You know how sometimes life just throws you exactly what you need, even when you don’t realize you need it? That’s exactly what happened to me back in 2012 when a casual conversation with a coworker totally changed my world. She mentioned her sister had temporarily taken in a pregnant feral cat, and honestly, I wasn’t really looking for another cat best friend at the time. Little did I know, Matisse would soon become my soul cat. Afterall, I only had Fia for a handful of months by then. But sometimes the universe has other plans, doesn’t it?
The Most Unusual Cat Adoption Story
Picture this: a beautiful black long-haired mama cat with the most stunning green eyes you’ve ever seen, who decided that the perfect place to give birth wasn’t the comfortable garage that had been lovingly prepared for her, but on a boat. Not just near a boat, not beside a boat, but literally ON the boat, off the deck, in the water at this family’s home in Discovery Bay.
I mean, talk about a cat who knew what she wanted! This beautiful mama had attitude, and apparently, she passed that strong-willed gene right down to her babies.
When the four kittens arrived, they couldn’t have been more different from each other if they’d tried. Two were gorgeous calicos with that classic patchwork pattern, one was a solid gray that looked like a little storm cloud, and then there was this one black and white kitten who immediately caught my attention. They all inherited their mama’s luxurious long fur, but this little tuxedo baby had something special about him.
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Why I Chose Matisse
The moment I heard about that black and white kitten, my heart did this funny little flip. You see, I’d had a tuxedo cat before – my precious little “pincess” (yes, I know I misspelled it, but that was one of her special nicknames) named Sonoma. Losing her had left this ache in my heart that I didn’t even realize was still there until I heard about this kitten with similar markings.
There’s something magical about tuxedo cats, isn’t there? They have this sophisticated air about them, like they’re perpetually dressed for a fancy dinner party, oh so dapper and regal, but they’re also complete goofballs who will run all of the house and run sideways and then act like nothing happened.
So off my mom and I went on this adventure to Discovery Bay, driving with anticipation building with every mile. I already had my beautiful calico girl Fia at home, so I knew I could only take one kitten, but my heart was already set on the little tuxedo boy who would soon become Matisse, named after the famous French artist, Henri Matisse.
The fact that all his siblings and mama were heading to the ASPCA for adoption broke my heart a little, but I kept telling myself that at least I was giving one of them the forever home he deserved.
The Weaning Challenge
Here’s where the real adventure began, and let me tell you, nobody prepared me for this part! When I picked up my new baby, I learned that none of the kittens were weaned yet. The ASPCA had told the family that mama cat was apparently “lazy” about the weaning process – though honestly, given that she’d just given birth on a boat seven weeks prior, I think she deserved a little slack, don’t you?
This presented a challenge I’d never faced before. I’d always adopted adult cats who came to me fully equipped with all their eating skills intact. Suddenly, I found myself at PetClub, staring at canisters of powdered kitten milk and wondering what on earth I’d gotten myself into.
The daily routine became almost ritualistic: mix up that powdered milk with water three times a day – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Thank goodness I could drive home from work during my lunch breaks to feed him, because this little guy was completely dependent on me for survival. I tried to gradually add food mixed in with the milk, but Matisse wasn’t having it. Have you ever tried to convince a kitten that yes, this weird food/milk textured substance is actually food? It’s harder than it sounds!
Cat Introduction Gone Right: When Fia Became Matisse’s Unexpected Mama
Meanwhile, back at home, Fia was having none of this new addition to our family. For four solid days, she was the queen of sass – hissing, smacking, making it very clear that she did not approve of this tiny intruder who had disrupted her peaceful kingdom. Afterall, she was the queen of it.
But then, on day five, something magical happened. It was like a switch flipped, and suddenly Fia transformed from hostile territory defender to devoted mama cat. She started grooming Matisse, watching over him, and – this is the part that still makes me laugh – allowing him to nurse on her even though she’d never had kittens of her own and certainly wasn’t producing milk.
The sight of Matisse contentedly suckling on Fia became our daily entertainment for two years! It was like Matisse was using her as a pacifier for crying out loud. There they would be, this beautiful bonded pair, with Matisse acting like Fia was his real mama and Fia playing along like she’d been waiting her whole life for this role.
She finally started growling and kicking him off when he would try to lift her up to get to her nipples…AT AGE TWO! I used to look at her and say, “girl, kick him off, don’t let him do that anymore, he’s too old.” It’s like she finally understood what I was telling her.
