LASKA

She was never a cat and always demonstrated this to her humans, ignoring the silly "kitty-kitty" or catnip stuffed into a soft cloth bag.

She often walked on the grass on a leash or without it, calmly stepping in sync with her Natasha, side by side.

They even had the same look – one that didn’t emit excessive emotion and skillfully kept distance from any approaching object that reached out to pet or tightly hug.Neither of them ever liked that.That’s what brought them together.

They also had a daughter. One for both.Technically, she was Natasha's daughter, and, moreover, Laska was supposed to consider her her human, but she preferred to look her in the eyes and not yield in superiority by even an inch.However, during the evacuation from Ukraine, Laska was put into the same carrier with Rubina, and then, after separating them into different cages, they were shamefully placed in the luggage while flying to Florida.Laska also had children. Many. Twice many. The first time, she gave birth to nine jet-black and two tabby kittens, and the second time she ran out of paint, and all nine turned out to be snow-white.

And then Natasha took her for an operation, and the maternal instinct switched to the humans. Margosha especially needed outside guidance, and sometimes it even required a bit of force: heavy breathing through the nose to condemn actions or a paw slap to stop her from making an irreparable mistake.

But overall, her life was successful, although the war and stresses led to severe joint disease. The once-nimble large cat became simply large and less mobile.

When the first bombings began in Ukraine, it was hard for Natasha to carry both Laska and Rubina (a Chausie stray who resembled an Abyssinian) to the bomb shelter, so they spent a couple of nights at home. The humans thought this would calm them down.

But one morning, after another night of bombing, Laska threw herself on Natasha’s neck as soon as she came in and cried. That is, literally, tears rolled down from her two enormous black eyes. And since then, the cats were never left alone (until Margosha went to college, and Natasha rented a house and escaped to a full-time job).

And now, with Christmas trees taken down and holiday ornaments stowed in the attic, Laska did not wake up.

She remained lying in her nest, waiting for Natasha to return from work. And she would never again run out to meet her, raising her long, prominent tail to the sky.

She ran away across the rainbow, preparing for a new meeting in eternity with her humans, as well as with Rubina and Lavash (the new American stray who colored the last months of her life with his carefree kittenhood).

07.04.2015 – 30.01.2024