Primrose: The Healer

About a week ago, we lost our sweet kitty, Primrose. We had her almost ten years. During that time, she did a lot of things a typical cat would do. She chased lasers, made special noises when she saw other animals, slept in sunspots, shed all over furniture and people's clothing, meowed when any meat was in the kitchen, and tried to escape a few times. Prim also used to sleep in our bed between Josh and I under the covers and spent endless hours cuddling and snuggling. 

As she got older, she also acted as a typical old lady cat might. She would pee on our beds if we ever left the door open, began to be picky about the food she ate, and had a few places that were her favorite to lay down and snooze. There was so much about her that was typical of a nice, friendly, family cat. But there is so much more to her story that makes her special. That nicknamed her Primrose: the healer. 

How We Got Prim

Family Photo: December 2011

The story of how I got the honor to take care of this wonderful kitty is a special one. Just a few days after my brother died and also days after Josh and I had our first miscarriage, an all-white cat with piercing green eyes started showing up around my parents' yard. She had no collar, seemed clean and well-taken care of, and was incredibly friendly with humans. It was clear she'd been around people. My parents, cat lovers as they are, began to leave a little food and water out and assumed she was an outdoor cat roaming around the neighborhood with a home to return to. She continued to show up. Daily. Prim began sticking around for longer periods and was seen coming out from under our neighbor's deck. My mom and dad called local vets' offices and put up fliers around the neighborhood trying to find her owner and came up short. After several days, they let her inside so she would be safe. My sister Rachel and her now husband slept in the back porch with her so that she wasn't alone since my parents were trying to keep her away from their other cats in case she had fleas (she did) or the cats didn't get along together. Then, they were trying to decide what to do with her. 

Josh and I aren't super animal or pet people honestly, but I knew I had to have this cat. There was something about her coming around right after the loss of my brother and the miscarriage that made me know she was special and she was there on purpose. I had the strongest primal, motherly need inside my soul at that time in my life. I literally needed to take care of something, anything. We took her to our house in early September 2011 and the rest was history. She found us and I am so so beyond grateful. 

Prim's Early Life 

Prim sitting on papers I needed to grade: 2012

Although we don't know anything about how she arrived at my parent's door or what her life was like before that, the vet estimated that Prim was between 3-5 years old when we got her. While trying to name her, we were thinking of all kinds of things that were all white: a snowball, cotton, and we were pretty serious, at one point, about naming her Clorox. I can't totally remember how Prim got brought up, but she is named Primrose Everdeen Hundt after the character from the Hunger Games series, and movies, which Josh and I both love. In the books, Primrose is the protagonist's sister and she is a healer. She helps, calms, and make anyone she is around feel better. That is exactly what Prim did for us. 

I found that little white puffball to be much more like a dog than a cat. She came when you called her, she waited at the front door for us to arrive home from work, and ate table scraps like a champion. Cats aren't always friendly, aren't always loyal, and aren't always snugglers and Prim was all three to the fullest extent. Wherever we were, she was there. She always wanted to be wherever the action was even if it included literally standing on my keyboard as I was trying to work. Since we didn't have any kids yet, she was our child. 

Prim After #hundtboysx4

Prim with twins: June 2013

When #hundtboysx4 made their way into the family, Prim accepted that with grace, dignity, and patience. She hung out with our boys all the time and made a great transition from only child to member of a circus. When Nolan and Judah were born, Josh brought a blanket they were each wrapped in home from the hospital for Prim to sniff to get to know her new brothers. She laid immediately on the blanket and we knew she was going to be perfect with them.

Our boys put her through the wringer over the years. Her tail was pulled and stepped on, she was picked up, dragged around, brushed against her will, and our kids even tried to ride her like a horse. Instead of running away and saving herself as I often told her to do, she stayed right by their sides. She took all their accidental abuse for the overwhelming amount of love and kindness they showed her. I'm sure she missed the undivided attention Josh and I used to give her, but my four sons doting on her probably more than made up for it. Even though #hundtboysx4 was often rough with her, they loved her beyond measure and gave her way more kisses, hugs, and snuggles than they did tail pulls. 

Primrose the Healer

Primrose snuggling when Carter was sick

The thing that made Primrose so incredibly special was her intuition. When someone was sick- she knew. When someone was sad- she knew. When someone needed her- she knew. After I suffered my second miscarriage, she did not leave my side for days. When one of the boys would be sick with the stomach flu, Prim would lay with them all day on the couch barely getting up to eat or drink. Even if someone just had a bad day, Prim followed them around. If I would cry, Prim would stop everything she was doing and come by next to me. After an injury, Prim would stay near that person. She was the best care taker anyone could ever have. She, just like her namesake, was a healer. There was no way around it.  

Over the last several years, I thought Prim was going to cash in her 9th life many times. She kept pulling through and fighting and we were given more years with her. I'm grateful for that. I thought almost losing her so many times would help me when it was finally time. It didn't help at all. When someone is that special, that loving, and that much of an angel, there would never be enough time. It was always going to be heartbreaking no matter how long she lived. Holding her paw while she took her last breath on this earth is something I will always remember. She was meant to be with us, with me. She healed our family so many times and came into my life when I needed her most. I have no doubt she will continue her healing work and be our little guardian angel. This little sweet kitty Prim went straight to heaven- for that, we are certain.  

Miss you, sweet girl.