The Kitten Food Transition
Getting Matisse to transition from that powdered milk to actual kitten food was like negotiating with a tiny, furry diplomat who had very strong opinions about cuisine. I’d mix a little canned kitten food into his milk, and he’d look at me like I’d personally offended his ancestors.
It took an entire month of gradual introduction, patience, and probably more than a few moments where I questioned my decision-making skills. But eventually, persistence won out, and he finally embraced solid kitten food. Though I should mention – and this still baffles me to this day – Matisse has never, ever eaten a single cat treat. What kind of cat refuses treats? It’s like he missed that fundamental cat memo about being food-motivated. He turns his nose up to them completely and just walks away.
The Mischievous Years of Tuxedo Cat Chaos
Once Matisse hit his stride, he became the entertainment committee of our household. This cat had more energy than a toddler on a sugar high and twice the creativity when it came to finding trouble.
He loved to climb everything and thought he could walk the tightrope regularly. One of favorite objects to climb was the stair stepper I used to have in my living room. He never fell and was always so graceful, to this day I have no idea how he did it.
His vertical blind routine was legendary. He’d run full speed toward them, crash into them with this satisfying clash of plastic, and then do it again because apparently, the sound effects were the whole point. I eventually gave up on having nice window treatments. I had to replace several vertical slats over the years.
And my poor indoor plants – they became his personal bathroom facilities. I’ll never forget the time I was on the phone with a friend when I caught him mid-stream in one of my potted plants. When I went to pick him up, he just stared up at me with those gorgeous green eyes like, “Excuse me, lady, I’m clearly busy here, are you freakin’ crazy?,” and continued his business. So there I was, holding the phone in one hand and suspending a peeing cat over a plant with the other until he finished his very important work.
Weekend Fetch Sessions
Weekends meant fetch time, and Matisse took this game seriously. We’re talking hour-long sessions where he’d bring back whatever toy I threw with the dedication of a professional athlete. The energy this cat had was absolutely incredible – he was pure piss and vinegar, as my grandmother would have said. I had a plastic stick I would toss as well and he would fetch that and drop it at my feet like a dog. I always said who needs a dog when you have a cat and dog in one!
But perhaps my favorite thing about Matisse was how he became my little shadow, my little mama’s boy. It didn’t matter if he was in the deepest sleep possible – the moment I got up to go to the bathroom or go to another room of the house, those eyes would pop open and he’d trail behind me like he was my personal bodyguard. Even now, thirteen years later, he still does this.
Cabinet Opening Genius and Refrigerator Climber
Matisse’s intelligence showed itself in the most inconvenient ways possible. He figured out how to open cabinets, and not just any cabinets like where the dishes went – he specifically targeted the one with the garbage can. I started tying yarn and rubber bands around all the cabinet knobs like I was cat-proofing for a particularly determined toddler.
This cat would climb ladders, and hang out on one of the steps. He would jump onto the counters and then up to the refrigerator, and somehow managed to get into a cabinet full of my imported plates, which he then knocked down while attempting to make himself comfortable. The crash woke me from a dead sleep, and I found him sitting in the middle of broken ceramic looking absolutely unrepentant.
Halloween Mischief and Hide-and-Seek Champion
October became Matisse’s favorite month, not just mine, though not for the reasons you might think. I’d put up Halloween decorations, including a spooky shower curtain in the bathroom, and he discovered he could hide behind it and jump out like a furry ghost with it still draped over him. He seemed to always think he was hiding behind it and would sit still with his tail curled out from underneath. The toilet tank became his favorite perch because I’d cover it with a Halloween-themed cover, which apparently made the perfect cat bed.
Our hide-and-seek games became legendary. This cat understood the rules better than some children I’ve known, and he’d find the most creative hiding spots throughout the house. I would hide and call for him – pssss, pssss, pssss, pssss, pssss. It was hilarious when looking through the bathroom door crack and watching him looking but he couldn’t find me.
Health Challenges: From Struvite Crystals to Cancer Treatment
Early in the 2020 pandemic brought unexpected challenges when Matisse developed struvite crystals and started having accidents around the house. Anyone who’s dealt with cat urine knows how heartbreaking and overwhelming this can be. I spent countless hours cleaning and crying, feeling completely defeated with every method that failed to solve the problem.
Cat diapers became a daily survival trick for me and luckily after a ton of research, I was able to find the perfect diaper that worked best for both of us. I prepped diapers every night for the next morning to get changed out before heading out to work. Barkertime has proven to be a complete life saver for us. We chose the diaper snappy as this seemed to be the best option. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
The prescribed diet for his Struvite crystal treatment caused severe diarrhea, so I dove into research mode and decided to manage his condition differently. More moisture in his diet through wet food and Purina Pro Plan Hydra Care pouches, along with stress reduction, has kept him stable without more emergency vet visits.
