Dawn breaks in pink and lavender perfection across the autumn sky of Africa. It’s a mesmerizing spectacle. A spectacle that should push your troubles off the table of life. But, no! Not today! Today is randomly selected by spiteful gods to annihilate hope. It sounds really bad, and of course it is.
My beautiful, fifteen-year-old cat’s life on the line.
How did it come to this?
This dreadful finality?
I’m numb.
Numb!
And broken.
Pieces of me are scattered on the floor, and I’m never, ever going to be okay. Not ever again.
Her heart was always so pure. She arrived at my doorstep, a kitten dressed in adult shoes. She ate the small meals that I left out for her each day.
She returned, day after day.
One day (I’d say fateful, but it’s such a cliche), she stepped over the back door threshold.
She’d never done that before. She always kept her distance, despite the treats—milk and tuna.
She seemed so shy.
But then…
One fateful day, she gingerly stepped into my kitchen.
“Meow!” She whispered, drawing my reluctant ear.
“Meow.” It was "How are you?”
She was iridescent, white with black patches. I promise! She shone!
Perfectly beautiful!
Perfect.
But there was more (I promise that I’m not lying). She stepped over my threshold, and five exquisite kittens followed in her wake.
Clever girl. Such a clever girl. She knew exactly where to take her kittens for safety. For security. For sustenance and, obviously, for love. ❤️
Oh, my! How we loved them. Each one was a special gem.
Sugar
Spice
Gin
Tonic
and…
Boy (IDK)
but there you have it.
A wonderful, very, very happy family.
OMG, we have been, were, and are no more!
My Spice was lost in the summer of '23.
Sugar, chosen in the winter of ‘23
Gin and Tonic were selected years ago. Gin succumbed to the wheels of a car. Tonic disappeared without a trace.
I found a good home for Boy (he was the prettiest.)
And Sweetie Mommy...
She succumbed to the needle of forever this afternoon.
After fifteen years together,.
We will never be the same.
Not ever.
All images are mine, shot with my iPad
