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.


Comments

  1. What a beautiful girl Diva was—and Caesar’s a handsome boy. No wonder you miss her so much. I lost my cat Daisy in January and still expect her to climb on my lap at the computer every day. Hugs, Syndi. It’s hard.

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  2. Hugs from me, too. Our pets are such members of our families and there is such an empty place when they have to leave us. Thanks for sharing your memories of her.

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  3. Sorry for your loss. Loved seeing the pictures. Sending you a big hug.

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  4. Animals are part of the family, so it leaves a big hole when they're gone. It's so sweet that your dog needs his stuffed Diva to sleep with now. You have lovely memories, and you know what a good life you gave her.

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  5. Such a sweet-looking cat, Syndi, who clearly brought a lot of joy to you and your family. Our pets give us so much, don’t they? All the best.

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  6. I know of another household where the cat and dog were lifelong friends, though the cat was the alpha in the relationship. Very touching how Caesar is coping with loss with his stuffie. Best!

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  7. My cat pats my face too. But, the cat and dog at my house have a love/hate relationship LOL
    I'm so sorry for your loss.

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  8. I'm so sorry. Diva was a beautiful cat, and I can see from your pictures that she would be a fun pet to have around. Pets bring so much joy, but they leave a hole when they're gone. Hugs from me as well.

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  9. I’m so sorry you lost Diva. But it’s true, it’s not easy watching a beloved pet suffer. And I don’t think it’s at all silly to be so attached to a cat. Our animals become like family and we get so used to having them around. We almost lost our Kit-Kat (cat) almost two years ago and I was a mess!! But he came around and is now 17.5 years old. I don’t know how long he has left, but he seems relatively well for his age. Maybe you’ll adopt another Diva??

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  10. There's a saying: when your kids become teenagers, get a dog so someone is happy to see you come home....

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  11. Diva is such a great name--so sorry you had to say goodbye to her.

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  12. So sorry you lost your precious Diva. Losing a pet is so hard--they are part of the family.

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  13. I'm so sorry for your loss. I have 3 cats (adopted as kittens) ruling my house (and the dogs), so I totally understand how they're a part of the family and their loss is deeply mourned. I feel bad for your sweet dog too. Hugs.

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