Today I missed a phone call while I was in the shower. My good friend Cathy called and didn’t leave a message. Wierd, I thought, something must be wrong. Cathy is a teacher, so a mid morning phone call is out of the question.
I called her back and she answered the phone. I could hear her crying and the hours of crying in her voice. “My kitty died last night.”
Miles, her wonderful, fat, sweet cat, had cancer and nobody ever knew. He woke her up last night howling, but couldn’t walk over to her. She took him to the emergency room for cats and that is where she found out how sick he really was. A little bit later, he went into cardiac arrest and passed away.
So my thoughts are with her and Miles tonight. Losing a pet is so hard, they are irreplacable personalities and friends. I thought five months in London without Spidey was torture, but the thought of losing him tonight without warning is unthinkable. I know, I know, they are cats. But they are companions and good friends and always ready to snuggle.
Especially Miles (when he wasn’t puking) he would hug you like a Koala Bear. Miles would hug your neck and nuzzle close and beg to be loved. Instead of a cat that would slink away and give you the cold shoulder, Miles was a lover. Miles was playful and a beautiful solid gray. He waddled when he walked, but he slept fat and soft.
With that I’ll close with a few lyrics from Cats. Not Memory or Rum Tum Tugger, but the (abridged) chorus from Up to the Heaviside Layer. WHy? I always thought (until tonight) it was to the Heavenside layer, which is obviously where Miles went.
Up up up past the Russell Hotel Up up up up to the heaviside layer
Up up up past the Jellicle moon Up up up up to the heaviside layer
The mystical divinity of unashamed felinity Round the cathedral rang ‘Vivat’ Life to the everlasting cat!
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