I'll Be Missing You, Cookie

Somewhere between those little paws pouncing on your toes and those last cozy moments in your arms your furry friend becomes your family. I think one of the things that make losing a pet so difficult is that she was always there for you. Whether you had the worst day of your life or the best, when you walked through your front door she was always there to greet you with her cute grin, waggling tail and complete adoration of you.

Last week, I lost my cat, Cookie. Truly my cat was family to me. We picked her out of a litter of mostly boys and two girls. She was the runt of the litter and when my brother and I saw her we knew she was the one. That was in 1996 when I was only six years old. I don’t remember much of my life before her, but I remember almost everything after. The times she scratched me when I would bother her, the times she would walk up to me and sit next to me when I cried, the Christmas mornings where she would quickly hop into every empty box that was tossed to the floor, when she would sniff out and investigate every grocery bag, every person, every "new" thing that came in the door, always exploring and bathing in the sunlight.

From making puddle soup in the sidewalk holes, to teenage drama and to my engagement, my cat has been my best friend, my sister, my kid. I love her and always will. She will always have a piece of my heart.

See you again someday my cute little fluffy black kitty cat!

Last time holding her in my arms <3

How I'll always remember you... bathing in the sunlight.