R.I.P. Elly-May

This cat showed up as the Pineapple Hill “beach house in a cow pasture” was being built. My father-in-law, Mr. R, rode over on his bicycle to feed her twice a day and she was moved in before we were so we couldn’t toss her out. Being that she was a country cat, Crystal (aka Marianne in Blue Rubber Pool) named her after Elly-May after the Donna Douglas character in the Beverly Hillbillies television show. This summer Elly-May had a stroke that impaired her ability to chew. We tried everything to keep her from starving—even shooting heavy cream down her throat with a syringe.—until finally our vet (Dr. Robin Alexander of The Other Animal Hospital in Gaffney) said there was nothing left but a peaceful transition to kitty kat heaven. She died in my arms.