Online Memorials

Elliott

1994 - 2013

Elliott was born on October 20, 1994 at the bottom of a closet in the Millhouse residence. At the time, I had no idea my mom was even thinking of getting another cat. But one evening, in my mom's arms, amongst all the shopping bags, was an adorable black and white kitten with a triangular tail. "We're calling him 'Elliott' my mom declared", and it was so.

He had his sights set high, often trying to jump far higher than he was able, which often left his hind end dangling in mid air. He never bothered with cat toys and other such nonsense, reasoning that if it wasn't a real bird or mouse, why waste energy trying to catch it? He only ever paid attention to the honking Canada Geese, because, not only was he patriotic, but that was the only meal whose reward would be worth the effort.

He grew, and we quickly became best friends, with me often reading him bedtime stories. He was my baby, my best friend, and everything about him sparked my curiosity. He was always there to listen, to laugh with, to share in my triumphs and comfort me in times of sadness. His best cat friend was Misty Drew, a cat who was 10 years his elder. They moved at the same speed. Elliott had scores of cat friends throughout his life, never insulting anyone, because he knew how to avoid political conflict by keeping a respectful distance.

He was, however, riddled with ailments and misfortune. He got himself locked in various sheds and houses, sometimes for days at a time, and somehow managed to signal to me that he was trapped and needed my assistance. Elliott survived a urinary blockage, a host of skin masses that were removed, many dental surgeries, a partial tail amputation after being bitten by a dog, and a raccoon attack. He had Diabetes Mellitus, cholangiohepatitis, IBD, hypertension, bilateral blindness, and a variety of other things. It was because of his perseverance through all these medical trials that I finally realized that Veterinary Medicine was my true calling in life and Elliott was my biggest advocate. He came with me and my husband to Saskatoon, and we were the three musketeers. He helped me through Vet school, flying back and forth between Vancouver and Saskatoon for visits, never once complaining. I could not have completed those four arduous years of Vet school without him, and he helped me in my first job as a Veterinarian in Vancouver.

When my daughter, Claire was born, we were so worried that Elliott would feel hurt, but instead, he surprised us by instantly recognizing Claire as "his" baby who needed to be protected and helped. Whenever she would cry, Elliott, now blind, would negotiate his way to wherever he heard her crying, lie down beside her, and start purring in an effort to calm her down. All his life he was the best cat he could be despite any obstacle, and he truly was and still is, a kindred spirit. That is why his nickname was "Mr. Kitty", because he was the cat of all cats.

Elliott was predeceased by his brothers Sydney and Fletcher, his sister Molly, and his mother Jasmine. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the incredible Veterinarians who have been a part of Elliott's care over the years: Dr. Loic Legendre and the team at WCVDS, Dr. Liz Richards and All About Cats, Dr. Brad Gilbert and Highlands Animal Hospital, Dr. Cathy Wilkie and Animal Medical Hospital, Dr. Janet Nieckarz, Dr. Mike Higgins and CWVS, Dr.Ruey Stocking, Naomi, Jolene, and the Cat Hospital of Saskatoon, Dr. Greg Starrak, and many others. Elliott has touched many, many peoples' lives and I hope someday to say that I've done half as much for someone as he's done for me.

Thank you, forever, my little buddy.