A Fistful Of Teeth: September 2005

27 September 2005

Sara, mid- or late 2004.

Sara, 18th August 2005.

Sara, 27th August 2005.

Sara, from late August, 2005.

Sara Rilea, In Pace Requiescat.

In Memoriam: Sara Rilea, 1992-2005

A tragedy has occurred here in my home early this morning.

Sara, my beloved Feline friend and companion of a little over 12 years, died of complications related to Feline Diabetes, against which she'd been battling for at least a year beforehand.

She was friendly, ferocious, loving, spiteful, playful, timid at times, and was in general a fine exemplar of the best qualities of the Feline species.

There are many small qualities about her I will miss, ranging from her own versions of feline vocalisations, to the way that she would loved to rub the sides of her mouth through human visitors' hair, and so much more.

She had suffered greatly in the last few months and weeks of her life, and now, her troubles are at an end.

Still, Sara fought gamely against death for as long as she could, and, especially for that, I am proud of her as I can possibly be.

She died here at home, on my bed, after lapsing into a diabetic coma, surrounded by the familiar sights, sounds, sensations and smells of home, and that, more than anything else, gives me great comfort.

I don't know if there's an after-life or not, but, if there is, and especially if there's some sort of feline Vallhalla, then it's my sincerest hope that Sara's found her way there.

If not, then at least her sufferings are over, and she has gone to the well-earned eternal rest that Sara so richly deserved.

She was, and remains in my memories, a true friend, companion and beautiful cat.

Accompaning this post are two photos of Sara from the last two years of her life.

The first was taken in August or September of 2003, and shows Sara(the Short-Haired Tabby in the pic's background)with her sister, Annabelle Lee(the Blue Long-Hair in the foreground).

The second was taken yesterday morning, as she reached the beginning of the end of her struggle with diabetes.

Sara Baby, Rest In Peace, and, if there's an afterlife, maybe we'll get to see each other again.