Tuesday, September 30, 2008

:(


Mittens. Photo by Oleg Volk.

Mittens passed away today.

She was a sweet kitty.

Posting may be light for a bit.

156 comments:

Anonymous said...

Damn.

I'm sorry to hear that....

Paul said...

:(

Home on the Range said...

Oh. . damn. . .

you poor thing. . .I'm so very sorry.

DaddyBear said...

I'm so sorry. My pets mean as much to me as my kids. Hang tough.

Pat St. Jean said...

I'm sorry to hear that... :(

Oleg Volk said...

Mittens has long been my favorite cat, bar none. I will miss her tremendously.

Anonymous said...

My condolences. I love my cats, and I know how hard it is to let them go.

Anonymous said...

(anon above was me)

Rich Hailey said...

Sorry to hear it. It's hard to lose a member of the family.

Joe Allen said...

My sympathies. Lost my furry little friend of nearly 20 years over a year ago, and I still expect her to jump on the bed every night.

BobG said...

My condolences on the loss of a friend and family member.

Anonymous said...

Awwwww, Tamara, I'm sorry to hear that. They bring such joy into our lives, and it sucks so bad when they leave...

Anonymous said...

So sorry to hear of your loss.

Anonymous said...

Her life was enriched by you and yours by her. She will live forever in your memory. Peace be with you.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Tam. Kitties are gifts we have for too short a time.

Anonymous said...

Awww. I'm so sorry. I cried like a big baby when I had to have my 19 year old tortoiseshell Karma put down. You can console yourself with her long spoiled life, but it still hurts.

Anonymous said...

My sympathies...the loss of a furry companion is never easy.

Heath J said...

Sorry to hear that, Tam.

Too many times our furry friends are better people than actual humans.

Hang in there.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry for Mittens, I know how that is.

JeanC said...

My condolences, fur kids have a habit of leaving a big hole in ones heart when they leave.

Mittens was a lucky kitty to have had you as her person and she'll be waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge

El Capitan said...

Betsy Cat, Pookie Cat & I send our deepest condolences. It's tough losing a loved one, especially those with an extra pair of feet.

New Jovian Thunderbolt said...

Oh dear. Sorry Tam.

Rio Arriba said...

So very sorry for your loss. Our animal friends are true family. You can never replace Mittens, but you should get yourself another companion very soon. It eases the pain and gives you a head start on loving a new family member. You, and Mittens, are in my thoughts.

phlegmfatale said...

What a gorgeous creature!
I'm so sorry for your loss. I know she had the best and happiest life possible with her Tam.

Anonymous said...

Sincerest condolences from our place.

Anonymous said...

Aw, jees, I'm so sorry.

the pawnbroker said...

i'm sorry, tam...i'm thinking you were closer to her than most folks to their animals due to spending almost fulltime with her; as others have said, she was lucky to have you and you her.

i'm afraid my family and i will soon be sharing similar grief; our 16 year old babykitty is ill and i'm sure his time is near...yet he still carries himself with the same quiet grace as always and never really complains, but you can see the tiredness in his eyes.

my wife and children always loved cats and we've always had a few; even though i generally prefer dogs, i'm very close to baby and will severely miss him when he's gone.

if i could take some of your sorrow for you i would, tam...i know you are strong but some things transcend our normal resilience, and losing a loved one is one of them.

jtc

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry, Tam.

Turk Turon said...

Oh, Tam, I am so sorry!

She was a sweet kitty.

I don't know what to say. This is awful.

Tam said...

"if i could take some of your sorrow for you i would, tam...i know you are strong but some things transcend our normal resilience, and losing a loved one is one of them."

Thank you.

I have been friends with Mittens for eight years. I am completely wrecked over this. She would come when she was called (although she thought her name was "Fat Kitty" and not Mittens). Whenever you walked in the door,even if you'd only been outside for five minutes,she'd come running over, wagging her tail like the Golden Retriever she'd been raised by. (She was a cat, but her body language was bilingual due to her early life spent with a dog.)

I'm going to miss her so. There's going to be a chubby, fluffy hole in my heart for quite some time...

Anonymous said...

Darn, it sucks losing a pet..

My sincerest condolences.

NMM1AFan

Carteach said...

Aw Tam.....

Anonymous said...

Ohhhh damn. I am so sorry to hear this.

I've grieved the loss of some pets harder than the loss of some human family members.

Jay G said...

I'm so sorry, Tam.

Old NFO said...

RIP Mittens!

Alan said...

Pets are NICER than some family members.

My sympathies Tam.

Turk Turon said...

Most cats wag their tails when they are irritated, but Mittens wagged her tail when she was happy, which was most of the time.

Kevin said...

