My Darling Little Angel-Cat, SnowPuff, You are forever and always in my heart, I remember the day back in the spring of 1992 when you, your mother, Keedie, and your litter brother, Blackie, first came to visit my back porch. You were a feral kitty, born outdoors in the wild, but you were still a young kitten at the time, no more than 4 months old. You couldn't tolerate the fighting and the problems of living outside. You were too gentle to deal with it; and ran away from all the strife. I put out "cat lost" posters hoping to find you and bring you home. Then one morning I woke up and there you were, sitting in the bathroom window; my mom had found you and brought you inside. I was overjoyed! You never lived outside again. I made you a part of our family and was never sorry I did it. You made me very happy. Then in 1998 you were stricken with kidney disease. The vet wanted to give you up for dead, said to put you down, you weren't going to make it. But I opted to try treating you first. You fooled them all. You lived! You made a miraculous comeback after a week in the animal hospital, followed by several months of intensive treatment at home, fluid injections under your skin, antibiotic pills, and special food for cats with kidney disease, which, in the beginning, I had to force-feed to you because you didn't wish to eat. I never gave up on you; and you had the strength to fight and the will to live. You responded to treatment, got better, and lived another 7 happy years. The vet called you the miracle cat. He was amazed. I called you my supercat survivor, because that's what you were, a survivor. You got well for awhile, ran and played, ran marathon races back and forth jumping over my bed and my sleeping body to wake me in the mornings, played with your toys, and sat in the sun in your favorite window. You would watch the birds fly by and chatter at them as if you wanted to hunt them, like you had done when you lived outside. You loved your window. I could always see you sitting there, even from outside the house if I walked by that window up my driveway. You would be there; I would tap my fingers on the glass, gently, and say hello, and you would mew to me from your post. You often slept in my bed with me, preferring to get right under the blankets and curl up against my body. You loved heat. You would sit almost on top of the radiator in the winter time. You also enjoyed jumping up on the bed when I was typing on webtv. You liked to get between my hands and the keyboard and curl up there, purring away. It made it hard to type, but I didn't mind. You would come to me when I was eating, jump up on the chair beside me, rub your head against my hand with headbonks, and then reach out your paw and tap my hand, indicating you wanted a treat or a pat on the head. You would insist and I would always give you what you asked of me. Over and over again, you would tap my hand if I stopped. Then I would give you another treat or another pat on the head. Your fur was soft like down and delightful to touch. You liked to "talk" to me, you were very vocal. If I called your name, you came when I called. If I spoke to you, you would answer with a sweet tiny mew. Sometimes your mouth opened and no sound came out because your voice was so soft. Every time you jumped up or down somewhere, you would make a little murmering sound, difficult to describe, but delicate and sweet, almost musical, kind of like "mmm mmm." You liked to eat by pulling pieces of the dry cat food out of the dish onto the floor with your paw. Then you'd pick them up and put them in your mouth using your paw. It was cute to watch. But you always left alot of food on the floor. We had to be careful we didn't step on it and crush it. You often loved to drink from the dogs' water dish instead of your own, preferring the larger bowl for some reason. You loved the dogs and they loved you. You were always rubbing your head against them to mark them as "yours." You walked all over the house and would "talk" to me with that sweet little mew of yours, murmer, and purr. You were a happy kitty. You never complained. You always purred. You never had a growl or a spit for anyone, animal or human. You were the most gentle and the most loving cat I have ever known. Even though your sister, Misty, often terrorized you and hit you with her paws, because she was jealous of you, you didn't fight back. You just walked away and ignored her. You never fought me on any of the medical treatments. You always co-operated, even when you didn't like it. Then came that sad and terrible day when your kidney disease resurfaced, and this time, you lost your battle with it. You let me know, by wandering around the house crying as if you were calling for someone to help you, that you weren't feeling well. I took you to the vet and the blood test confirmed my worst fears that it was time for you to leave us. My tears overflowed and could not be comforted. You were the best friend I have ever had. You had a long and happy life with us. We shared many happy times and much love together, including many long hours in front of the tv together, you in my lap purring away. You were my pride, my comfort in times of sorrow, and my joy. Our entire family misses you terribly. We will always love you. We will never forget you. You were such a good cat, in fact, you were the best. You were truly an angel in fur, as you helped me through some very difficult times, when I lost my dog, Pepsi, and when I lost my mom. You were there, right by my side, helping me get through it all. Some day we will see you again at rainbow bridge. But until then, no goodbyes, just good memories, and plenty of tears because our hearts are broken into millions of little pieces from missing you. We wish you were still here with us. We pray you are at peace now and out of pain, playing at rainbow bridge with Tang and grandmeowmie, who went before you to prepare the way. You more than earned your angel wings. May God bless and keep you always. Thank you for your love and friendship and for being such a wonderful part of our lives. We'll always be thankful that you chose to come to live here with us. You will always be my best friend, my little buddy, my sweet angel kitty, my soulmate in fur, forever. Love, Kisses, and Hugs, Meowmie Kitty and Misty, Keedie, Patches, Boo Boo, Yogi, Twinkles, Brownie, and Newman.
