On my 58th birthday, my wife presented me with a certificate to adopt a cat, and I soon found a beautiful 5 year old tortoiseshell cat named Isa.

Over the coming months, Isa bonded with me. She had already loved to share human food, so I gave her little bits of meals from the table. She also used to walk around on top of the upper kitchen cabinets. Last spring, a lump was found on her belly. A biopsy revealed it was a mammary carcinoma. Our vet removed the tumor and suggested a good oncologist, Dr. Courtney Mallett. Over the summer, Isa had a mastectomy. Every 3 weeks, we drove the hour trip to bring her to her chemo treatments. The staff really grew attached to her “spicy” personality.

In December, a routine sonogram revealed cancer in her chest, and that she had less than 3 months. Her breathing grew deeper and rapid. By Christmas, she stopped eating on her own, so I hand fed Isa kitty treats. On January 3rd , at the vet, she crossed the rainbow bridge.

A little shrine to Isa sits in our living room. Her urn sits in a box she used to like to sit in, and it’s a comfort to see this tribute to this little soul that made my life a better place for the 19 months she was in it.