Sister to the End Part II: Athena and Ebby

My post about Athena reminded me I hadn't had an entry featuring her for a while. I then remembered I hadn't had one featuring Ebby, either, so why not do one with both?

Athena and Ebby were very close. Ebby came to our house one night as a stray. She was only a few months old, and had evidently spent most of that time in the streets. Even though Ebby was semi-feral, Athena bonded with her right away, and more or less made her her baby. I put Ebby up for adoption for a while, but she would literally cry all the way to the adoption site, all day at the site, and would still cry with what was left of her spent voice during the ride home. Athena would also go bananas while Ebby was away. It became clear rather quickly they were meant to be together.

There isn't a cat alive that could get this close to Ebby anymore. I had forgotten that Athena held the ear washing position before Jacqueline came along. Too bad they never met, it would've been a riot to see each trying to clean the other's ears. Athena was forever starting a play fight with anyone who would tolerate it. Ebby bares her teeth and cries, but she'll play to be sure. One of the very last pictures taken of the two sisters together.

I have mentioned this in other posts, but it bears repeating. Ebby has never been the same since Athena died. She has never truly bonded with Salem or Thalia. Thalia is young and has a lot of energy that forces it's way out of her in the form of play, but Ebby rarely will play with her. She usually bats Thalia away, growls, and runs off.

Ebby does still have some affection for her people, though. She sleeps with my stepson, and comes to be with me when she wants to. I feel sorry for her, and we share the same sense of loss, at least I think we do. I really do think Ebby still misses Athena. I suppose that could just be the anthropromorphisist in me, but from the way I have seen her act before Athena died, and since she died, it sure looks like mourning to me.

More cats can be found at the Friday Ark at The Modulator, and the Carnival of the Cats this Sunday.

Posted by Jeff at December 22, 2005 2:46 PM