She was a tiny little thing, and I’d really grown so very fond of her. Sadly, Stripes is no more and I sure do miss her.
People always find me when they have a problem with an animal, and so it was a few nights ago that my neighbor across the street had knocked on my door. She said she’d just come home and saw a cat in the road hit by a car … it looked like my next door neighbor’s. I grabbed my coat and ran out to find Stripes lying there, bleeding, still warm, the life knocked out of her limp body.
Stripes did indeed belong to the folks next door, and had two young girls that loved her. Stripes and Pumpkin, half siblings, are/were primarily outdoor cats with shelter in their garage at night, all up to date with shots, neutered, etc. Her life with me was somewhat tangential, I guess you could say, but I loved her nonetheless. I saw her daily, fed her a “snack/meal” almost every day, and sat outside with her whenever I could.
With big green eyes and so very sweet and affectionate, Stripes was a little heartbreaker, and I say little – she couldn’t have been more than 5 pounds. I’d sit out on my porch to journal with my feet up on another chair so she could fall asleep on my legs. After eating, Pumpkin was off to whatever he had next on his schedule, but Stripes would have cuddled as long as the cuddles were coming. She patiently allowed me to remove the burrs from her fur acquired from her gallivanting all over the neighborhood, where she was a disturbingly good huntress. It’s no coincidence, I think, that there was a dead mouse about 2 feet from where her body lay in the road.
I miss those hopeful green eyes looking up at me through my back door screen … for a bite to eat or perhaps some snuggling … she loved any and all attention. Mine are my indoor cats; Stripes and Pumpkin had become my part-time, outdoor cats. It doesn’t matter that she wasn’t “mine.” She found a comfortable spot in my heart, and that’s where Stripes sleeps tonight.
Sweet dreams, little one.
Still A Dreamer 
My dear Jeanne,
Thank you for letting me share your memorial to Stripes. And for giving me the chance to share your love for this wonderful little cat. Truly, there is no “mine” or “yours” or even “ours”. As far as love is concerned we are one. Stripes, Shady, Chloe, Nito and so, so many more will always live as long as love lives and love lives forever.
My heart goes out to you, Jeanne,
Norman
LikeLike
Hi Jeanne,
I had some time this morning before the students rolled in to look more closely at all the artwork on your site. My favorites are:
Frenchie Apres Rousseau
Magical Frenchies
Shady Note Paper
Stafford Christmas
Stafford Pup in Rose
Pet Portraits
I think your technical skill is at it’s best in the pet portraits. They really impressed me. I’m a lover of busy compositions, which is why I really like the ‘Rousseau’ one. What did you use on that? Out of all the mediums I noticed I think I like your watercolors and your black & whites the best. I only wish I could see them a bit larger on your website because its hard to see the detail. By the way, I loved reading about Dutchess. I grew up with black labs, Cinder and Belle. Now I have a black & white cat, Sid. He’s been my constant companion for 17 years! We had another cat, Clyde, who died from Cancer & heart disease. He was only 5 years and looked just like Stripes but with gold eyes. Thats a beautiful photograph of Stripes! Cathy Daniels 🙂
P.S. How is the new printer hunt going?
LikeLike
It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I had no idea about Stripes. What a sad, sad, story. And I can see your eyes welling with tears as you wrote this too. I wonder if the two little girls were as heartbroken as you. I wasn’t sure what was sadder, how Stripes lived, or how she died. At least she had a source of comfort on your warm, and welcoming lap.
Sheri
LikeLike
Thanks, Sheri – Yes, the little girls are heartbroken as well. The youngest loves to write and tells me she writes about Stripes almost every day. It’s hard for a child to comprehend loss of an animal. Hard for us, too, even though we’re so grown-up.
LikeLike