Goodbye my first kitty love.

Duchess, you came into my heart accidentally, literally being dumped at a vet clinic....

Duchess, dear kitty,

I always knew this day would come and now that you are over 19 1/2, it's no surprise but it still hurts to say goodbye.

You possibly saved my life and my unborn child's life by letting me know that labor could be on its way...  (I thought maybe I was being a crazy cat lady but the doctor heard what you were doing and moved up my C-section)

You shared the ups and downs of vet school, an intense internship and a couple boyfriends, enjoying ice cream and lobster bisque with me.  During break ups, I could almost see you saying, "ice cream is so much better than boyfriends."

  When we found out you had a brain tumor and I decided to start giving you shrimp, scallops and other table scraps, you almost gave me a look like, "I should have faked this brain tumor years ago".  My husband thinks you are like the Dowager Duchess in Downton Abbey- I think you are more like Sophia on Golden Girls.

You were a best friend through many ups and downs, job changes and more, the last 18 years you've done it all with me.  Including a few cross-country flights.  You taught me what it is like to be a cat owner, even though you think you are a dog.  You are NOT the type of best friend who would talk on the phone, listening for hours offering consoling thoughts.  You were more like the best friend who once told me, "your boyfriend is too hot for you."  Most friends would take that as an insult, but she was right (he was a playboy) and just like your "statements" are more than most pet owners would take, they are always quite honest.

You fell in love with my husband and somehow you turned the man who said, "I will tolerate your cat because I love you" into "your mommy is so mean Duchess" and "we will do whatever we need to do for Duchess."

You saved me from studying too much by lounging across my books and reminding me why I became a veterinarian in the first place...

You trained a dog to be more like a cat.  You even trained him that even though he's 60 pounds and you're 5 pounds, you are the boss.  I still remember the time I caught you giving him "THE LOOK" and he moved off his dog bed to give it to you.

 Even my son when he was a toddler realized you were the boss.

You taught me that the domesticated feline can be just as talented and awesome a huntress as the ones you see on safari.  A previous owner had removed all of your nails, but even without claws and with a bell on you were the svelte and smooth predator.  We never knew we had a mouse problem at my parents' house until we got you.  You caught them but were also merciful.  You had no problem catching them live, putting them in a tall container and doing an exchange for a treat.  I'm quite confident those mice never found their way into the house after you got them.

You killed scorpions when we lived in Arizona.  You pretty much earned free rent and the ability to be irritating for the rest of your life with that one.

You saved me from becoming a complete pack rat by destroying memorabilia and furniture that we couldn't part with but needed to.

You let me know that "cry it out" with a baby is just not cool.  You did this with loud meowing, throwing your body against the door and inappropriate gifts.  You let it be known that YOUR baby needed help and you were the maternal figure who couldn't ignore him.

Duchess, we will miss you.  I don't think it's cliche and even if it is, I don't care.  I know there's not another cat out there like you.  Even my grandma and dad who said, they never liked cats, liked you.  You always made me crack up when you seemed to know who didn't like you and you hovered around them.  I'm pretty sure if kitties have a sense of humor, you had an awesome one.

Goodbye Duchess and thank you.  I don't need to get into the theology of "do pets go to heaven?" to know that pets are a special gift from God.  Our Creator has entrusted them in our hands for a limited time and I will be grateful I got to know you and occasionally be irritated with you because well- that's what love is and you have taught me how to love bigger and deeper.