I never met the kitty, but I've yet to meet one I didn't like, even if it was too wild to be touched.

My sympathies, Tam. Mine's going on 13 years old, and it's starting to show.

I hope it was swift and painless, Tam (for Mittens). I know it will hurt for a long time, for you.

Find a kitten. Nothing better for it. There's no replacing our lost, but there is much joy in new life.

Anonymous said...

Just got the news.

I'm so sorry, Tam. It is losing a member of the family.

Anonymous said...

Tam, condolences from myself and Clancy.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry. If love would die with death, this life wouldn't be so hard.

Anonymous said...

So sorry for your loss, Tam

Anonymous said...

I'm so very sorry.

The Captain said...

You have my sympathies, Tam.

Anonymous said...

Condolences, dear

Anonymous said...

Sorry.

Hank

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear that, Mittens will live on in your memories.

aepilot_jim said...

My sympathies too, Tam. I just heard and I feel for what you're going through.

Anonymous said...

Aunt Corky was here this past weekend. She had three cats, but lost one not that long ago. Her cats are her companions, as she lives with no other humans in the house.
Mom and I are sorry about your loss.

Somerled said...

I've come to know Mittens a little through your posts, Tam. She loved and was loved in return. So many cats and so many people never have that opportunity. Thank you for sharing Mittens with us through your words and photos. Companions such as Mittens makes us better people.

Anonymous said...

Nessa (curled up next to me) and I offer our deepest sympathies.

Anonymous said...

Oh, hell.

Lost my 16-year-old tomcat a couple of years ago. I still dream about him.

I take some solace in the fact that without humans, they have short lives, never knowing what it is to be scratched behind the ears or to curl up on a warm bed on a cold winter's night.

You gave her that and a whole lot more, Tam. She gave you memories that will last you the rest of your life.

As much as you miss her, set aside a little time later to smile over what you shared.

Tim said...

Tam,

My condolences.

Tim

Anonymous said...

Gods gave us cats to keep us monkeys humble .... and to give us a source of natural, sheer beauty in our lives.

Cats are special things.

breda said...

Oh, Tam. I'm so sorry. She was a beautiful girl and so very lucky to have you.

Anonymous said...

Oh Tam!

"They stay with us so little time, and take our hearts with them when they go."

Never priviledged to meet her, but calicos are always special.

And losing one hurts, whatever her colors.

Mourn the loss, cherish the memories.

Anonymous said...

Tam,
So very sorry for your loss. I love my 12 year old cat, Callie,
dearly. I know how it hurts to lose a beloved pet, they are members of our families.

Jeffro said...

Awww, geez. I'm so sorry, Tam.

Sebastian said...

Bleh... sorry to hear that. Poor kitty.

theirritablearchitect said...

Tam,

Sorry to hear that.

Losing pets is extremely tough for anyone who loves them as they should, and like I know you do.

Take care.

Xavier said...

Bless you Tam. Mittens too.

LawDog said...

Oh, Tam, I'm sorry.

J.R.Shirley said...

You know I'm a dog guy, but Mittens was as nice as they come. I'm sorry for your loss, and thankful for the time you had.

John

Anonymous said...

I am sorry for your loss of a friend.

Anonymous said...

May she always be the furball beneath your feet.

Anonymous said...

Kibble, Bit, and I all send utmost condolences. Bitty Kitty offers a belly rub in her honor.

Gay_Cynic said...

my condolences...

Anonymous said...

my heartfelt sympathy (and empathy)

Anonymous said...

Condolences. Cats come into ours lives and make them better and then they leave all to soon.
My wife and I have probably had a eight or nine cats over the years and all of them just walked into our yard and decided to stay for a while. Losing one never gets any easier.
emdfl -
Currently owned by Bailey, the Psycho-Cat From Hell, and Bear, the cat who thinks he's a dog

Anonymous said...

Hope you don't mind, but I saved the picture to My Documents|My Pictures and have her as my wallpaper. She's a 3-colored cat, which to the Chinese, brings good luck.

angus lincoln said...

Sorry for your loss Tam. May the time pass swiftly and with it, the sorrow. Eventually, time seems to heal everything.I imagine Mittens had it better than most of her peers with you as her keeper.

FxR said...

It's never easy when we lose a pet. Remember that she was loved and cared for, given a safe and happy home.
My condolences.

Jenny said...

waaah!

I'm so sorry Tams.
She really was the sweetest cat I ever had the good fortune to meet... or for that matter, to wake up trying to breathe through. :)

How's Rannie?


dang.. :(

Buffboy said...

After almost a week of looking and wondering where he'd gone, I found our Nash last Friday. I feel your pain quite distinctly. It's hard to loose a friend. My condolences.

Anonymous said...

