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Today Noona was laid to rest. She went to the Rainbow Bridge last night. Noona spent 6 days at the vet whilst we waited for all test results to come back (the lab sample disappeared with the courier post among the Greek crisis chaos and had to be redone). By then we had to make the tough decision whether to bring Noona back home - we knew it would be a matter of days only. We felt though that Noona was telling us she wanted to come back home (remember she'd been in isolation for 4 weeks by the time she got ill). She wanted to be able to say farewell to her HOME. Like with Lilly... her safety - her refuge. It was a quick decision, Noona was coming with us. 

She instantly nestled into layers of a duvet and woolen blankets (she always loved hiding and snuggling under a blanket or a duvet). She was brough back to the little room where she initially started her journey with us 8 months ago - content, in no pain and purring loudly. Her distinct trademark... loud purr. This girl was SO happy to be home.  

In her remaining days we arranged small supervised walks in the garden with her (she wasn't allowed to do her toilet) - and there is no doubt being back in the garden just completed her. Once again she was allowed to quietly sit on a rock and enjoy warm rays of sunshine. She knew these were her last days and she radiated such contentment, gratitude and happiness - right till the end. Whenever we were with her she purred non-stop. Often throughout her time with us we would hear a loud constant purr... it would always be Noona who just sat and glowed at all the happiness all the cats were having and experiencing together. She was The Queen of Purrs. Noona knew she had been given a second chance in life and she lived and loved it to the full. There was absolutely no sense of regret from her - even though she only lived for 1 1/2 - 2 years. Things were complete with Noona.

During her last days she was in no pain and we agreed she would give us the sign if she needed our help to go. She'd been eating very little for 9 days (nothing the last two days) and her organs eventually began to shut down. During the last hour she had a brief bout of shaking and I knew it was the sign to ask for the vet to come. We were so moved to feel the vets resistance to put her down. He'd help treat her for her extreme case of mammary hyperplasia (how we found her) and was amazed at her incredible recovery. She'd become SO beautiful. He too just felt this was such a shame - but there really was no more we could do for Noona. She was no doubt more content than the lot of us. I feel so blessed to have had the privilege to rescue Noona from the pitiful state we found her. Here's just a recap of her incredibly recovery - these images really do speak for themselves.

 - and after her incredibly recovery in the company of one of her great friends.

Rest in peace my beautiful girl.

P.s. The top images of Noona gazing across the valley mirrors my last images of Lilly - all of them taken the same day.