So sad--she's gone.

I am so incredibly sad tonight. Our wonderful cat, Angel, has died. Angel has been an integral part of our family since the day we adopted her, April 13, 2001. She was three years old. I never expected her to die so soon.

I will miss her so much. So will the girls. We used to say that Angel had no survival instinct--she loved both girls and was always there to be patted and adored. From the time each came home from as newborns, Angel was creeping into a lap next to the baby, cuddling right in. Anneliese was speech delayed, but by 10 months she meowed, sounding eerily like the cat whenever she saw her.

Angel was the stealth napper. Dave and I could be sitting in the living room talking, and one of us would look down: "hey, where'd this cat come from?" And she was shameless--she would lay on your lap, belly up, while you rubbed her belly. When she was really content, Angel would melt into your lap, looking like a kitty blanket.

I knew she was sick. Last month she had lost a pound--was down to 6 pounds. Never a big cat, she had become skin and bones. After a stay at the vet's office for dehydration and a liver test, all seemed well. A week later, she was up to 7 pounds again. For a little while, she seemed her old self. Cuddling with the kids, getting some belly rubbing and melt-a-cat time, playing. But that was all too brief. The past week, Angel was hiding in the closet a lot. Rarely out except when called. This morning she was reluctant to come out at all. I did think it was odd that she came out into the living room this morning to lie with the kids, yet left when I came into the room (she was my cat). I think in her way, she might have been saying goodbye. This evening when I brought her to the kids to say goodbye, she only wanted to hide.

She died peacefully in our bathroom, on a fleece baby blanket that she loved. Angel loved anything fleecey and soft. Sleeping in my PJs was always a favorite activity of hers.













What will we do without her? Angel was an amazing animal--she was a therapy cat for both my daughters, and I don't think I will ever have another cat as friendly. Everyone who would come into our home would be greeted and jumped on within 15 minutes. Angel would wait by the door for us to come home from shopping, and sit in the window to watch when our whole family was in the backyard.

We will miss you friend.