R.I.P. Ruby

Yesterday evening we learned that our cat Ruby had been found dead on a main road not far from our house. She had been missing for almost 48 hours and we'd been searching non-stop, posting on social media and posting missing flyers through local letterboxes.

The way the story played out is as follows; Jet and Ruby both escaped through an open window in the middle of the night. They were both seen by neighbours and even captured on a neighbour's CCTV footage between the hours of 6AM and 7AM. Jet came back home around lunchtime - I heard him howling at the door; he'd made such an effort to force his way in, he'd ripped half of the seal off the door actually. We now know some time between 7AM and Jet coming home, Ruby was ran over and her body was found by council wardens on the 24th of May.

We only learned this fact because we posted a flyer through the door of the mother-in-law of the man who picked her body up. He had thought it had been her cat, as they too had a small all-black cat. As soon as they realised it was Ruby, they phoned my mam - whose number we'd put on the flyers, as well as mine. Mam came over and told us as soon as she could. So the whole day we'd been searching on the 25th, Ruby was already dead.

But I'm glad I know. I'm glad I found out. If I hadn't, I would have been left wondering forever.

Shelly wanted her body to bury, but we weren't allowed it; as she was killed on the road, she was classed as roadkill and thus was a biohazard. I didn't want her body, I didn't want to have to see her in that state. Shelly is one of these people who doesn't fully believe something until she can see it for herself, however.

Another issue we currently have is Jet. I don't know if he was there when Ruby was killed, or if they separated before it happened - but he is very sad. He's constantly looking for her and going around the house howling and crying for her. He's also being a lot clingier than usual with us - wanting way more cuddles and attention. Because we haven't had Queenie that long, she didn't know Ruby long enough to form an attachment to miss her. I'm sort of glad of this, as she's not sad like Jet is. I wouldn't want both cats to be sad.

I don't blame anybody. It's nobody's fault Ruby was killed. Admittedly I'm most annoyed at her for going onto the road in the first place - but I don't know the full circumstances; she could have been chased or frightened and unknowingly ran into the road.

Gallery: Ruby & Jet
(Click to enlarge)

We got Ruby around two weeks after we got Jet - so they have both grown up together from being kittens. We celebrated Christmas with them and both of their 1st birthdays in March. They were always a pair - it's going to be hard on Jet himself probably more than it is on us.

Everybody liked Ruby because she was small and cute, as a result of feline dwarfism. She was smaller than an average fully grown female cat - and was part-Persian, so was very fluffy and soft too. She had a very fussy personality and had no problems with meeting new people. She was quite bold too - several times she'd wandered into next-door's when they'd left the kitchen door open.

It makes me quite sad that we have way more photos of Jet than we do of Ruby - but Ruby hated her photo being taken. She knew when you were trying to take one and would move - so we'd get a lot of blurry pics. Being all-black, she was also a less photogenic cat, often it could be hard to make out her features. But we do have some great photos, funny videos and most importantly - awesome memories.

Gallery: Ruby
(Click to enlarge)

Here's some things I'm going to remember most about Ruby:

• On a night, she would lay in the crook of your back or on your bum cheeks and fall asleep.
• When she was in a good mood, she would lick your lips, giving lots of Ruby kisses.
• After making a sandwich, she'd beg for the spoon to lick the mayonnaise off.
• Her favourite tidbits were ice cream and yogurts - God help you if you wanted to eat those in peace with Ruby around.
• She liked to climb to the top of their cat tower and stare down at you like a queen; at the top she'd be stood at around 5"10 off the ground, almost as tall as Shelly.
• Ruby reacted in a really funny way to catnip; she'd nibble on the plant we had in the kitchen then roll around on the floor for hours, acting silly.
• If the litter box wasn't clean enough for her, she'd let you know by peeing in front of it.
• Despite being best friends, Jet would often bully her as he was bigger; stealing her food and sitting on top of her in their hammock.
• When you came back home, she would sit in the bay window and smack her front paws against the glass, trying to reach out at you.
• She was amazing at catching insects - she made mincemeat out of spiders and moths and we once saw her catch a fly with her paw - piercing its wing with a claw then eating it nonchalantly.

Ruby

20/03/15 - 24/05/16

You were taken from us too quickly babes.

R.I.P.