Noelani means "heavenly mist" in Hawaiian. I'm from Hawai'i and her name suited her perfectly. I found my girl at Southwest Humane Society of Vancouver, Washington. I'd gone there to look at another kitty but couldn't leave Noelani behind; she'd been there for a long time and I knew she was supposed to come home with me. She was my shadow, and slept next to me every night, curled up close, and if I were to lie down during the day, she'd be right there with me. After I had my knee surgeries, she was especially cuddly, and gave me so much comfort when I was in pain. Noelani was incredibly sweet, and she loved to be brushed, wriggling all over as I brushed her. I called her my talking kitty, because she'd talk to me about all sorts of things with her cute little meows and chirrups. She must have had a traumatic life before coming to the Humane Society, because she was terrified of all loud noises, but we provided her with lots of love and safety. She was so happy with us, and let us know in so many ways how content she was.

In 2019 she developed a mast tumor on her hip and she had surgery for that. Then about six months later she developed a mammary tumor and had surgery for that. But when the second tumor developed, because Noelani was 12 years old by that time, we decided not to put her through yet another surgery. Both had been pretty hard on her. Our wonderful vet, Dr. Cinda Scott, and her staff at Springwater Veterinary Wellness Center, did everything they could to prolong the inevitable, and thanks to their natural approach in addition to standard meds, gave Noelani an extra nine months of a good life.

I miss her terribly and am so grateful for the eight years we had with her; I just wish it had been longer. I'm grateful for the card that Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine sent, and for this website, and the opportunity to honor my special girl this way. Thank you.