I've been wanting to devote a blog posting to Patches, my 15-year-old Maine Coon who passed away on December 8th. It's amazing how attached we can become to our pets. It's been almost two months since I lost her and it's still so very painful to think of her. I miss her so much.
I say sweet Patches but no one else thought she was sweet! She was a very grumbly girl and hissed at anyone who got near her. She tolerated my mom when I went away and she came to feed her. She'd rub up against her legs but most times would end up biting her ankle! She wouldn't have anything to do with my other cats.
But she was oh so sweet with me. She had the loudest purr and would snuggle under the covers with me and purr for an hour before going to sleep. She loved to sleep in my lap and when I'd reach down to pick her up, she'd give a kick with her hind feet to jump up. She'd look up at me and she'd half close her eyes and there would be pure love on her face. Her fur was so soft and she was so gorgeous. My daughter named her Patches because of the orange patch on her head. None of these photos do her justice.
She was just a little tiger kitten when I got her, so very small. She didn't have long hair and she had a little stick of a tail. But when she was a few months old, she just blossomed into such a gorgeous long-haired beauty. She had tufts on her ears and fluffy pantaloon legs. I loved to bury my nose into her softness.
Patches had a kitten-like quality that she never lost. She loved to play, especially hide and seek and hit the ball. She would have been a great baseball player if she had been human! You could throw a cat toy to her and she never ever missed batting it back. She frightened easily and I hope wherever she may be now that she's happy and no longer scared like she was here in this world.
I have a patch of pink meridian flowers near the side door and Patches loved to get right in the middle of it. She would mash it all down in the center. When those flowers come up this spring, they won't be the same without their mashed middle.
Patches only went outside on a leash. She loved the garden and will be especially missed as I work in it this spring. I'm glad I had one spring and summer at home with her since I semi-retired last February and am working home now. Though most people think a 15-year-old cat is quite old, I've had cats live 18 and even 21 years so she didn't seem old to me. She died suddenly of cardiomyography, an undetected heart condition. It was a nightmare of a day that I'll never forget. She was gone in a couple of hours. No matter how long you have a pet, you always wish it could have been longer.
Patches will always be loved by me and missed and I was blessed to have her be a part of my life for as long as I did. Rest in peace, sweet Patches.
4 comments:
What an awesome story of the life of a cat!! I feel like I knew her through your pain and now your story. Thank you so much for sharing because I know how hard it had to be to actually put things down in writing. Blessing to you my friend :)
Thank you, Sammie. I appreciate your comment very much.
It's so beautiful to read about your love of dear Patches. I understand completely. Your photographs are fabulous too.
A couple of days ago, my 6 year old daughter awoke from her slumber in floods of tears because she'd had a dream about our own dear cat Percy. He died suddenly 2 years ago and she misses him still. He was a naughty little cat but GORGEOUS! - and sweet when it took his fancy. :)
We now have 2 darling cats (brothers) who are the softest, gentlest cats you can imagine, yet Martha still remembers our naughty Percy. She took a photograph of him to school yesterday and was allowed to show it to all the children in assembly. She's an adorable little girl! :)
I've explained to her that just because Percy is no longer with us, it doesn't mean her love for him has gone. That remains forever - just so long as you remember them in your heart.
It's difficult when you can't see them but I believe they are still around and it's so important to talk about them and remember all the fun things - like your flower bed! You still have your photographs and lots of lovely memories. And how lucky for Patches that you provided such a loving and caring environment. You will see her again I am sure. :)
What a sweet child Martha is, Louise. Two years is a very long time to a child that age and to hear that she still misses Percy so much truly touches my heart. Percy will always live on in your heart and in Martha's and Patches will live on in mine. Thank you so much for sharing this story here and for understanding.
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