Diva by Syndi Powell

Diva by Syndi Powell


This past March, I had to say goodbye to my darling Diva. Aptly named, she ruled the home with her attitude and insistence that things would be done her way or no way at all.

She was a rescue, found by my ex-sister-in-law when the mother cat abandoned her kittens. There were a total of about four kittens that survived, and we chose Diva.

We took her home on a Friday night in June, then went back the next day to a neighbor who rescuded dogs and adopted her brother from another mother, Ceasar. They were best buddies from that day on. They would chase each other around the house, take each other's toys, and demand attention from me when I was petting the other.

Diva was definitely a curious cat. She had to be in the middle of things and check things out. I'd bring home bags of groceries, and she would have to sniff each one to give her approval.

I had several nicknames for her: Deev, Miss Diva, Miss D, Missy, Baby Girl, etc.

She loved her food (she was a BIG cat), naps, and getting scratched under her chin. She was a loving cat up to a point. She'd let you pet her for awhile, but then when she'd had enough she would nip your hand and run off. She would sleep at the end of the bed every night then would wake me up with soft pats to my face to let me know that she was ready for her breakfast.

Ceasar misses his little sister and searched the house for her the first week after she died. Co-workers of mine bought me a little gray stuffed cat, and Ceasar loves it so much. We call it Diva, and he likes to cuddle with it when he takes a nap.

While saying goodbye is never easy, to know that she is not in any more pain from the cancer that quickly spread from her liver to her lungs, gives me peace. I was able to hold her and kiss her as she took her last breath and crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

It seems silly to be so attached to a cat, but she was like part of my family, and I miss her so.