We didn't have a chance to say goodbye to our cat, Pipsqueak who passed away this week. She was 15 years old and was slowing down even before we left. She never meowed. She squeaked... Therefore her name. She was always a very mellow and content cat who only stayed in the back yard. In 15 years we saw her in the front yard only few times.
I adopted her when she was three months old, skinny and full fleas and Dan was in Chicago. At the time I watched TV campaigns asking people to sign up to become foster parents but with both of us working we couldn't be foster parents. So even though we had Pam the dog, and Prints the cat who moved from Utah with us to the Washington state, I thought I could adopt a cat instead.. Pip was most gentle and affectionate cat who liked to sleep with you with her paw on your face, but Pam and Prints didn't appreciate her much.
We had three beds and all night long the three pets played musical beds... One would jump on one bed and the one who was on the bed would move to another bed. So the first day Andy came home from his mission, we asked him not to close his bedroom door because the pets went in and out all night. And the first night we heard the following one way conversation when everyone settled for the night:
"Pip! Move your paw. I don't know where it's been.... (pause)... Oh, no, I know where it's been. Move your paw!"
Pip was kicked out of Andy's room not long after and the door was closed. Prints slept with Andy from then on...
Buddy, who was adopted after Pam died, got along with Pip most of the time. I don't know how we are going to tell Buddy when we get home...
It's interesting how much our pets touch our lives and change us. I still miss our first pet, Patches the cat. He came into our lives unplanned and taught me I could be loved. I hope he is waiting for me.... I adopted Pip partly she looked like patches.. Thank you Patches, Pam, Prints, Pipsqueak, Blue and Betsy., You all touched our lives and made us better humans... Thank you our old friends...