Until they start making cats with a lifespan longer than mine, I will never have another pet aside from maybe a turtle.

Peter said...

I'm so very sorry to hear this, Tam. I'll remember Mittens with pleasure, and I hope you'll come to a place where you can remember all the joy you had together, and be comforted.

Boyd said...

Buck up, gurlie. We feel for ya.

Rob K said...

I'm sorry for your loss. 9 lives never seems to be enough.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry for your loss.

Anonymous said...

Very sorry for your loss. Losing companions is always painful; how much the moreso when that companion is one whose life we've been responsible for for many years.

Our lives are so enriched by the presence of animals around us. In a way, they honor us with their simple, innocent affection. When well cared for and loved (as I have no doubt Mittens was), they make us better people for the effort and emotion we invest in them.

Eternal rest grant her, O Lord, and let Your perpetual Light shine upon her.

gvi

Lucas Darr said...

I am sorry about your kitty!

Take care.

Bob said...

My condolences, Tam. Mittens looked like a great cat. Take care.

AMB said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
AMB said...

Delurking just long enough to say that I'm very sorry for your loss.

ibex said...

I'm so sorry to read that.

Shermlock Shomes said...

Condolences. The loss of a pet leaves an empty spot that seems a whole lot bigger than the critter.

Anonymous said...

:(

boomvark said...

So sorry to see this. My condolences.

Anonymous said...

Awwww, Tam....I am so sorry to hear about this...my condolences.

Todd said...

Sorry for your loss.

Jay.Mac said...

Really sorry to hear about Mittens. Hold on tight to those fond memories of her.

Cats really should be made of longer lasting stuff.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. Know that she is waiting somewhere for you to catch up so she can rub some more hair on your clean clothes.

Formerflyer

Laura said...

my condolences. :(

Anonymous said...

Oh, Jeeze! That suxx big time. At least you know cats have a special place at the Great Gig in the Sky.

M

rremington said...

Sorry for your loss Kiddo :(

Rick

red said...

Sorry to hear about Mittens. Losing a fur kid is very tough, been through it too many times.

You have our condolences...

The Duck said...

He was a good looking boy,
Hang in there, in a lot of ways they are never really gone, for the memories they leave us with are sweet.

Mark said...

I know what you're going thru, I've been thru it twice in the last three years. "No heaven will ever heaven be, unless my cats are there to welcome me".

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Damn sun. Can't believe it still rises...

Sean Galt said...

That stinks, Tam. I'm sorry Mittens is gone; it is tough to get through losing a good companion like this.

Cybrludite said...

My condolences, Tam.

chrisb said...

I am so very sorry for your loss Tam. Our pets are family members. This poem helped me when I lost one of my furry friends.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Anonymous said...

I'm very sorry.

TXMagpie said...

I'm so sorry to hear this, Tam. Kitty love from our house to yours.

Brandon said...

I'm very sorry, Tam.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about this... losing cats is always hard.

JimB said...

I feel your pain.

Rustmeister said...

Sorry for your loss.

JD said...

Sorry to hear of the loss, that is the hardest part of being owned by a cat I think. . . .

Try to keep the happy memories until you see him again

Anonymous said...

To paraphrase RAH, if there's a cat heaven, it's somewhere that:

- Feet never kick
- Hands are for petting
- The days are sunny, and the nights are cool
- The food and water bowls are always full
- The mice are fat (and just a little slow)
- Laps are always available, and always warm

I hope you can find some solace in the thought that you gave Mittens the closest thing to heaven that could exist in the here-and-now.

George said...

Tough day for you, Tam. I know that mine ... Emmy and Lou ... offer their condolences and wishes for a better time.

As I just heard about it, I'll raise a glass for Mittens tonight.

Hang in there.

Brad K. said...

Tam, Sorry about Mittens.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, Tam. You know I'm allergic, but I pet them anyway. She was a good cat, she loved you, and you loved her. What more can be said?

I know we don't either of us believe in such things, but if we engage in flights of fancy, Mittens is with Pixel now.

Mike W. said...

Sorry to hear about Mittens Tam.

Hope she's feasting on warm milk and tuna in kitty heaven.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry, Tam. Bless you.

Anonymous said...

I'm way late here, but my condolences are timeless to you in your loss.

Having lost my beloved Ariel nigh onto three years ago, that black & white silken-haried hole in my heart has yet to mend.

From her surviving yellow tabby brother Harley, my beloved Iris and myself, our hearts are with yours in sorrow and mourning.

Mittens was one beautiful cat. Oleg's picture captured her soul.


Jim

Galveston, TX

jesperskibbey said...

Tam,

Sorry to hear about Mittens.

Jesper

Unknown said...

I'm sorry for your loss. She was a pretty cat.