SnowPuff had the following at the old and new CLAW: a BCC (Bachelor of CLAW Catship), doctorate in feline sciences, doctorate in hunting, master in feline sciences, master in fine arts, master in hunting, master of sports and recreation, master of graphics, honorable degree (earned on Nov. 12,2000), CLAW graphic artist degree in Paint Shop Pro, PSP School of Higher Learning graphics doctorate, and CLAW graphic artist degree in Photo Impact. He received a CLAW service award on July 4, 2002, he meowed in on July 10, 2004 and became a member of the Queen's Court on July 23, 2004. He became a Prince of CLAW on Nov. 5, 2003. He became a captain in the CLAW group, which has since moved to the Fur and Fang Club, Cats In Space. He was an active member also in Paint Shop Pro Artists Guild, Feline Global Village, Cats Who Live With Dogs, The CLAW Thespians, The Back Fence Cats Club, Hope's Club For Pampered Princes and Princesses, The Cats Meow Club, Furship, Fur and Fang, Ailurophila, The Art Museum, and Tomzrule. He had 22,115.00 CLAW service points as of Feb. 3, 2005. His remaining points since then have not yet been added up. In classes he took in the new CLAW, he got the following grades: CLAW: We Purr and Serve A+, Cat Behavior A+, Cat Toys A+, Feline Ethics: What is Right and What is Wrong A+, Feral Cats- FAQ and TAR A+, Games Kitties Play A+, Living Together as Friends A+, Professional Ethics A+, When We Do Wrong A+, and The Art of Keeping A Good Journal A+. Grades all earned Nov. 7, 2000. He was well liked among the cat community and had many friends. He is survived by his wedwink, Sissy, as well as siblings Misty, Keedie, Patches, Boo Boo, Yogi, and Twinkles, Meowmie Kitty, and two doggie siblings, Brownie and Newman.
Send a Spirit Flower!
Meow My Sweet SnowPuff, It is so hard to be writing this message. I hoped we would have more days together. I have been dreading this time. I know mew will be waiting for me, along with Tang, when Molly and I cross the Rainbow Bridge. Then we all will be together again. With Luff, Sissy G. Photo courtesy of CLAW Postcards.
When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey. A journey that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet will also test your strength and courage. If you allow, the journey will teach you many things about life, about yourself and most of all, about love. You will become changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark. Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple pleasures-jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of puddles and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears. If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly experience every element, for no rock, leaf or log will go unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked and even the very air will be inhaled, pondered and noted as being full of valuable information. Even from indoors, you will find yoruself more attuned to the world around you. You will find yourself watching: summer insects collecting on the screen,how bizarre they are; how many kinds there are or noting the flick and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in this; the point is in the doing, not in letting life's most important details slip by. Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find treats in your pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cats love the crinkly sound. You will learn the true measure of love. The steadfast undying kind that says, "It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats us as long as we are together. Respect this always. It is the most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among the human race. And you will learn humility. The look in your cat's eyes that often make you feel ashamed. Such joy and love at your presence. He saw not some flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only his wonderful companion. Or maybe he saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles not worth considering and so chose to love you anyway. If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will be not just a better person, but the person your companion animal always knew you to be. The one they were proud to call beloved friend. I must caution you, that this journey is not without pain. Like all paths of true, the pain is the part of loving. For as surely as the sun sets, one day your dear animal compainion will follow a trail you cannot yet go down, and you will have to find the strengh and love to let them go. An animal companions time on earth is far too short, especially for those that love them. We borrow them really just for a while, and during these brief years they are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left. The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy now wakes up stiff and lame, the muzzle gone to gray. Deep down we somehow always knew that this journey would end. We know that if we gave our hearts they would be broken. But give them we must for is is all they ask in return. When the time comes and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we giev one final gift and let them run on ahead, young and whole once more. "God speed good friend", we say, until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross again. This is part of a story called The Journey. The author is unknown. Since losing my beloved Ren almost a year aga, I have found great comfort in these words. I hope that you will find the same Lot's of hugs and purrs, Lucky Blackcat and Human Catlyn
It is wiff a heavy heart dat we send dis tribute fur SnowPuff. We are so saddened by yer loss, but know we will all be together again one day. Please accept our sympathy. Soft purrs, E.T. & Ginger
