"Pretty Girl"

This is our Sweet Catapult. We took this picture of her last Christmas with my new camera. Our first Christmas with her in 1999, she was almost one year old then, she immediately plopped herself into our Manger scene that we set up on the floor under the tree. It was quite a sight! The manger is large, about 12" tall inside the stable and is made of heavy card stock. She looked very happy with herself! This photo is not on digital so I will try to post it during the hoidays.



This was Catapult's, Catilin and my view all day Monday. You can see her little bed at the bottom of the picture. We bought this and her little cat crate for her when we went off to A.D.O.P.T. that Saturday in hopes of finding a kitten. NOT a tabby, AND NOT a cat (older kitten). That was our agreement when we left. BUt her nickname was "Hat Trick" and she mewed to us and wanted out with us. So we came home with an older tabby kitten, re-named Catapult by Caitlin. She had the sweetest face, most beautiful eyes I have still ever seen in any other cat, and pretty Abyssinian type ears. She had gone thru alot in her young life and needed some adjustment time. We patiently waited for her to come to us. Finally, months and months later, she had been sitting on the floor in a "safe" place a when suddenly she bolted accross the room landing in my lap! Hahaha. It was like when you finally are going to dive off into the deep end of the pool! She still liked her space but she was the sweetest cat ever.

So we sat on the floor and talked to her, softly petted her around her chin and ears...her favorite places. we cried and cried. Our eyes are still swollen. The beautiful Catapult was our family's very first pet. Hobbes is our second. We had her checked, her numbers were very, very high. A kidney transplant was first offered and then a daily shot to help suppliment her fluids for the rest of her life. But this could not guarantee success. Her chances were not good.
We were told we did a good job. We thought of her and not us. My husband made the call and Douglas came with us. Caitlin could not bring herself to come. This is really the first death of any kind for Caitlin and Doug. They were very young when my Dad died.
There have been many of you who have lost a beloved pet just this year. I felt your pain but did not know that we would actually be going thru it this year also. All experiences can enrich our lives, even the toughest ones. Challenges that are meant to strengthen us. I think of California and all of the need there. I think of our soldiers and their families. And I think of us all with our own struggles we face. I wish you, us all, Gods Love and protection and guidance.

HUGS and LOVE,
Mary