Anonymous said...

Sorry sweetie.

Frank W. James said...

Beloved pets, both cats or/and dogs, are the furry flowers that brighten our lives on a daily basis. Sorry to hear that a valued 'rose' in your garden of life is now gone.

All The Best,
Frank W. James

Hecate said...

Been there, survived that, too many times, and will again.

No matter what we say, it seems so inadequate. I am so sorry for your loss.

Anonymous said...

Tam,

Sorry to hear of your loss. May the grace and peace of God be with you and RobertaX as you remember her fondly.

Steve

doubletrouble said...

Sorry to hear the news Tam- I know your pain.

My condolences...

Mark said...

Oh Tam, I am so sorry :(

She was a great cat, and she had a loving home all her life.

I'll toast her name this evening.

Anonymous said...

I am truly sorry for your lost and feel your pain. This past weekend I too lost a special friend, Monty.

Ambulance Driver said...

Awww, Tam. :(

I'm so sorry.

Fuzzy Curmudgeon said...

So sorry, Tam... :(

TGirsch said...

Sorry to hear that. I lost one (my first cat) a couple of Christmases ago, and she was only 5 at the time, so I know how you feel. Hang in there.

Anonymous said...

I lost my cat in 1996 and I still miss him.

You have my sympathies.

John Hardin said...

My condolences and sympathy. You'll pull through. It'll suck, but you'll pull through. I am still mourning my 18yo marmalade tom, when I let myself think about him.

Anonymous said...

130 people cared enough to comment.

Think about that.

Cowboy Blob said...

Here's to departed friends. [Pours one before 5 o'clock]

Anonymous said...

Very sorry to hear that.

Remember the fun of play time.

Anonymous said...

My condolences.

Pets are special creatures that bring much to our lives and leave all to soon.

Gmac

Anonymous said...

Buffy, Too-Tall and Mischka send their condolences. And I, too. Find a rescue kitten. Quick.
Leatherneck

Christina RN LMT said...

I'm so sorry, Tam! My condolences.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry for your loss. Our only child is also furry, but of the canine breed. I can't even think of the day I'll go through the same.

SpeakerTweaker said...

Aw, dammit.

I'm so sorry.



tweaker

Anonymous said...

Having lost a few cats in my days, you have my utmost sympathies for your loss.

Tango Juliet said...

:( My deepest sympathies.

Anonymous said...

My deepest condolences. I am a cat lover too.
Morenuancedthanyou

Anonymous said...

Sad. I haz it.

MC

Earl said...

Her memory won't purr and nuzzle like she loved you, but hang on to it because a cat makes a difference in your life.

Mark said...

Gotta pipe up.

Don't get a new cat too quick, Tam. I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but just... don't. Get a new cat when it feels right to, not to try to fill a hole. The hole is left by your loving Mittens, and it's a right and proper thing to have. When it's edges soften a bit, then's the right time, but don't try to put a new cat into a hole with edges too sharp and tall for it to climb out of.

I have Mitten's toasting beer in hand. Selah.

Anonymous said...

My thoughts and prayers are with you. We lost an eleven year old cat, robin, about a year ago. It's hard to get used to the void they leave when they go.

Best Wishes and kind thoughts.

Mark said...

My condolences and sympathies for you.

James R. Rummel said...

Just heard the news a few minutes ago. I'm terribly sorry.

James

Borepatch said...

I'm so sorry, Tam. It's sad that they're with us such a short time, but are such a big part of our lives.

Warthog said...

I got to this a bit late but I know the pain of losing a trusted friend and I hope that you can take some solace in remembering all the wonderful times you had with Mittens.

To steal a line from 300...My heart is broken for your loss.

the pistolero said...

Aww, Tam, I am sorry to hear that. Losing a friend is never easy. *hugs*

Anonymous said...

In situations like this words are small comfort, so I'll just offer my condolences and move along.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about you loss, Tam.

Assrot said...

As usual I'm late but I do feel for you. I know how hard it is to lose a four-legged friend. God knows I've lost my share in the last few years.

My sincerest condolences to you Tam. It's not fair that our furry friends don't live as long as we do.

Joe

SordidPanda said...

I am so sorry Tam, the loss of a pet is like losing one of the better parts of your soul.

The Freeholder said...

Tam, I'm really sorry about Mittens. Both the good and bad thing is that this never gets any easier.

Lynx217 said...

Tam oh Tam, I know exactly what you're going through. Right after 9/11 I had to put down my now ex-bf's cat, who I'd grown more attached to than anyone else had. It tore me up and I still cry for him now and then, all these years later. It's not easy but you'll be ok, just take all the time you need before you adopt another cat. But by all means, adopt another cat - cats need sweet humans like you!