Echo “Miss Pudge” our little “bowling ball with legs”. You looked like such a fat cat but truth be told you were so small and petite, all fur. You wandered into our yard one cold November so long ago, and decided to hang around. At first you appeared to be feral, so we fed you and wondered how we were going to go about catching you. After about a week of feeding you, you started getting closer and closer to me and I realized you weren’t feral at all–just a little skittish. I was thinking of getting the live trap out and one day I went outside and you were sitting on the deck. You let me pet you and we became friends. I got up to come in the house and you followed me right in–the rest is history.
You had a lazy eye (an old injury our Vet said) and when you got excited it rolled up into your head and it made you look sort of deranged or something. You were very independent and arrogant and knew your mind. You only wanted love and affection on your terms but over time you seemed to crave both. I have had a lot of cats in my life, and loved them all, but you were my soulmate and greatest love. There was something about you that stoled my heart and soul.
We had many good years together as you took over our house and our hearts. You knew your place, you were the “queen”. You weren’t mean or ornery you just knew what you wanted and how you wanted it and weren’t bashful about letting the other cats and dogs know. There was always an aura of excitement about you as you kept everybody in their place.
We had just recently lost Jewel another one of our cats and we were grieving for her and trying to console her kids; Mo and Bonkese who were beside themselves with grief. Suddenly one day you vomited, something you had never done in all the time we had you. We thought nothing of it, as it’s not uncommon for cats to do. The next day you did it again and we noticed you weren’t eating. We still weren’t overly alarmed, thinking you just had an upset stomach. By the third day you still weren’t eating and still vomiting, so off to the Vet you went. After drawing blood we discovered your liver enzymes weren’t good. An x-ray revealed a mass on your liver. A biopsy came back with our worst fear–cancer. So suddenly and peacefully you left us. You were gone before we had a chance to realize what was happening. We are still in shock and miss you terribly–it is so hard to believe you are gone.
We were allowed to save you any suffering and for that we are grateful, but in our hearts it never should have happened like this. You have crossed the Bridge and are now with our others who have gone before you and we know you have everything “under control”. You crossed the Bridge quietly and with dignity–the same way you came into our house and our lives. We miss your presence and your goofy looking eye when you were excited. My soulmate and love of my life–“Miss Pudge”–there will never be another like you. Be at peace baby girl, till we meet again.
We Love And Miss You So Very Much,
| Echo |
| 10, Feb 2009 |
| Helen Malinauskas & Joe Bielinski |