SNICKERS 1988-2007

I grew up on a farm where the cat was a bigger deal than the dog. Not that we didn't have dogs, we just had a lot of cats and we all really loved them. I always said I would have one of the farm cats as a house cat when I moved away from home.

The spring of 1988, a cute little calico kitten was born in a litter of about four. As soon as I saw her, I said, "That's Snickers and when she is old enough, I'm taking her home." Thankfully, she survived her first 11 weeks on the farm and I brought her home to a "big sister" named Katrina. They got along quite well. A few years later, we got a pure bread cat named Meetawn
(mittens, with an Asian sound to it) Three cats in the house, that made things interesting.

In the summer of 2000, we moved into our own home. The day before we moved, Katrina laid down on the landing of the stairs of the old place and curled up and dyed. I was heartbroken, but she looked so peaceful and content, I was comforted by that.

Now Snickers got sick about 2 1/2 years ago. I nursed her, took her to the vet, gave her antibiotics, bought special food so she could gain back weight, everything. She bounced back. She wasn't as roly poly as she used to be, but her eyes where bright, she was playing and eating and very happy.

Two weeks ago, Snickers finally hit a wall. I had been feeding her baby food for quite some time because she couldn't chew because of the lose of teeth. Now she wouldn't even eat off my finger. She would lay under my dresser in the bedroom and I would check on her to see how she was and give her water. Touch her, brush her, let her know how much I loved her.

Then this week she lost control of her hind legs. I tried to make her comfortable, but she kept dragging herself downstairs. Finally we laid her over the heat vent next to the kitchen table. One of her favorite places. I turned the heat up so the furnace would run and keep her warm.

Her paws were cold, and her breathing was shallow. I laid there with her for several hours on Thursday. Making sure she knew I was there, petting her gently, and again letting her know how much I loved her.

I had to go run some errands and do some work in the afternoon. I thought she might be gone when I got back. When I came back into the house, she didn't seem to be breathing, then she stretched. I bent down and was there with her as she finally let go. She would stretch and do a silent meow. She did that three times and then she was still. She was gone. Off to a yard full of catnip to roll in, grass to chew, and her sister to play with.

Now, you people who don't/didn't have a special relationship with a pet might think I'm a little too sentimental. I never thought of her as a person. She was always a cat, but she seemed to know things that people around me never could sense. When I was down she would cuddle with me. If I was sick, she would lay in bed with me to keep me warm. Or keep her warm, didn't matter. Her purring was a comfort. She loved to play, and was rather insistent in the morning about being fed.

That is why I included this little video. I hope it works. never done this before. It was sent to me be Side Notes a few weeks ago, and it really makes me think of my little Snickers.
I miss you Snickers and I love you very much.