I remember so clearly the moment that I found you, covered in dust, severely underweight. You had been living in the rear yard of the supermarket where my 19 year old self worked at the time. You were lost and although you were quite clearly alone - from the second that I laid eyes on you, you were alone no more. I knew instantly that you belonged in our family.
It was obvious that you were a stray. You were in a terrible condition, but we took you to the vet to have you checked for a microchip anyway. He checked you over and told us that you had no chip, he was sure you were a stray. You came to live with us and I felt such a deep connection with you. I always thought that we somehow were meant to find each other, you made me feel like a better person in so many ways. I love having cats, I always have, but having had the opportunity to rescue you when you needed someone the most gave me such a great feeling. We took you in and got you back to full health, we looked after you kittens after finding out you'd fallen pregnant as a stray and we found them all loving homes. You gave us the opportunity to do something good with our time - to save your life as well as the lives of your babies, it's hard to put into words but that made you very precious to us.
Oh Shadow, we had some moments didn't we?! I remember when you temple crushed me with your claws because I got too close to your pregnant stomach (fair enough really). I remember when you pretended you couldn't use the cat flap at our last house and when I'd get home from work late at night, you'd go running (like a race horse) out of the front door as I opened it and down the road. I'd wait outside the front door until you decided to come back because I didn't know that you could use the cat flap! Remember when you brought me two or three sponges from the bathroom when I was laying in bed feeling run down whilst pregnant with Ethan? I think you'd intended them as gifts for the new baby! You used to sleep in such weird places like on top of the Sky box or any window sill that you could find. I even found you on top of the TV once! We really do have so many good memories!
I wish we'd had more time Shadow, but today we had to say goodnight. Not goodbye, just goodnight because in my heart you're just asleep. The decision was agonising for us but you'd lost all of your weight and you could no longer stand without falling over. The vet had told us at the start of the week that she suspected a brain tumour and I sadly knew that that was coming as I'd seen you change so much - you didn't know what you were doing anymore. I don't want to talk about the last few weeks too much because that's not how I will remember you. I will remember you as my precious little princess. I'll remember all the good times and despite feeling heartbroken I'll celebrate your life and the time we did get together. Shadow as I let you go it hurt so much, but I know that you're at peace now and that you are no longer suffering. This morning I felt like you not being here anymore had left a hole in our family, in our home, but then I suddenly realised that actually I could fill that hole.. I'll fill it with all the happy memories that we did get together and all the days that you were here.
You may no longer be physically with us my princess, but you will always be with us living in our hearts.
Goodnight Melee Mighties, we love you. xxxxx
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