Remembering an old friend

I had Panther from September, 2012 until June 23, 2018. I loved her free spirit, and her beautiful coat.

I was the care giver of Panther after her previous owner died of cancer, at home, surrounded by friends family and all her cats. There were 3 cats that she cared for, and I offered to take one of them. My friend's daughter asked if I wanted the calico, and of course I said yes.

Panther had been feral, but kept coming to Ramya's house to get fed and hang out with the other kitties. She finally started coming in the house, but left whenever she wanted. I wasn't sure she'd be safe where I lived, going outside...there was a busy road nearby. So I kept her inside with my other calico queen. The other one was established, and Panther was kind of second in command.

After I moved to my tiny apartment, my first calico cat died within a month, and Panther was much happier, again an as indoor cat. We had great times together, except when she would scratch my thinning skin. I had to have her claws clipped often. Then her thyroid gave her trouble, and we worked on medications for a long time, until she couldn't take them any more. It was time for her to go. I was so sad, because I am too old to start with another cat, and I don't want to have to have another one killed kindly by a vet.

Quote to ponder:

Could, he asked again,

walk out into the desert

of himself, let his self go.

the one built by the labor

of lifetimes - this one -

drop away into the ageless

void; and as he asked, he

knew; this is what it comes

to anyway, tonight as he

slept, or tomorrow, as the

result of old age, a natural

death, that waited closer

each day, a wordless chant,

it will all go, all of it,

castles and skyscrapers of

who you are, who you built

yourself to be; it ends at

the end - that's the idea - you

step from here, your

construction, into there,

the body abandoned - and

you saw it was not a despair,

but a ship to be boarded,

unmoored.....

free.....

Richard Wehrman

From: Being Here