Sona 1996-2011

We lost our cat Sona the night of Groundhog Day. She'd been with us nearly fifteen years. I loved her, and I'm very sad.

When we got her from the shelter we had just bought the house. It was an empty echoing thing with no kids, or pets, or furniture and Sona made it home. She examined everything we brought into the house or yard. The babies who grew into middle schoolers under her watchful eye, our other cat Rakhan, the dog, new cars, house guests, home remodels. She was incredibly skilled at hunting. Loved nothing more than laying in the long grass up on the hill stalking something to kill and bring home to her "family". Mice, birds, chipmunks, frogs, snakes (shudder!). And she was in charge when we went away on vacation and the pet sitters came in.
She'd been on meds for an over active thyroid for a couple of years, but she started getting sick this winter ... sneezing, runny eyes etc. The doctor couldn't find anything hugely wrong in her bloodwork. Then on Monday she had a seizure. I rushed her to the vets but she came out of it having lost her sight. Sona, blind? It didn't seem possible. Her kidney values were high, and the vet said this could be it. She hated being at the vets because she couldn't see and didn't know anyone, so we brought her home. She spent her last two days surrounded by her family, finding her way around her house from memory, finding her food and litter box, and sleeping and purring in my lap. I was watching TV with her in my lap when she had another short seizure. It was late night and snowing hard but we rushed to get her to the vet. She died peacefully on the way there, cradled in my arms and wrapped in her favorite blanket.
It feels wrong not to hear her bell or her chirruping meow around the house. But she had a full life, a happy life, and I'm glad she shared it with us. Goodbye Sona, my golden girl. Thanks for fifteen years of companionship. Even though I didn't seem to appreciate the gifts you brought me, I did appreciate the thought. The birds and beasties of the backyard won't miss you, but we will, and do.
Sorry for the sloppy writing, but I'm not going to edit this since it makes me cry. I still have a revision to get back to this morning ... :(