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Eulogy for Abby Well, if anyone out there has a cat, cuddle them close and tell them to send good Kitty Karma to Abby, my mom's cat, who passed away this morning. Poor little baby cat, she was only like 5 pounds at her healthiest. She was found by a family friend who used to work at an adult care home, and poor Abby was being kicked and hit at by the old people there with their canes and walkers because they were afraid she would dart out and trip them. She was just looking for food. So this lady captured her, and brought her to my mom, who is known among her friends for the unbelievable care she took of her previous cat when the cat was dying of Leukemia for 4 years. Abby stayed under my parents' bed for literally three months...my mom put food and water and a litter box next to the bed, but all we ever saw of Abby was these scared eyes glowing when we'd peek under the bed. Finally, she came out from under the bed...but slowly...if you walked into the bedroom and saw her dash back under the bed, that was progress! I don't think I ever saw her completely until she had been living with my parents for like a year. She gradually joined my parents...it was a slow process. If you walked by her while she was lying in the hallway, she would bat at you and rip your skin off your ankles. Then she let us pet her, but even then, you never knew when she would turn around, quick as a flash, and rip your hand open. She finally started purring, quietly at first, you could only feel it if you touched her, but then you could hear it. She would sleep on top of the computer monitor when my mom or dad were working, because it was warm there, but also because she liked being with them. She even warmed up to me, as much as she could. I used to scare her when I would come over, because my flip-flops would make noise, and she hated that. But after I house-sat for my parents a few times when they were on holiday, she began to associate the sound of my flip-flops with food, so she would come out when I came in the house, and even beg a little. She was with my parents for eight years, and had a good life. It's silly to be so sad over a cat dying, I know, but still. To see an animal who goes from hiding under a bed for three months to spending her time following around the people who earned her trust...and then she's gone. The electricity went out at my house a few months ago, and I was sleeping when it happened. I told my mom at the time, that the thing that woke me up was the complete silence of the house...no humming of the fridge, no noise at all. I woke up and couldn't figure out what was wrong for a few minutes. My mom said to me today, "It's like when your power went out...the house is just so quiet now." I totally understand what she means. Even when I take my cat to stay with a friend the day before I go on holiday, the house just seems empty when I get home. So, a long entry for a dead cat...I know there are a lot of other things in the world worse than losing a pet...but it's still hard. Goodnight, Abby...I know you are happy and healthy now. Miss These?
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