25/09/92 - 16/07/10
Human family: Jo
Photo(s) of Minou (3)

Minou

Minou was my life - sounds silly to say that about a cat but it's true. I'd had him since I was 20 years old and he was only 3 wks old (the farm had lied to us!!!). He'd moved house 3 times with me and never once strayed. Guys I'd dated along the way who said they "didn't like cats" always warmed to him and he never failed to make them like him. My hubby grew to love him too, and that was quite an amazing feat! It was just impossible to resist his charms (Minou... not my hubby ;o))! Waking up on the morning of 16th July 2010 and seeing him fighting to keep his balance while he came towards me... I just knew. I'd already had one week of heart-ache with the sudden deteriation of his kidneys. The vets and I had tried for that week to get him stablised but on that morning I knew it wasn't working. The vets were wonderful and did everything in a caring and professional manner. I stayed with him... and there was no pain in his eyes. It was quick and gentle. I sat with him for a few minutes afterwards to say goodbye and I can truly say that I've never known such pain. A year has gone by since then but, if I let myself think about him too much, the grief is still as strong. I have his little casket at home and it is in his "special sleeping place". There is some comfort in having it there. It never gets better... but it does get easier. The overwhelming feeling of loss doesn't ever go away but the daily routine and the passage of time do make those feelings move back into the shadowy areas of your mind. You learn to live with the grief but you never actually get over it. I have wonderful memories of my 18 years with him - and if I could do it all again, I'd do it in a heartbeat. The pain of his loss is awful but I know it will eventually be overshadowed by the 18yrs of wonderful memories.

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