My Sweet Cat Scarlet: August 14, 1995 – December 24, 2012
My sweet kitten Scarlet left us this past Monday. She’d had CRF for the last year, and finally it was too much and she let me know it was time. I got her and her sister Melanie a few days shy of 6 weeks, so we were together almost 17 and a half years, and it just isn’t the same without her.
Melanie was a friendlier cat, while Scarlet was very shy. For the entire first day I had her, she ran from me when I approached. The second day I tricked her with some food and then grabbed her, and sat down in a chair and hugged and petted her. It only took a few minutes and the cries turned into purrs, and from them on—until the last week—she always greeted me at the door when I came in. Scarlet was very affectionate like her sister, and liked to sleep on my chest at night.
She was also very mischievous as a kitten. I couldn’t have a Christmas tree until she was five. The first year I tried to put up the tree Scarlet was just short of four months old, and she destroyed the tree…she climbed up it, jumped on it from a running start, batted all the ornaments and chewed through the lights. It stayed up for about two days.
Scarlet eventually grew out of that, but never stopped loving to cuddle and being around me wherever I was, and I never grew tired of having her near. I miss her very much.
Sweet dreams, my good little girl.
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to your beautiful little girl. So sorry for your loss. 
I'm so sorry.
Now, she's a real angel. I know you must be heartbroken. She lived a long, loved life though, thanks to you!
I had three pets die in the past four years so I know how hard this is. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
She was a beautiful cat. I'm sorry to hear of your loss 
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What a beautiful kitty.
no matter how long they bless us with their love and purrs, they leave us too soon...
May warm, furry memories comfort you.
What a beautiful cat and such a lovely tribute to her... You've had a really tough year. Your pictures are wonderful. It sounds like you had such a special relationship - just remember how fortunate Scarlet was when she found you. 
I hope you find some peace during what I know is a really tough time.
we had our Max for 10 years. He was 19, when he let us know he had "had" it. The vet came to our home and I stroked him while he was given the injection. Our vet told us "If he could talk, he would be thanking you right now". We have pictures on the mantle, we smile when we talk about him, and we will always have him in our hearts. His spirit will always be with us and we are grateful to have had his love. This was over 10 years ago, but we still have not decided when to get another.
What beautiful creatures, both! All of your lives were richer for being with each other. I love reading DUers like you, joey, who take such exquisite care of their precious pets.
Please accept my condolences on the loss of your beloved Scarlet.
Peace.
to be so loved and have such a wonderful life with you and her sister. I know the pain of losing beloved pets only too well. Thanks for sharing and for giving her the best life she could have had!! 
Last edited Wed Dec 26, 2012, 05:51 PM - Edit history (1)
all my best from me and mine. She will be waiting for you.......
hopefully you'll recover more than I did when our beagle passed away /put to sleep (lung cancer. no smoking in the house either). Cats seem to be around longer. Same was with another I knew long before we got our beagle. , but passed around the same time. Annie Bartholomew 1997-2008. No thats not her on my old DU2 avatar. She's one beagle. love watching other beagles too. although I used to and still have a thing for cats. Last animal to wander in our house was not the beagle. Had a cat wandering around in the back during our porch construction and I sorta grabbed it and let it loose in the house without my dad knowing about it. Mom forced me to amuse it thru the front door. Did get the Undercover Mouse though for the new kitties for my aunt uncle. had no idea brother and sister would actually share that thing. Think the best story I've heard is either the 5am aunt woke up to what she thought was a mouse but no. Pebbles and Yogi were attempting to get a turned off undercover mouse to um rotate.
Or 2 days later , they usually have Yogi pretending to be a dog begging for food at the dinner table. So idea happened and they stuck the UCM in another room and no kitties during dinner. 
Whoever invented that thing had a good distracting idea. Especially if they are bored cats. They've never crawled up the christmas trees though. but Pebbles went missing for a few days when she ran out the door so the rule is make sure door is shut at all times when walking thru . CLosed legs..
They are such an important part of our lives. I know you are thankful for every one
Of the days she was with you all and you all will hold her in your hearts, forever...
This was our first holiday season without our sweet Tikki ( the dog) and it seemed a bit
sad...
Tikki
sweet dreams scarlet!
until he got one (for his little girl) - now he brags about that cat, its speed and agility
By the way, no one EVER truly "understands cats" 
Three dogs run over in my lifetime, and two cats. I loved them all. I promise that none will ever share that fate again.
I'm so sorry. My sincerest condolences.
So sorry for your loss, joeybee12. Our furry friends leave far too soon.
and I hope your sweet angel will RIP.
I lost my old kitty last year at this time too. She was 17 years old as well. It still makes me sad. I think some things you just never really get over it seems.
I was more distraught with the loss of Butterfinger than my father. I told him my father had had a full life, but Butterfinger's life had been cut short by bad kitty food. After four years, I miss then both as you will long miss Scarlet.
I am in tears for you, joeybee. I lost my beautiful Junior at age 22 on New Years Day 3 years ago and I still miss him. I am sending you virtual hugs tonight.
Diane
I am sorry for your loss.
She's smiling at you now....
Ah gee I'm gonna cry right along with you. Our furbabies. 
I lost my faithful dog after 17 years. I knew I was going to lose my husband and my dog was suppose to be there for me, but he died about 6 months sooner.
After characters from Gone With the Wind
I had my Spooky for 22 years and she was at the vets 1 day of her life to get spayed and it was on Halloween. The attendant said "I don't think we've ever had a cat named Spooky come in on Halloween". She let me know also when it was time so I got a huge pillow, made her comfortable, and she was gone in the morning. They bring such joy to us. Sorry for your loss, joeybee12. My advice is to go to the shelter and adopt another in her name. You'll also be saving a life.
She had a wonderful, love-filled life because of you.
Scarlet sounds like a wonderful cat, deserving of such a fine tribute. In her honor, one of my favorite poems:
To a Cat
Mirrors are not more wrapt in silences
nor the arriving dawn more secretive;
you, in the moonlight, are that panther figure
which we can only spy at from a distance.
By the mysterious functioning of some
divine decree, we seek you out in vain;
remoter than the Ganges or the sunset,
yours is the solitude, yours is the secret.
Your back allows the tentative caress
my hand extends. And you have condescended,
since that forever, now oblivion,
to take love from a flattering human hand.
You live in another time, lord of your realm -
a world as closed and separate as a dream.
-- Jorge Luis Borges
Peace to you.
May you be free from suffering. Peace and comfort to you and yours, joeybee12.
I am so sorry. You know how lucky you were to have had her for so long and you know she was so very lucky to have you. All that is wonderful but it does not stop the pain. Bless your heart, I am so sorry. They bring us so much pain when they leave but after a while I always end up deciding the pain is worth the joy and love we all would miss out on if they were not with us.
Be easy for a while, find some fun and find some peace. You are such a good man, I mean this even though I will never meet you. I know from reading the things you write about life and this country/world and love and working to make it all better. I wish this pain did not come from all the wonderful things you do for others. Sending hugs and healing thoughts because damn it, I can't do anything else. XXOO
