Remembering those who've Passed....

This has NOT been a good year, in terms of cat losses. We knew we were going to be losing some, due to age and time and attrition, we have an aging population, and there have been 5-6 of them we've had growing concerns about; cancer, chronic illness and aging end of life issues. However, the past few months/weeks have been a perfect storm of loss, as four of them have passed away one right after another due to these issues.

We lost Legba to old age and basic health issues....the last of the grey and white band of brothers living with us whom we have loved so much....

Legba, curled up asleep on the futon....

Legba with a very young Firedancer....

And then there was Tanis, our regal, elegant grey cat, very much Dreamweaver's cat, period. I was grudgingly accepted as useful, since I would bring food. It took years before he would deign to let me pet him.

Tanis, much loved and missed....

And then we lost Rascal on October first to asthma, which had never been diagnosed correctly. He was our orange loving cat who would jump into your arms and give you hugs. He was only about 8 years old and we were shocked to lose him. However, that was about a normal life span for a cat with asthma, we found out later. He and Tanis were avowed enemies arguing over who got to sleep the closest to Dreamweaver....it took years, but they grumpily evolved finally into buddies who always slept together.

Rascal, our sweet hugging orange boy....

When Rascal was wrestling to breathe with the asthma,
he hung his nose over a jar of Mentholatum and it seemed to
truly help his breathing!

And then we have been shattered just two days ago by the fourth loss - our little one-eyed "pirate cat" Xian. She was 13 years old, and had cancer and other end of life issues, so her passing was not entirely unexpected...except that there never is anyway to "expect" something like this, for any of them. We love all of our cats and lavish attention on them....but every now and then there is one or another that is just....special. Precious. And Xian was one of them. Xian's passing leaves a hole in our lives and our hearts that is so painful. And yet we rejoice in the 13 wonderful years we had with her and her sweet loving heart that never met a stranger. I promise you, she loved EVERYBODY who walked through the door of our house...it was "Hi, glad to meet you!" and Xian in their laps, "Pet me, pet me, pet me!"

Xian, the wonderful one-eyed "pirate cat who loved to ride
shoulders....

So. It has been one hammer blow after another, even though we knew we would have these losses soon, we never expected them back to back to back like this. And yet, there is comfort in the memories, and love shared with these precious cats, and in knowing we cared for them and loved them, were with them in their last moments and let them go with love and comfort. 

Legba, Rascal, Tanis, and Xian....
Go before us into the Summerlands,
Join those who have crossed before us....
Run and play and find us when we join you ourselves.
What is remembered, 

Lives!

Blessed be!