Izzy

To our Izzy, From the moment I saw you in a picture, I knew you were the cat for me. The runt, beautiful white fur with brown spots, you always looked like you were being bullied by your brothers and sisters. You were perfect. When I got to meet you in person, I knew I was right. You cuddled up in my lap and let me pet you for the first time, you were the softest, littlest baby. That night you and your sister hid on opposite sides of my apartment, scared and meowing. I scooped you up and put you with your sister, and you two cuddled all night. From then on, our days were filled with playing and exploring you and your sister’s new home. You loved climbing on me, you would sit on my chest every night and meowed until I woke up to pet you, a tradition you kept on your entire life. We moved to a new apartment, and you and your sister were so excited that it had a balcony. You would cry all day long to go outside, to jump up on the railing, to chase the leaves and collect sticks and bring them in. I had sticks in the bathtub, under the couch, all of your favorite places. Eventually, Sam started coming over and at first you didn’t know how to feel about her. You were always so suspicious. But quickly, you realized Sam loved the same things you do, most notably laying in bed all morning. She became your bed mom, and I, your breakfast and dinner mom. As the months passedt, you grew more and more comfortable with her. Sam became your favorite person to spend time with, lay next to, meow at, distract from work… Eventually, we moved in together, and you hated that. You and your sister, but of course, Audrey didn’t spend as much time thinking as you. You scurried under the couch and stayed there until nighttime when you would venture out and explore. We had a nice summer, thought it was nothing like the summer where you got to play with cicadas. You played and played and slept and loved and were loved. You had such a lovely time living with bed mom, your sister, and your birth mom. Sadly, we didn’t know that you were hiding such a scary condition. You had no decline, no slowing down. You played and zoomed and ran and climbed. Until one morning, you didn’t. You were loafed on the floor, by the water fountain. A new place, I had never seen, and it made me feel worried right away. You had your ways, Izzy, and that wasn’t one of them. Your bed mom and I waited, hoping it was a tummy ache that would go away by evening. But, by evening you had gotten worse. Scared, we rushed you to the vet. Audrey sniffed you as you were loaded into the carrier; do you remember? I hope she got to say good-bye to you then. We handed you off to the vets, nervously sat down and waited. They came out and told us they were going to keep you over night, that you had a frightening disease that would either take you away from us that night, or in the near future. We were scared, so scared, Izzy. We never got to say good-bye to you that night. We woke up to the news that you had passed, alone without your puppy-cat bedtime. We love you so much, Izzy, you will always be our precious, sweet, bedtime baby girl. From Sam: Izzy, I never had a pet before you and Audrey, and though I only knew you for a little less than two years, you became one of my best friends. I never knew that I could feel so close to a cat. I loved spending mornings with you in bed, cuddling. I loved chatting with you throughout the day (you always had so much to say). And I loved watching you jump from the dresser to the bed and flop as hard as you can. I will have an Izzy-shaped hole in my heart for the rest of my life. I love you so much, and I will miss you every day. I hope you are somewhere where you finally get to chase all the birds and leaves and sticks your heart desires. Love always, Ada and Sam