Animals are individuals...

Ah, yes.. you have all probably seen my post on Facebook about my kitty, Myste.  So props to those who dared to click on this blog, because yes, it's my ode to animals.
I've always been an animal lover.  I never really thought of them as "pets".  They always seemed like individuals. My first real pet growing up was my cat Daisy.  I loved that cat... I remember deciding to be a cat also and spent 2 days crawling around and eating my food from a bowl on the floor.  I had thought I wanted to be on a diet of cat food, but after tasting it, opted to stick with human food.  Hey, don't judge me eating cat food, I was five and if you are trying to act like you've never tasted pet food, you are lying.  And if it wasn't pet food it was something else...(i.e. paste, erasers, chapstick, bugs..etc)
Daisy and I had many journeys together.  Most of them existing of me playing outside and her cruising around hunting bugs and mice.  She was always so kind to bring me her prize - I tried to play it cool and not be grossed out, not wanting to hurt her little kitty feelings.  At night she would go outside, and each night I tried to fool my mom by hiding Daisy under the covers.  If we got away with it she would move to the top of my pillow and curl around my head.  It was comfortable in every aspect of the word.  She lived a very long time, until one day she disappeared.  She must have known it was her time and she left to die in peace.  I had some other cats after that, loving them as much as I could, but never really feeling what I did with Daisy.
Until Myste.
When we moved to our house here on the beach, we decided shortly after to get a cat.  I was at the humane society and saw Myste.  She was up for adoption and I just fell in love with her right away.  She was gray with a white chest and white paws.  She was snugly.  I made the decision without telling anyone, bringing home my new kitten paraphernalia to break the news to my family.  They were excited and we brought her home a few days later.  The humane society had told us that kittens feel more comfortable in an enclosed space.  So I constructed one for her in a hall closet.  I put a 3 foot board up to keep her safe inside that first night... kind of like a little kitty kennel.  I was just falling to sleep when I hear the tiniest meow and clawing.  There is Myste the kitten climbing up the bed to come sleep next to me.  I couldn't believe it!!  I gently pick her up and take her back to kitty kennel, thinking it's what I am supposed to do...you know, what's best and all.  I return to bed and sure enough.. 10 minutes later, there she is again.  This continues two more times and finally as she was climbing up the bed for the 4th time, I let her stay.  She curled up next to me, purring so loudly and this is where she stayed every night for the next 6 years.  She liked to be up high and would get crazy and climb the door jambs like a tree.  It was hilarious.  She liked to talk to birds and sit by the window.  She sat with me everyday in the morning while I was having my coffee, and as I mentioned before, she slept next to me every night.
About 3 years ago, we brought Lily, our Golden Retriever home.  Yeah, Myste was not thrilled.  It's suffice to say she HATED Lily.  She looked at us like "seriously.. why?"  She would watch Lily chewing on a bone and the look was like "you are DISGUSTING"... :)  But after awhile they got used to each other, Lily just wanting to have someone else to play with and Myste clearly just tolerating her.  Over the last few months we would actually find them sleeping near one another... yes progress was made in Lily's mind.. but Myste, if she had a caption about her head  it would have said "..hey look I'm getting along.." (insert monotone here) haha..
She was normally kind of a moody cat, wanting to snuggle on her terms and letting you know when she was done.  Over the last few days she was more snugly than ever.. she was with me every second, rubbing her head on mine and doing that cute thing where cats lay on their backs with their paws up as if to say "look at me, I'm adorable"..
Last night she was doing that.. hanging out in my room with me, meowing and playing, seemingly normal.  I walked out ... not 2 minutes later Travis came to tell me she was gone.  Poor guy, that couldn't have been an easy job.  I was in disbelief.  When I went in to see Myste and say goodbye I was sitting on the floor crying.  My dog came up and quietly sat next to me, putting her head on my shoulder.  It was the best comfort in the world. Amazing.
I think it's the sudden part that feels so awful.  It's kind of surreal.  And it's very quiet here this morning.  At the same time I feel so silly...but I don't care.  Call me silly.. I loved her.  She wasn't just a "pet".. she was an individual.  She was part of our family.
We put her out in Tyler's flower garden, surrounded by flowers and a planter full of flowers on top.  I should mention she was buried in style, in a Maurices box, decorated and designed by Tyler, with her favorite blanket and Abby's ode to her, a "Hello Kitty" pencil.
To those who know exactly how I feel...
Love,
T♥