One of our three beautiful Muir cats, Lila, died today.
Lila was featured on this blog in its early days, in Tuesday Cat Nap posts back in 2005 and 2006. She was a gentle, loving long-haired cat. Lila lived a good long healthy life, making it to fifteen years old. She slept on my pillow every night, and kept me company through Joel's infancy, when Kathryn would often have to leave the room to be with him.
About a year ago, Lila was diagnosed with chronic renal failure, and we decided today that it was time to put her suffering to an end. Over the weekend, she was unable to sleep, or sit down, or use the litter box, and even the fluids and medicine we were giving her were no longer helping to alleviate her pain. It was a heart-wrenching decision to end her life, and I hope it was the right one.
I prepared Joel this morning for school, and told him he needed to say goodbye to her. Of all our three cats, Lila was the only one who let Joel pet her and would sit with him. Little boys are loud and move around a lot, and Joel's activity bothers the other two. But Lila always went to him for love, and was very gentle with him, and he with her. I know Joel will be very sad. But I also know this is a good life lesson too, about loss, and about taking care of our furry friends. We will have a little service for Lila this afternoon, and then bury her with her collar, her brush, a photograph, and a poem.
I know this is a movie/TV review blog, but I just felt today I wanted to share with you how beautiful Lila was.
Here are some Cat Nap pictures of Lila from the blog over the years. I think they show her gentle and sweet nature very well.
Sorry to hear of your loss.
ReplyDelete--Hugh
Thank you, Hugh. I appreciate your words. Tough day, today...
DeleteMay she rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your thoughts, David. They are much appreciated at this sad time.
DeleteJohn I am sad hear of the passing Lila. It is obvious she had a wonderful life and received nothing but love from your nice family. I too have lost our cats over the years and it is always sad to lose a member of the family.
ReplyDeleteR.I.P. Lila
SGB
Thank you for your kind and supportive words, SGB. We loved Lila so much. She was such a silly cat. You know how much it hurts to lose these little ones, so your words are very much appreciated, my friend.
DeleteCondolences. We lost two of our senior citizen cats earlier this year. I still miss them deeply and expect them to appear from around the corner at any moment. It is amazing how intertwined our beloved companions become in our lives. Still, I wouldn't exchange the sadness I still feel for a sadness-free life without them. Hopefully in due time you can welcome another furry friend into your lives. I have found through much experience that is the best way I can honor the memories of my small friends. ~~Meredith
ReplyDeleteHi Meredith, I am sorry to read about your loss as well. I totally understand what you mean about thinking you see them around the corner. That happened to me this morning, when I was looking for Lila's brush. I looked on our kitchen island and thought I saw her, but it was just my gray book bag. It is very painful. I also agree with your thoughts about not exchanging a minute of her life, and not having her. I am so thankful to have shared this world with Lila for those fifteen years. I want Joel to have the experience of having a kitten while he is young, so I know there will be more cats coming to the Muir house in the days ahead...
DeleteI'm sorry for your loss as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Tonio,
DeleteThank you so much for your thoughts about Lila. Your support means a lot to me in this time.
John, i'm so sorry. We lost our elderly dog in February and understand. What a sweet cat.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. I am sorry for the loss of your dog earlier this year. It is so devastating to lose these beings of unconditional love...
DeleteSorry for your loss, I know how hard it is to lose a kitty. They really are members of the family. <3 She looks like she had a lot of sass!
ReplyDeleteHi Mich,
DeleteThank you so much for your kind words. Lila did have some sass, to be sure. I was HERS, my wife said. I loved her so much.
She's beautiful. It's a devastating thing. I'm sorry to heart that for your family. So hard.
ReplyDeleteThank you, SFF, so much. We all appreciate your words very much. I do indeed feel devastated today. We had our service for Lila this afternoon, and then I buried her. It was raining, and the rain hid my tears...which fell profusely. So sad to lose her.
DeleteLila was beautiful. This cat lover sends his sincerest condolences.
ReplyDeleteBarry,
DeleteAs a cat lover, I know you understand. I appreciate your sincere condolences so much. Thank you for saying Lila was beautiful...means a lot to me as her proud daddy.
Hi John. I come here often, but don't usualy comment.
ReplyDeleteBut as a cat lover and previous owner of two beautiful a amazing cats that already passed away, I had to say something.
I guess some people like cats, and others don't. But, those who do (and, as myself, are parents too), know exactly what that feels like.
At least, she had a good, long and happy life.
Take care.
Paolo,
DeleteThank you so much for your words of condolences, one cat lover to another. Today, the first day since she is gone, is hard. We have two other cats, but it just feels wrong putting out two cat dishes instead of three. There's a feeling of absence there that is impossible to ignore. I believe Lila did have a good, long, and happy life, and that brings me comfort. Thank you for writing, my friend.
Having (currently) ten cats under our roof, I felt I should also reach out and offer my sympathies.
ReplyDeleteIt's never easy to let them go but sometimes that's what's called for. She definitely looks like a happy cat in those photos.
All the best,
wcg
Woodchuckgod, thank you so much for your condolences and good words. My wife and I have always had three cats, and two just feels like a terrible "subtraction" of the right number. But Lila isn't easily replaced, for sure. I know it was her time, but I hate that it was her time too. Today, I sat down by her grave, under the leaves of a thick tree in our backyard, and thought about how wonderful it was to share time with her on this Earth...
DeleteI think every pet owner can appreciate what you and your family are going through. Pets bring so much to our lives. Sounds like Lila was lucky to be in a family with so much love.
ReplyDeleteAdam,
DeleteThank you so much for writing, and for your supportive words. Pets do bring a lot into our lives, don't they? They become furry members of the family, and the absence of them is so keenly felt. Thank you for saying that Lila was lucky. I feel like I was the one who was lucky. I had her sitting right beside me, while I wrote, for the better part of a decade-and-a-half...
We lost our cat last friday for similar reasons. My heart goes out to you. Not an easy thing get past.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, thank you for reaching out. Allow me to express my condolences at your loss, of last friday. I am so sorry to hear that you also lost a beloved cat. It really is a hard thing, and tough to get past quick. You'll be in my thoughts!
DeleteAs a longtime cat person, I know how hard it can be to lose a beloved furry friend. My condolences to you and your family, and may the lovely Lila rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteJdigriz, thank you for your lovely thoughts for Lila, and for my family. I appreciate your support, and as a fellow cat person, I know you understand. I put some flowers on Lila's grave today, which I can see from my window. Missing her terribly...
Delete