020. She was loved by all, even though she was the kind of kitty that refused to reciprocate in most cases. She very selectively chose who she would love.

Charlie joined the Guretzki family in 2009 for Maureen’s 40th birthday. I remember going to get her (yes, her!) from Saskatoon from a single lady who was travelling much and didn’t want to leave the kitty home alone. When we went to see her, Charlie chattered incessantly and I thought to myself, “Maureen won’t like her…she’s such a chatterbox.” But Maureen was smitten and Charlie joined the family. Charlie chattered every day since then, including her last day.

Early in her time at the Guretzki household, Charlie got fatty liver disease–a potentially deadly diagnosis. The vet bills added up to the point where we wondered when it would stop. We finally said that if vet bills went beyond $1000, we’d have to stop. At about $987, she got better!

Charlie didn’t show much (any?) love for her cat brothers and sisters in the house. She growled and hissed whenever they came by. But for Maureen, she purred her head off. She spent many an hours on our bed, around Maureen’s feet, or in Maureen’s scrapbook room. She loved her Mommy dearly!

Charlie and Puddin (Sierra’s cat) were mortal enemies from the start. Charlie’s disdain for Puddin was transferred to Sierra who always had lingering Puddin hairs on her. But Sierra never gave up trying to win Charlie over. She loved–and bugged–her every day (though often to the point of near tears for Maureen who could only hear Charlie’s growls!).

Charlie and Puddin did, however, make a temporary truce as we trekked across the country from Caronport to Ottawa in 2017. In the evenings when we stopped at a hotel, we could find them sitting next to each other (not touching, of course) under the bed in the strange surroundings. They were enemies, yes, but they could band together when it came to facing the big unknown world!

In her last months, Charlie was warming up to Sierra–perhaps a bit begrudgingly–but she would come and be right in the centre of things when Sierra, Maureen and I would be having a conversation. She semi-let Sierra pet her, even to the point of purring, but only momentarily after which she would growl and hiss.

Charlie and I also had a little routine. Every morning after I would shower, she’d come to the bed and follow me around the edge of the bed, waiting for me to wrestle with her or pet her–both were acceptable. She’d bite and then lift her neck to be scratched.

In her last couple years, Charlie was slowing down and she had trouble getting up on the bed where she liked to sleep. We bought her some little plastic stairs which thereafter, she used all night long, going up and down, going who knows where. Maureen and I delighted in hearing her little bell jingle as she came up and down those stairs. We will miss not hearing that jingle bell each night.

We love you, Charlie. We will all miss you!