My Sal...

My Sal...

As I have read many loving blog tributes to special fur people in our lives, I am sad to join with the news about my Sally...

Given to me by my son and his high school girlfriend, Sally has lived a beautiful lifetime as Total Queen of our home.  Today she traveled beyond that Rainbow Bridge to join other dear friends from the animal kingdom.  Both my son and I are inconsolable.  To those who have pets, no explanation is needed.

Our lives are ever better for the gentle creatures whose characters are so vivid in our hearts.

For most of her fifteen years, Sally (Sal, as I called her) was my cat.  Day or night she glued herself to my presence, following me to the kitchen the restroom, to every room. She kept vigil at our window, one velvet declawed front paw pulling the curtain aside and racing over to growl quietly as a warning to me our home was "being invaded."
Some guests she loved; others she tolerated; and others she downright despised.   After I moved to my mom's she transferred all her love to my son.  He was her best buddy for all these years. For the past couple of years she grew to love a new kid in town and shared the spotlight with my son's cat Jonesy.  Even so, my son never failed to bring me greeting cards for birthdays and Christmas, "To Human. Love, Sally"

Her escapades are locked for all time in the stories of one great kitty.  Her mystery trip to "god knows where" for several weeks and her victorious return in her studded pink collar and gifted with the newfound ability to kill all mice in zero seconds flat.  Her little conversational chatter as she told me about everyday life as Domestic Goddess...  Legendary little endearments known only to my son and to me.  Kitties love milk tops, laser pointers, and open windows..  Mine did not love playing "cat show" or fighting real time with a stray who shattered through our window.  Never a glass of water was safe from her surreptitious "paw slide" to the edge..... and over.

Today, in typical Sally fashion, she lay on her soft pillow and made the somber obligatory visit to the vet... And back with me to My room here at Mom's.  I touched her sweet fur and told her goodbye.  I believe she heard my voice and told me the same.  Sad day.  But not to discount all the incredible joy, laughter, and love in the familiar shape of a little striped kitty---- tinged with orange.