Very Sad Morning...

I awoke this morning to get ready for the early morning church service & just before leaving I noticed my cat Jerry stretched out on the living room rug. That cat never stretches out, he's always curled in a ball. I called out his name & then the gut wrenching feeling hit me.
Oh my... he was dead! I heard a cry out in the night but sometimes they do a howling sound at other cats that are outside around the house. I thought this cry was different but it awoke me from a sleep, then it was quiet in the house. Boris got out of bed but returned, I'm sure it was Jerry's passing.

Just last night he was with me on the couch, his paw on my arm as I was knitting & we were watching Alfred Hitchcock's horror film, The Birds.

Jerry was born July 1998 & in October 1999 had his left leg amputated after being hit by a car. The vet said it was broken in 5 places & it was best to remove it as it would be more of a hindrance to have it. The vet reassured me that he would only loose 10% of his mobility. Jerry survived that operation & years later would loss an eye to a raccoon fight. Five years ago I was told by the vet that he also had a heart murmur. With everything Jerry had endured in his life, it was a long happy one.
My heart is heavy today & St Paddy's Day will have a new memory of its own.

His brother Tommy is next to me as I'm typing, purring & touching me as the tears flow from my eyes, a very sad morning indeed.