Feline Friends

We invite them into our home and, before we know it, they’ve wrapped themselves around our hearts. We don’t own them, they employ us to meet their every need, telling us in no uncertain meow what they want. In the mornings, before the kettle is filled and switched on, fresh food and water is provided for our furry feline friends. They reply to our speech and greet us when we appear, rubbing against us to establish their ownership. They sit on our lap (well, some of them do) and sleep on our bed, they purr when we stroke them and scratch their head. Stroking silky fur, therapy for our souls, relaxing us, strengthening the bond between us and our feline family friend. Eyes, like jewels, draw us in to their souls, now totally besotted, we cannot imagine our life before them or without them. They are so completely part of our family, an integral fixture in our lives, such is the relationship of cat with human. But when they get sick and can’t be fixed, we have to say goodbye, which leaves a big gaping hole where our heart used to be. We cry, we mourn, we feel totally forlorn, our only hope that they have gone to a happy place, where we will meet again, one day. Ruth Mawdsley 22-1-19