RIP Skoupy

Sadly we lost another two of our resident cats in February this year, Skoupy and Dennis. Though with us only a relatively short time,  they both left indelible paw prints on the hearts of all who met them. And we miss them.

Skoupy came into our lives in December 2022 and has been one of our most beloved cats. Her coat was filthy and smelly, the result of a painfully infected mouth that stopped her from grooming. Her name comes from Skoupidia – the Greek word for rubbish. She frequented many a rubbish bin before coming to live in paradise with us.

We bathed her in the beginning. She needed dental work but had to gain some weight to be stronger for surgery. So we gave her many small meals and some medicine for comfort. A few weeks later she had dental surgery. She was a grateful patient.

Skoupy was an affectionate, low-key cat. Very peaceful, she would sleep quietly on your lap. She loved cuddles. Until she got a whiff of some chicken or fish, then she would let out the most unusual croaky meow and stood demandingly by the fridge or oven. Skoupy had an incredible spirit. She had a powerful impact on volunteers with her quiet steady way. Her way of looking at you turned your day around. Skoupy had healing powers! Skoupy was mainly tolerant of the other Syros Cats residents napping back to back in the sun. She caused us no drama. Until one day…

We knew Skoupy was old and assumed she was a previous pet as she was used to being handled and had no clipped ear (to identify a TNR cat). She had a small, neat scar on her stomach so we thought she had been spayed. She never visibly went into heat, and we are constantly out TNR-ing, so we prided ourselves on knowing the signs! After a year and a half in our care, Skoupy was looking good; her coat was glossy, her eyes bright and her body had filled out to a comfortable plumpness. But little did we know what that plumpness was concealing: on April Fool’s Day 2024 Skoupy gave us a kitten! Single kitten litters are rare, so we rushed her to the vet for an ultrasound and, lo and behold, a second kitten was inside. It was a surreal time. Skoupy with babies?! We put her on a drip and waited a few hours before she underwent a C-section. The Skoupinis, complete carbon copies of their mum, had landed!

Being an older cat and having surgery, motherhood tired her, but only for the first few days. She was an amazing mother, so attentive. We gave her high quality food and supplements to boost her. We babysat so she could have some me-time and cuddles with us. We were so happy when the kittens were weaned so she could be unattached. The Skoupinis, Millie and April, now live with a volunteer in the UK, have a fantastic life and are fast becoming a TikTok sensation. Happily, they’ll never know about life on the streets.

In February this year, Skoupy passed away from kidney failure. Her condition deteriorated quickly and it was a shock to us because she was at her best weight and her coat looked good, but we knew something was wrong. Her hard working body finally gave up after a rough life. We are so sad to lose her. We take comfort knowing she died surrounded by love with a clean, healthy coat.

Thank you Eva for the love and care you gave to the cats in Fabrika and Vari, and for bringing Skoupy into our lives.

Skoupy we miss you more than you could know…