Sara The Cat: In Memoriam Two Years On

Sometime between probably two to five AM on the morning of 27th September, 2005, Sara the Cat, beloved sister of Annabelle Lee and loving companion of mine for over twelve years, died from complications related to Feline Diabetes Melitus here in my home and in my arms, after lapsing into a diabetic coma several hours earlier.

She was a wonderful cat, and I do miss her still.

Mind you, many of my memories of her have faded with time. I guess that happens, and there are times I can feel quite guilty for that happening.

I also know that feeling guilty about her memory fading is really rather silly. Still, to repeat myself, it happens.

If I've any comfort in the matter, it's that she died at home, in my arms, and on my bed.

I was, to be honest, a bit drunk and stoned at the time she went, and had been dozing, when the final process of her dying started.

But, I could feel the neuro-electrical impulses shooting through her body, as she went.

I can only hope that she felt no pain and no fear as the process began, ran its course, and completed, with the ending of her life.

I put her body in a pillow-case, put it in my freezer, which was empty, and buried her by the walkway to my place a few days later.

Having lost two cats before, I've found that that's how I best deal with grief and loss.

If I can, I bury them myself, with my own shovel and hands.

Gives me the chance to say Good-Bye to them, and helps me to move on.

That same night, a few hours before Sara went, I had three friends over here, Mykael, Alana and Christina, the last-named of whom had been Amigo's human-mother before I became his, and who gave me custody of him that night.

When checking the article that I originally posted on my Blogger blog to check the date of Sara's demise before posting this, I noticed that I'd not thanked these three for coming over, their friendship, companionship, and, to Christina, for giving me custody of Amigo, who has become the most wonderfully friendly, active, playful and affectionate cat.

Right now, he's sleeping on top of the cat tower in my living room, only a few feet away from where I'm writing this, and he is quite the cat, whether asleep or awake.

For those of you who've never met Amigo, he is the cat depicted in my MySpace avatar, and those who've met him and know him know just how special a cat he really is.

Annabelle Lee, Sara's sister, lives on, at the age of 15, nearly 16, years old, and she is very much the Queen(both in the regal and cat-fanciers' term for a female cat' senses of the word)of the Rilea household.

She's got a bit skinnier in recent weeks, and while some of that could be due to her shedding a few pounds during the summer heat's course, am still taking her into see the vet on 4th October, for a check-up nonetheless.

When dealing with the life and health of an Old Lady Kitty like Annabelle, it never hurts to take a few precautions, I think.

But, however long or short a time she has left in this life, I hope she knows that she is loved here, as does Amigo, and I hope Sara did as well.

Make sure that your loved ones, of whatever species, human, canine, feline, equine, bovine, what have you, know that you love them, too, while they are alive.

It doesn't have to be done with great, sweeping declarations of love, and grand gestures demonstrating it.

Just simple, small, everyday expressions of it, suited to the individual person, dog, cat, or whatever else to whom- or whichever you give your affection and devotion.

Those work out far better in the end far more nicely than grand, but only occasional, words and gestures of love.

Anyhow, here's to absent loved ones and friends everywhere, and to you, Sara, a Good Night.

You earned it, Sweetie.

Be seeing you.