Staking Space

It's been an extraordinary cat weekend. As the post below mentions, I finally reorganized to put all cat ashes together. So painful. I held each one and remembered something about them.

Shakespeare loved to play fetch with these rubber balls we used to get at a local drug store.

Penney loved to come up next to me when I was sitting on the bed getting dressed and rub her face against my shoulder.

Half-Pint loved to jump up your body to get to your shoulders where she would sit down.

Betsy loved to sit in my lap any time I sat down.

Rascal loved to catch anything and everything and bring it in the house to play with.

Now new personalities have taken up residence. Meeha has claimed the hallway. This means you must walk around or step over her. It is written that one does not move a cat.

Both have vied for my attentions over the weekend. They squabbled this morning as I made breakfast; growling, hissing, spitting. I sent Meeha to the bedroom. Meeha claims my bed and my affections when I'm there. She curled up with me under the covers for a time this morning. Betsy used to do that but Betsy would go to sleep. Meeha just sat there purring. She also came into the office and sat in my lap, purring loudly, while I played the game.

Pilcher claims the living room and the table with my craft project on it. She's going to be horribly confused when I take that table down when the project is finished. She spends all her time on that table, sitting and sleeping. Maybe, eventually, I'll get them both in bed with me with no hissing and growling.

They now come into the kitchen when I go in there. They have figured out the kitty treats are there. I don't give them treats as Val did and they seem fine with that.

Hence, although there was sadness and much tears as I put the others' ashes in the secretary, there is joy. I am a cat person and being without was like a hole in the universe. That is filled and they are the most wonderful cats I could have gotten. I guess Val knew they would take to me quickly. I am thrilled that they have.

Beverage: Assam tea

Deb

Together Again

Finally, I moved everyone to the secretary. It was not without lots and lots of tears. I found Half-Pint sitting on the bottom shelf of the secretary. I thought Carole had taken her west.

Left to right, Shakespeare, Penney, Half-Pint, Betsy and Rascal.

They are all together again. I miss each one so very much.

Beverage: English Breakfast

Deb

1997-2009

I had to stay late at work today. We are upgrading our Internet to Comcast and they give you this 1-5 p.m. window. We all felt it would be after normal hours, 4 p.m., before the guy showed up. He got lost in the business complex and had to call the boss at 4:20 for directions to our building. I didn't get home until 5:20.

Betsy was at the back door. No sign of Rascal. This morning, she was hunched over in the hall but got up to move to the living room rug. She didn't meow, but it was obvious she was not well. I petted her, told her I loved her and I'd see her later.

I walked into the bedroom and she was dead on the floor. She had not been dead very long.

There is probably nothing that could have been done had I been here. Something was very wrong, something I won't know about and I don't want to know. She gave me 12 years of love and I hope she knew how much I loved her.

She had the most marvelously soft coat and the most interesting yellow eyes. She was an exceptional hunter and I've tossed rabbit, chipmunks and birds out of the house. Up until May, she jumped into the living room window to watch for me when I came home. She knew when 4 p.m. was and, if I came home after 4:30, she would be at the back door to yell at me. For the longest time, I couldn't give her Fancy Feast cat food with fish in it because she'd throw it back up.

Betsy doesn't seem that disoriented. I keep getting up to check on her. She's not as complaining as she has been the last three days. She maybe knew something was awry.

I love Pam because she dropped what she was doing and came to take me to the clinic. The clinic, where we just were yesterday, will handle all the arrangements and I'll get her ashes back. She will join Shakespeare and Penney in my secretary. Pam also drove me to Culver's to get food because she knows I'd come home and not eat.

It's going to be a very long night tonight. Rascal slept with me last night, purring up a storm, although I know she did not feel well. I know, in my heart, that she's playing with Shakespeare, Penney and Half-Pint.

Beverage: Pepsi

Deb