Grateful each day

I am not an animal person. I grew up with dogs, but they were outside animals and I knew little more than their names.

(The above shot is Cosmo.)

 

 (The above shot is Amado.)

Harry grew up with animals and loved them and is a great animal person. But a weekend tending my brother's German shepherd was enough to persuade him that cats would do!

I am grateful for the three

 (The cat in the background is Elizabeth.)

cats who were a part of ours and our children's lives. Amado was cared for by the missionaries Harry was teaching at the LTM, and when they left, we took over. It was a task to hide this kitten in the apartment we were renting - the apartment that didn't allow pets! Amado disappeared one day - and we ran an ad and he was returned! Then he disappeared again and we never saw him again. It was sad.

Our good friends the Swensons had too many cats - and offered to give us Elizabeth - and Bonny and Harry as young children enjoyed her immensely. But she contracted cat leukemia and died - in spite of our best efforts. We had  little funeral for her - and Harry talked about the resurrection. That night at family prayer, Bonny prayed that Elizabeth could be resurrected the next day! Harry commented that may he needed to clarify things for her!

What followed were several years of no cats - Bonny had a parakeet, Harry had a guinea pig and a snake. And we had fish.

Then Cosmo came into our lives - literally being dumped on our street.  Harry  promised he'd get his Eagle if I would let them keep him - and I took him up on his offer!

Cosmo grew old with us - and we loved him. But one day he disappeared. We sent out flyers. Turned out our neighbors knew him well - he hung out at their homes often. One neighbor called him Mr. Chang. One neighbor called him Sophomore - because he was smarter than their cat - whose name was Freshman!

We never found him or his remains. The common belief is that he was killed by a coyote. We did have a lovely memorial service for him - and sang "Cats" in his honor. 

And so the last many years has passed without a pet in our house. But we can enjoy other pets that belong to other people and other people are responsible for them.

But I do enjoy Lady Mary!