Goodbye, Midnight Baby

In my last blog, I talked a lot about my mom’s cats and how much I’ve grown to love them. I talked about how I was worried about the day they wouldn’t be here and how they reminded me so much of my mom, especially Emme.

Ten days after that blog was posted, I had to put Emme to sleep. Its as if I subconsciously KNEW this horrible event was coming. She had a foreign object in her tummy that caused her poor little body to shut down. She began getting sick on a Saturday and I found her the following Wednesday morning laying with her head in her water bowl. She had already made up her mind it was time to go. I took her to the vet and after hearing Dr. Novak say “I think your baby girl is trying to pass”, I knew it had to be done. I held Emme as she left, kissing her sweet head over and over, telling her that she had changed my opinion on cats. I loved her so, so much but it was time for her to be with our mom again.

My heart was and still is broken. I took the day after off work and literally cried all day. I cried for Emme and my mom but also, I cried for Layla, my other cat who has lost both her mom & sister in a 4 month span. She meows as she wanders around, looking under tables, chairs and behind the plants for Emme. She doesn’t understand and is absolutely in mourning. I try to hold her and love on her as much as she will allow. I need her to know that she is safe and with people who love her so, so much.

The picture on the right is one I took  after I had woken up on my couch to discover I was being used as a bed. Straight cat butt all up in my face… but I absolutely loved it! Layla is waaaaaay more skittish than Emme ever was and to have her trusting & loving on me makes me feel special. She is so tiny (and fluffy!) at barely 5 pounds, making me want to protect her even more. If I could carry her with me everywhere, I would. I understand this whole “cat person” thing now but I will never understand how some can’t

The house is a lot more quite without Emme. I miss our conversations and her dove-like “cooing” noises. I miss her Buddha belly and her sitting like a fattie after eating too much. I miss her emerald eyes and seeing her peek out at me from behind the plants. I really never thought I would love & miss a kitty cat as much as I miss her.

This is the last picture I took of my midnight baby, days before she passed. I’m so happy she held on long enough for me to cradle her as she went to be with our mom. I feel so fortunate to have been there with her the same way I was there for mom’s passing. The vet took such sweet care of her afterward and included these paw prints of honor along with her ashes. I’m thinking of turning one of those prints into another tattoo soon. I’ll be finishing my mom’s tribute piece at the end of month and I simply can’t wait.