My Familiar

Webster says a “Familiar is: one that is familiar; especially: an intimate associate: companion

: a spirit often embodied in an animal and held to attend and serve or guard a person

My “familiar” left this plane yesterday. The loss right now is indescribable. Those of you that have a cat know what I mean. After 18 ½ years, I woke up this morning without my “BOO”. My pet name for Harri, my cat. She was born in my closet. Her mother feral adopted me. She was alone and that little girl was homeless and pregnant. She came looking for food and found a safe place to live where she received love and protection also. A few weeks later, Harri was born. She was only the size of a small fuss ball. The kids named her. Her markings were exactly like her mother, with one exception. She had a black stripe down her nose. Her mother had a gold stripe. Mom and daughter was tortoise colored. Deep browns and golds. When she and her sister snuggled to their mother to eat...you couldn’t tell where mommy ended and babies began. Mommy left us some 8 years ago now.

It is a natural cycle of life, but that is little consolation right now. All I know is that there is a hole in my heart. I miss her kisses, her rubbing her face on mine, and her “screaming” at me. She was a talker. If she didn’t get what she wanted, when she wanted it she got louder and louder and louder until you had to perform whatever deed she wanted.

The return for the bowls of food, the endless openings of the door so she could go out and lay in the sun, and cat box changes and scooping was pure love. Unassuming and unconditional. Time will allow this void to be adjusted to level that is tolerable. The short time our pets are with us is precious. Hug your babies today and when they are making you nuts, remember a day will come when you will wish that annoyance back.