Goodbye, Milesy, Mrs. Goodcat., Her Life, ? to March 10, 2008 Options

[Jon730]

Perhaps twelve years ago, a timid black cat crept onto my deck, to steal kibble I had left out for the Raccoon Family. She was afraid of people, and would slink away when approached. Over months, she overcame her fear, and would visit me. I noticed her fur was missing in places, and she did not walk well. One day, in payment for food, she butted her head against my hand, and let me pet her for a moment, before warning me away.
Over the Summer, she began to get fat. As Fall approached, she showed up with a Tabby kitten. I had to catch them and bring them in. They were taken to the vet's immediately. It developed that "Miles", the mother had a food allergy, hence prescription food for life.
Being starved and pregnant and sick out there, it appears she was calcium deprived and her teeth and hip joints were affected.
I have had many cats and dogs in my life, and even a few reptiles, but this cat was highly intelligent, and a genuine character. She formed a devoted attachemtn to me, and declared herself my Cat Wife, and worked on me till I believed it. Even animal lover friends remarked on our "Abnormal" relationship.
She devotedly waited every day for me to come home from Work, and when I worked too long in my shop, she would come down and scream at me, her kind of ratty tail wiggling like a cheap New Years noisemaker, and demand to be carried upstairs. Her happiest moments were when I held her in my arms and stood in front of the mirror, so she could look at us together and GLOAT! The purring could be heard in the other room.
She was otherwise quite lazy, but not so much that she did not insist on being Top Cat.
She constantly schemed about sneaking into the other cat's rooms and stealing their forbidden Fancy Feast, and when caught, she would EAT at top speed before she was stopped. One day, she fell asleep on top of the television, and slept so deeply she slowly oozed down the back..and awoke just as she fell, shouting "WHOAAA!".
She was my constant companion and followed me like a dog. I have never had such total love with an animal in my life, and she sucked me in totally. She loved hearing all her names, "Miles", "Mrs. Goodcat", "Friend".
I could go on, but it is hard to type.
Over the last few weeks, she lost her appet*ite. She had a lump on her chest from the last food allgery breakout. The "Lump" was cancer which very quickly had spread to her lungs. I nearly fainted when I saw the XRays..and all this time, she purred when held, even though she apprantly could hardly breathed. She purred till the very last.
She was what a lot of people would not have bothered with..a ratty looking old sick cat..But I am so glad I met her and loved her, and have never had such a total relationship with anyone or anything. I am heartbroken.
But yet, I have contacted a nearby shelter and will be "Conducting Interviews". It hurts terribly at the moment, but I do not want to live without some chance of the next grateful rescue paying me back so beautifully.



Milesey's Favorite Trick. Sleeping.




Scheming about stealing food. Her other trick!
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I'll See You at the Bridge, MyCat-Wife. Wait a while, I love you.

[Jon730]

Your stories of Milesy made me cry and smile at the same time. How can this hurt so bad? I've experienced a lot of loss in my life, many furbabies have passed before Bubba. But the loss of him has cut me so very deeply.

Tonight I was down in my shop, and I was packing and shipping some products. It went smoothly, and suddenly I realized that was because Miles did not come down and scream at me to get back upstairs. She did not stand on the shipping scale as usual to screw me up, nor did she climb inside the cartons.
It was a horrible few minutes, and I had been doing fairly well for the last few days.

Here is what helps me through it.
Somewhere at this instant, there is a cat who needs me, and could die if I do not meet him (I am getting a young male this time so the Old Ladies will have an easier time accepting a new arrival. ) Miles insisted on owning me and being Top Cat, which suppressed the other two badly.
In a week or two, when I am contacted by the Rescue Society I will conduct interviews. I will make eye contact and ask, "Who wants to win the lottery and be spoiled rotten?".
One will run forward and jump into my arms. (This has happened before!)
From that moment on, the New Hire and I will be intensely imprinting our personalities on each other. We will become an item.

Miles can never be replaced....That is a given. My relationship with her is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and she truly was, as she insisted, my Cat Wife.
But neither can any in my life, human, dog, or cat, be replaced. it would be crass and vulgar and obscene if I were to "Get another Pet". It would blaspheme the concept of friendship and stewardship.

I suspect the reason I am more cat person is because my dogs gave me love and loyalty, without question, and were wonderful friends.

But a cat says, "PROVE IT, and IF you are worthy, We will graciously deign to favour you, if it pleases My Royal Self".
And once a cat accepts you completely, you are promoted to a different level of Animal's Friend. (Or "Servant" Ha!)

I am not a "Universal Cat Person" Though, as I learned last year.
A dear friend has a cat that she has had for sixteen years, a tuxedo. Her cat HATES my guts. (Though she bites her mistress's ankles if she is not fed on time, so it's no big loss.)

It takes all kinds of "people", I guess....