Lana was a very vocal cat. She would meow loudly for attention, and follow me to and fro. She would perform an adorably acrobatic reach with her paw as well to solicit attention. If it was not given immediately, she would then jump on me (or try to at least reach my level), release some curt meows in rapid succession, then perform biscuits before lying down. Sometimes, the biscuits would hurt but Lana hated having her claws trimmed so I would only do so sparingly. She was also a loud purrer, which I enjoyed eliciting through head scratches and petting. She particularly liked her ears being played with. She was extremely affectionate for a cat that had clearly been through a lot, always seeking to lay on or near me. It was during these times that she seemed the most content; it was almost as if she was smiling when I looked at her face. However, she didn't like to be constrained and would always seek to escape when I would hug or hold her. Perhaps, it was related to some past trauma as her history up to the age of 2 was unknown to the animal shelter. She would tolerate me kissing her head repeatedly and would never meet my eye when I got close to her face. Sometimes, she would lick me after grooming herself. My favorite was when she licked my head for almost 30 minutes when my mom visited me towards the end of medical school. She also enjoyed exploring dark spaces whether it be a cabinet, drawer, cardboard box, or couch crevice. Sometimes, she would get stuck and need to be extricated. One of her most lovable acts was to briefly roll on her back, exposing her abdomen, if she was pet or shown attention in just the right way. Finally, I enjoyed using a microdermic needle hair brush on Lana because it smoothed her coat so well and she simply loved it.

Lana unfortunately had a condition called hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy which I later came to learn is the number one cause of congestive heart failure in cats. While I knew it would shorten her lifespan, I did not realize to what extent. As her condition suddenly deteriorated, she could not breathe and I was forced to put her down to end her suffering. Since she only lived until the age of 4, I am in disbelief that she is gone. And I miss her dearly. I wish I had taken better care of her, or spent more time with her. I just didn't know she would die so suddenly. In many ways, it feels unfair. Unfair that she only got to live a short while. Unfair that she died very suddenly. Unfair that her first 2 years of life entailed trauma with her ending up in the animal shelther.

Regardless, I want the world to know what a special and unique being Lana was. She became my family. And she will never be forgotten.