In Memory of Pickles

Recently we lost an important member of our family. We said goodbye to our beloved cat, Pickles, a Russian Blue. It will take a while for me to get over this loss. She was seventeen years old and came to us when our daughter moved back from Southern California in late 2008. This was when the "Great Recession” dropped on all of us. A lot of 20-somethings had to make difficult financial decisions. Usually this included moving back in with the parents.

Along with our daughter, Pickles moved in. She arrived with her sister, Shorty and a dog named Reese. All three were adopted in California. We already had two cats but then, after these three moved in, we had an animal sanctuary. The first morning after they moved in, Pickles showed up to breakfast like she had lived here all her life. She got right in the “shark circle” with the other cats. Our two cats looked at her a little confused who this new cat was. But just like that, she was accepted into the fold. She was a cat’s cat. She was a constant and gentle companion to us. She was a nurse by your side when you were sick and a summer friend on the deck when the sun was out. She would keep me company in my artist studio - she was always around. One of her favorite past times, was hanging out in front of the fireplace when it was cold out. When I called her name for dinner, she would run up to the kitchen. She was a very intelligent and sensitive being. Pickles was a unique cat in her smarts and social etiquette.

Two years ago, we discovered she had a bladder condition that caused her distress and some pain. We worked with vets to help her but eventually, this condition caught up with her and as much as we tried, we could not reverse it. Most humans who love their animal family members suffer through something like this at some point. In the end, there was nothing left for us to do to for her. We just tried to keep her comfortable and happy.

Last weekend, a very kind woman from Compassion 4 Paws came to our home. You know how the rest of the story goes. It was truly heartbreaking and I am still dealing with the sorrow of our last goodbye. It will take a while to get over this experience. Sometimes, someone comes into your life, and you realize how much they meant to you. She is deeply missed, and we will never forget her. If you know what I am talking about or are going through something like this, my heart goes out to you.
Thanks for reading. 🩵 🤍 🩶 -Trish

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