Huggins the Cat

A month ago, every night for a week before I was to be home, our 16 year-old cat, Huggins, had been sleeping at the head of my bed.  

Catnap in the living room rays of sunshine

"She hasn't done that in a while. She must know you're coming home."

After I left, she didn't go back into my room.  It's interesting how these things work. 

The past few days she hasn't eaten, and is dehydrated and uninterested at making her funny chattering noises at the birds in the window. She wouldn't leave one chair until someone came home.  

I was an artist once

"She purred a little bit last night. I think she's been suffering and we just didn't know it...I think she waiting until she saw you one more time."

 Huggins was put to rest tonight and buried next to Sunny the Cat, with the blue rabbits foot that I got in elementary school next to her.  My poor mother. The bonds we make with our pets. The years of our lives they represent.