Memories of Keke Dee (May 2002-April 11, 2018) and Elton John (May 2002-june 9, 2019) sister & brother

They were little country kittens born in Quantico, Maryland, down the street from my mom's house. We'll never forget the Memorial Day weekend she and my stepfather brought them up to Philadelphia at 5 weeks old, yowling and peeing all over the place. As soon as they arrived we had to lock them in the upstairs bathroom so we could clean them up--they were a little freaked out and covered in poop!

PUDDYTAT PERSONALITIES

As the days went by they explored our little row house and got into the habit of hiding under the furniture together. Elton (the black one) was the yowly one, a Mama's boy early on. Keke was more independent and stand-offish. After a few weeks of their hiding out, my husband Kirk finally got tired of not having their companionship so he went around and stuffed newspaper under all the furniture openings so they wouldn't have anywhere to run and hide. It was a riot to see them scampering and zig-zagging across the hardwood floors looking for cover and finding all of their usual spots blocked and my husband declaring, "You're gonna hang out with us, dammit!"

A friend gave us one of those big kitty baskets with a handle and tall sides and a soft cushion inside and the two of them went absolutely nuts, doing gymnastics and wrestling each other and knocking each other over and around on that basket. It was so fun to watch. And then of course they'd sleep and snuggle in it as well. It was more fun than television watching our kitties grow up together and play and have fun. When we left our Kater Street house and moved to Catharine Street, our first Christmas there we held the kitties in front of the Christmas tree for our Christmas postcard that year--our first "babies" as it were and the beginnings of family for years to come.

KEKE'S STORY

When we brought Cooper home from the hospital, she approached the baby carrier slowly, sniffing all around it. It was clear she knew that we'd brought home a little baby because for months she slept snuggled next to my pregnant belly (she never snuggled like that while we were sleeping - and never did since!). Once we moved Cooper out of our room (after 4 months) and into his own crib in his room, she would curl up and sleep right outside his door on the third floor of our Catharine Street house. Again, she never did it before and never did again. It was only while he was a baby. And when I was nursing Cooper, she used to come "prancing" around, sniffing and watching and kneading and attending to, sometimes to the point where I'd have to say, "okay Keke, I got this! I'm the mom, I can handle it!" I swear if she could have nursed him she would have done it herself LOL. As she aged--and perhaps an indication of her sickness that we didn't know about--she always wanted to be picked up and wanted to spend more lap time. I loved putting her up over my shoulder and she'd just melt into my neck and purr and relax like it was the best thing in the world. It was comforting for both of us. I miss her every day. xoxo Keke - I love you sweet Keke Dee!!

Keke characteristics
though she was quite feisty in other areas and got a little pissy about certain types of touching - especially with Elton whom she'd swat and hiss at to let him know when he'd crossed the line
keke let us rub her belly though elton never let us do that
she really trusted us with that
Maine coon very long fur and she really enjoyed getting brushed though if you hit a snag she'd get a bit angry and growl at you

ELTON'S STORY

Tribute to Elton
Bowtie and cummerbund
playing the sock game
playing "sheets"
lying in the sunshine
when we lived at catharine street and kater street they loved to sit out in the back garden/ deck area
although elton got locked out in the rain overnight once and spent the night under the steps at catharine street and was terrified of having that outdoor door closed ever again
Elton loves to escape - several times we thought we'd lost him for good
at mountainview he got out the back sliding door one night and although we called and called and went around with flashlights he deviously kept quiet and hid under a bush and just watched us go by

at woodstream we lost him for 24 hours - two separate times - once under a car and the second time under a bush all the way down the row of houses up the hill overlooking the stream - best view in the whole development! and he seemed quite content that we had not found him yet

💔Elton John & Keke Dee together again 💔 At 350am Cooper and I were with Elton as the Life Force left him. Deep heartache at the loss of my "firstborn" gone to be with his sister - the first pets we had after getting married and before having kids. Elton died at 17, Keke Dee last year at 16. They were 5weekold kittens Mem Day 2002 when Mom&Steve brought them to us in Philly from Quantico. Goodnight my little panther. Until we meet again.

Elton characteristics
Mama's Boy from kitten-hood...! a yowler as a baby and always the one who would come and lie on a bed or a warm body and then those tough couple of years for me, after car accident, man oh man, Mama's best friend, I swear that cat was my Soul Mate - We knew each other when we made eye contact, something just deep and profound.

And when he was dying and we were nursing him around the clock at home, i begged him to stay (selfishly) and told him how much I loved him and would he please please please stay with me - and as i cried and pleaded...the kitty...who had been unable to move himself or turn himself over for days, suddenly rolled on his back and gave me a playful paws in the air pose of such outrageous cuteness - in direct response to my pleading, and it made me laugh out loud! I said, "Okay, I got the message. Thank you. Thank you for that." But of course he couldn't stay...

And when he left...I cried and cried and cried...and heaved and heaved and heaved...for days...weeks...months even. It has been a terrible loss for me and makes me never want to have pets again - the heartache is too much to bear. I miss Elton & Keke every single day and life is simply lonely without them.