Yes, I Have a Cat
It has come to my attention (No Tony, you weren't the only one) that many of my friends had no clue that I have a cat. In fact I've had said cat for nearly 17 years. On January 6, 1989 my sisters and brother gave her to me as a belated birthday present. I've been worried about her because she seems thinner than usual for the summer. She was most likely a runt according to the shelter where my siblings found her. So it's not like I'm not use to her being small. It's just that I can feel all of her vertebrae, and her pelvis seems exceptionally pointy.
She has always been afraid of people. Which is why she hasn't even been seen by most of the people who know and love me. I think she's a great judge of character because she loves me unconditionally and she took forever to warm up to Chris, my ex-husband. (Obviously a sign I should have taken into consideration.) She loved Michael on sight. Which was a first. (Yet another sign? I had to agree with her on that one, too.) She's recently come out of her shell when either Jeanine or Shanda are visiting. So she knows a good friend when she sees one.
I named her Ariel. No, not after "The Little Mermaid!" I had her for a year or two before that Disney movie came out. Ariel means Lioness of God in Hebrew. It just fit her. She acted like a little lioness as a kitten, trying to catch insects out of the air. It use to crack me up to watch her stalk things.
I know that she is old and I have tried to be prepared for the day when she will leave this earth but the truth is I think I will be a basket case on that day. And many more after that.
Well, she's been meowing at me to leave the computer. She does that when she thinks I should stop reading late into the night, too. So I'm going to listen to my oldest friend, and go to bed.
My wish for all readers~may you have some one or some thing in your life that loves you and watches out for you the way my cat does for me.
posted by Cjristina at 1:34:00 AM
3 Comments:
What great pics!! I love photos. I love cats too! I have three of them, along with my little dog, Simon. In 1986, I got my first dog of my very own. Her name was Valentine Pandora. (ALL my pets have middle names) She was a BEAUTIFUL Husky/Shepard mix. She truly thought she was a human. The year after I got her, I found a cat that needed a home. He was an adolescent at the time ... unsure just how old, but under a year. I named him James Michael. He was all orange with little freckles on his nose. These pets bonded and lived like 2 peas in a pod. They were inseperable (did I spell that correctly??). In 2001 though, Valentine became very lame, had been ill for quite awhile, and I tried everything. But, I knew that he quality of life was gone. It's one thing when a pet is old, but still seemingly happy, but Val was not her normal happy, lovey self. I used to be able to come in the house, slam the door and she'd not wake. Near the end, that was the give away ... she woke to every sound ... which to me, meant she was in pain and not able to sleep comfortably. So, I made "the big decision". (man I'm getting all teary here again!) I had the vet come to the house to minimize stress... and she fell asleep in my arms within 6 seconds. Not even. A year later, James became too ill as well, and he went to live with Valentine, his best bud. These were pets I had before I married, so it was like a huge chapter of my life closed. I swore "never again" on a dog. Three years later, I met Simon and the rest is history. Pets bring so much unconditional love and joy into your life .... I can't imagine life without them. I give them my all because they do it for me. So Cjristina, when the day comes, you'll know it. And it'll hurt like hell ... but you'll move on in time. But, obviously, they'll never take their prints off your heart -- or I wouldn't be all teared up over mine as I write this several years after they've passed on. :)
Mitziebitchie~I'll look you up.
Wendy~You made me choke up just reading your comment.
Thanks both of you (and anyone in the future) who reads this. Your comments inspire me to keep it up.
I'm sorry Cjristina. I didn't mean to choke you up. I choked myself up too! It's just such a sad thing. My pets were so wonderful, lovey, sweet, ALWAYS there for me, etc and it just seemed like I should have been able to do 'more' for them. So, I know that by being with them in their most needed time, holding them through it, and keeping stress away was the best thing I could do for them. They were always there for me, so I needed to be there for them. I had worked in a vet clinic for a few years and came away with the thought of never doing "it" in a vet clinic. Sometimes you have to, but if you don't 'have' to, it's just so much better for them to be in their own home, space, etc. It's just much more peaceful. All these years later, my best pets are never out of my thoughts. But, I'm sure your Ariel has plenty of spunk and will continue to give you lotsa love. Keep smiling and have a wonderful weekend.
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