One Saturday afternoon last July my husband was out mowing the lawn. I was in the house crocheting which is how I spend more than half my waking hours.  I hear the mower stop shortly after he started.  No way he was finished that quickly. 

The front door opens and dear husband beckons me to step out on the porch.  He points to this perky little black kitten be-bopping down the street. 

“Oh my god!  She’s so cute!” I gush.

“I was mowing and I heard this mewling.  She was down at the end of the walk hollering at me,” hubby recalls with an amused chuckle.  “I said hello to her and she kept meowing.  I turned off the mower, she mewed once and then trotted off.”

“She’s going to get run over out there,” I reply.

“Probably.  That’s why I came to get you.  Didn’t you say you wanted another black cat?”

We already had one 6 year old female black cat.  I love black cats.  There are few things to my eyes more beautiful, graceful and captivating as a black cat.

“Run fetch her for me,” I demand.

Dear husband went dashing after her with no hesitation.  He scooped her up and brought her to me.  She was beautiful and so very tiny!  I’d never had a kitten before.  We always adopted adult cats in the past.  They’re usually easier to deal with and no kitten crazies to contend with.  But, alas, it was love at first sight. I had a name all picked out even before she showed up. 

Yes, I did want another female black cat and I wanted to name her Tuon.  The name comes from Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time fantasy book series.  Tuon is a wonderful character.  Not only is it a great name for a princess, it’s a fantastic name for a cat.

Let me tell you, if you’ve never had a kitten, it’s a glorious experience. Tuon made herself at home right away.  She loved human contact.  She would fall asleep flat on her back with me holding her like an infant.  That is one of my all time great memories in life.

She “helped” Daddy play computer games and would fall asleep on his chest.  The beautiful little girl we already had, Misa, loved Tuon immediately.  She would play with her, teach her to hunt and bathe her all the time.  Misa’s a bit obsessed with bathing.  She even bathes her humans!

Her first trip to the vet went great.  Tuon was a brave girl indeed to be roaming on her own.  She had just opened her eyes when she came to us, come to find out.  She was only about four weeks old.  The vet was amazed she was in such good condition.  Just a little eye infection. 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to last.  Tuon had been with us about a week before her first health crisis arose…