Pain In The Ass...PITA...My Girl...Friend...Missed

Yesterday Rob and I had to put Pita to sleep. Although it was clearly time for her to go, it was exceptionally hard on us both. Harder, I think, than we could have anticipated. It's really amazing how an animal can touch your life and while we have lost two other cats in recent years (let that be a lesson to you all for getting so many animals around the same time period...they all get old together too) and we miss them terribly, this loss seemed to come with a heavier weight.

In the car following our last visit to the vet on her behalf, Rob and I reminisced about the day we got her. It is how our lives with our cats and our lives as a couple living in our first apartment together began. Those beginning years started with her. We went to the SPCA to get a cat (as in one). It was December and the cat was a gift from Rob for me for Christmas. We were there an exceptionally long time, because, of course, I wanted to take them all home. Pita (she came with that name) and Buddy were in a cage together at about knee level which made them quite easy to overlook. And we had. But then, on another sweep past their location, a cat reached through the cage and grabbed Rob, with both front paws, by his leg. She looked up at him with a look that said, "Hey, don't forget us. We're cool." Rob said, "Hey, Jess, what about this cat?" The assistant at the shelter informed us that Pita and Buddy could not be separated and if we wanted her, we'd have to take him. Well, Buddy is another story on his own and it's long, so I'll spare you that. Anyway, we were not planning to bring home two cats, but it was "Christmas after all" and they said Buddy would come free WITH Pita. All these years I have concocted a story in my head that Pita, on that day, said to Buddy (who was a very depressed cat living there...not kidding), "Don't worry, my friend, I'm going to get us out of here." And she did. Her Christmas gift to him. She saved Buddy, who, while beautiful, would have been destined to be returned and returned and returned to the shelter. They were very very close and I can only further concoct the dream that they have been joyously reunited. Goodbye, my girl. I already miss you more than I can say. I'll miss your back massages. I'll miss your instant purring. Your bright eyes. Your welcomingly settling into the lap of any visitor. Yes, I'll even miss combing your endless amounts of hair. And, in time, I'm sure I'll come to miss your midnight meowing (well...maybe not that). You have been a gentle and loving friend.

Yes, I know in a past post I said I was done being a cat owner, and believe me, that stands true, but that does not at all make their passings one bit easier. They were my babies before my babies and I've loved them deeply. They will always be meshed in the memories we hold of the beginning of our story as Rob and Jess and sharing in her passing was just another moment of intense confirmation that I got the right guy. Thank you, Rob, for giving me the gift of Pita over 15 years ago. For being there to comfort me when she left us. For continuing to build this life and story. For...everything.