Pumpkin Lenstra

Pumpkin Lenstra, 22 years old
Waiting at the Rainbow Bridge since February 9, 2022
Beloved Cat of Beth Lenstra
"My neighbor in Highland Park rescued a kitten in 1999, believed to be half Persian, black and gold and white. Missy wanted me to take her, but I already had one girl, Sadie. Two years later, Sadie passed away and I took the cat, formerly named Girrrl, and named her Pumpkin.
She dominated my two boys Pnuts and Brutus. They bowed to their Queen! She was born with cattitude. She made it easy to give her whatever she wanted. As the boys passed, I added new rescued cats. She soon let them know who is boss, and I got the LOOK, you brought these inferior beings into my world! Bailee Sweet contested the crown once; she knew she was destined to be a princess with Pumpkin on the throne.
In 2006 I moved to Altoona with Pumpkin, Amos, Felix, and Bailee Sweet. Pumpkin liked whatever room I was in, nested on my lap, or in a shoe box or her basket in front of the fireplace. She was a mighty hunter. She killed every mouse that ventured into the garage. I let her outside in her younger years, as long as I was with her. She killed mice, voles, birds, and ground squirrels. She would trap the latter in downspouts and lay there quietly, waiting for them to tire themselves out. Then the death blow came. I knew she was getting old when she let the last ground squirrel run free of the downspout.
In 2007 I added Samson to my colony. He was a feral boy rescued by my former neighbor. Pumpkin quickly taught him how to treat a Queen.
Pumpkin and I shared a bond for 21 years. I had breast cancer; she had a mastectomy to remove a cyst. I had IBS, so did she. I had bad knees, she had a bad hip. We both saw a lot of doctors and were ornery about it! I think she could tell people off better than me, though.
For so many years, she slept on the pillow behind my head at night. A 7 pound lump of very warm fur. She comforted me when I was in pain, bathed my tears away when needed, and motivated me to get out of bed and feed her! The Queen must be obeyed.
I thank Dr. June Olds for spending so much time addressing Pumpkin’s dietary needs, and providing spa days where she would get a lion cut, her teeth cleaned, and her claws trimmed. I thank Dr. Bill and the Altoona Veterinary Clinic doctors and staff for their patience and kindness.
Pumpkin went blind and was toothless in her final years. She was front declawed. As she aged she had one weapon at her disposal; she peed at the veterinary clinic. You never knew when she would do it, but she almost always did. I know it was deliberate. Sometimes she looked the victim right in the eye when she was doing it.
Pumpkin passed away today, February 9, 2022, ornery as ever. Samson is looking for her. He has never been without another cat. Pumpkin always told him what to do."