Those emergency visits during the pandemic were brutal – sitting in the car for hours, watching stressed pet parents take their frustrations out on overwhelmed veterinary staff who were doing their best in impossible circumstances. It was ridiculous to see grown adults act so entitled the way I witnessed on several of those emergency visits. In my opinion, you shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds you – but who am I?
Grief, Loss, and the Bond Between Cats: When Fia Left Us
When Fia passed away in April 2023, Matisse’s world crumbled. The depression was obvious – this cat who had been bonded with her for over a decade suddenly found himself alone. I asked the emergency clinic if I could bring Fia’s body back home for the other cats to get closure and was told yes. Something felt so morbid about doing it but I felt it was best and had reassurance from several staff members as well. I tried everything to console him, but grief doesn’t follow a schedule, does it? I tried to do my best to make sure he would continue to eat and drink water like usual since I read that they may stop doing this from depression.
Six months later, we received Matisse’s small cell lymphoma diagnosis. It felt like the universe was testing just how much heartbreak one person could handle.
Cancer Treatment and Daily Medication: Our New Normal with Senior Cat Care
Treating Matisse’s lymphoma has become our daily routine: Chlorambucil (chemotherapy in capsule form) three days a week, Prednisolone (steroid pill) daily, Cerenia for nausea on chemo days if needed, and vitamin B12 for nutrient absorption. We’ve added Gerber turkey baby food and a novel rabbit food diet, plus synbiotic probiotics mixed with his hydration supplements.
You know what amazes me? This cat takes all his medications without a fight. It’s like he understands I’m trying to help him. Cat chemotherapy isn’t like human chemo – he hasn’t lost his beautiful fur, and cats typically respond well to treatment. It’s not as harsh on their little bodies as it is on humans.
The Latest Shenanigan: Face Pawing Wakeup Calls
After thirteen years of cohabitation, Matisse has decided to introduce a new behavior: pawing at my face and forehead to wake me up for his wet food. Not cool, Matisse. So not cool at all. He used to sit by me and stare at my face – I wouldn’t dare open my eyes because it was all over then. After seeing that my eyes were closed and I’m not responding, he would walk back over to his bed to go back to sleep. But honestly? Even when he’s being annoying, I’m grateful for every moment we have together.
Treasuring Every Moment: The Moral of Our Tuxedo Cat Story
Matisse is now a distinguished old gentleman at thirteen, what I like to refer to as “my little old man kitty” moving a bit slower but still full of personality. He’s taught me that love comes in unexpected packages – sometimes literally on boats in Discovery Bay – and that the most challenging pets often become the most rewarding companions.
The moral of Matisse’s story isn’t just about cat ownership; it’s about embracing the chaos, finding joy in the everyday moments, and treasuring every single day we get with our furry family members. Because at the end of the day, whether they’re peeing in your plants or waking you up with gentle paw taps, these creatures fill our lives with a kind of love that’s irreplaceable.
This is an ode to my “bubba boy” Matisse:
O Matisse, magnificent feline of formal attire, Your tuxedo coat flows like silk in moonlight, Black and white perfection that artists desire, Long whiskers catching shadows, emerald eyes so bright.
Bubba Boy, gentle giant with paws of velvet, You pad through our home like a distinguished guest, Your fur ripples soft as morning mist, Green gaze holding secrets we’ve never guessed.
Little Old Man Kitty, wise beyond your years, You sit by the window, surveying your realm, Whiskers twitching at sounds only you can hear, A sage in a dinner jacket at life’s helm.
Dittle Dittle Boy, oh what magic in that name! You prance and you prowl with such regal grace, Through sunbeams you dance, never quite the same, Bringing joy to all who look upon your face.
Your long coat catches light like spun starshine, Those emerald orbs reflect the depths of forests, In your purr we find peace, in your presence, the divine— You are art in motion, the gentlest and purest.
O Matisse, painter’s muse and heart’s companion, May your days be filled with warmth and play, Our Bubba, our old man, our dittle champion, You color our world in the most beautiful way.
Join the conversation!
So here’s my question for you: What unexpected ways have your pets changed your life, and how do you make sure to treasure those ordinary moments that actually turn out to be the most extraordinary gifts of all?
Wonderful story Brenda, Matisse is truly a beautiful cat 🐈⬛
Awesome