Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Pixel: 1992 - 2010

We had to say good-bye to my dear friend Pixel today.















He was eighteen years old and had been in decline for a couple of years due to chronic renal failure, which is always fatal.

I had him since he was a kitten. He used to climb my bedspread and sit on the edge of my bed, triumphant at his grand accomplishment. As an adult cat he was shy with strangers, but a lovebug with me and Dan. He was playful until almost the end, still willing to chase a catnip mouse as recently as two weeks ago. His final decline was rapid and painful to see.

He leaves a big hole in my life, but eighteen years together does that. It was a longer relationship than I've had with my husband!

Pix and Tidbit were great friends, as you can see here:













When we moved to this house two and a half years ago, Pixel cowered in his carrier, scared to come out, while Tid waited patiently at the carrier door for more than a day. Sometimes she'd poke her head in, sometimes she would thump at him, as if to say, "Hurry up!" Most of the time, she just laid there, waiting.



















I like to think they're together again. No doubt she's been wondering what was taking him so long.

18 comments:

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Awww, BunnyGirl, I'm so sorry, so hard to loose a longtime friend. 18 is quite a milestone for a kitty. The pictures of Pix and Tid are too sweet, she must be showing him around the bridge. Hugs to you and Dan and Cadbury too.

Christina said...

No doubt they are together again. This is a beautiful story. I love that Tidbit waited and encouraged Pixel to come out. How humbling that is to me. I am so sorry about the loss of your Pixel. I will keep you in my thoughts.

Deb Cushman said...

We're so sorry to hear about Pixel. What a sweetheart...and what lovely pictures of Tidbit and Pixel together.

Our thoughts and best wishes go out to you.

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Ohh, darling. It's never easy, no matter how far in advance we see it coming.

Huge hugs and lots of love.

Glenna said...

Oh, dear. So hard and sad to lose a little one. My condolences to you and Dan. Such sweet photos of Tid with Pixel!

Leah J. Utas said...

I'm so sorry. I'm sure Tidbit was there to greet him.

Thomma Lyn said...

Ann, my heart goes out to you. Eighteen years -- what a wonderful time you had with precious Pixel, and he with you, Dan, Tidbit, and then Cadbury. He was and will forever be a much-loved kitty, and I'm sure that Tidbit and Pix are together now, sharing a nose-kiss. So precious, your story about Tid waiting on Pix to come out of his carrier. I'm sure she was waiting just as patiently for him at the Bridge. And Tid and Pix are both, forever, loving you and your family. Love and friendship never die. I believe that with all my heart.

Love and hugs to you, my friend. Here's a poem which has always spoken deeply to me. I hope you'll find comfort in it, too.

And God asked the feline spirit
Are you ready to come home?
Oh, yes, quite so, replied the precious soul
And, as a cat, you know I am most able
To decide anything for myself.

Are you coming then? asked God.
Soon, replied the whiskered angel
But I must come slowly
For my human friends are troubled
For you see, they need me, quite certainly.

But don't they understand? asked God
That you'll never leave them?
That your souls are intertwined. For all eternity?
That nothing is created or destroyed?
It just is....forever and ever and ever.

Eventually they will understand,
Replied the glorious cat
For I will whisper into their hearts
That I am always with them
I just am....forever and ever and ever.


~ Author Unknown

LauraHinNJ said...

Sorry for this loss of a dear friend...

RG said...

Oh dear. We had our PJ Kitty for almost that long and it was pretty hard. It was amazing to look back at all the things that happened to us and he was always there!

(PS - after a year or so we tried another kitty .. not the same, did not work out.)

Anonymous said...

Hugs from us - I'm sure they are playing together having found each other again.

Lisa said...

So very sorry for your loss. Pixel was a very handsome guy and he will surely be missed. It sounds like he had a long and joyful life, that's the important thing.

I love bunny/cat love. So precious. I must get a kitty!!

the Bag Lady said...

I was doing okay, reading this until I read the last part about them being together again.... that made me cry! I am sure they had a grand reunion and are hanging out together, reminiscing about what a great life they had with you!
Pix is probably catching Tid up on all the gossip, and reassuring Tid that Cadbury is doing a great job of keeping you company!

Crafty Green Poet said...

oh I'm so sorry to hear that, I'm sure they will be together again, they obviously loved each other when they were both with you

Heart of a Cowgirl said...

Bunnygirl, so sorry about your Pixel. 18 years - what a lifetime of love you gave your kitty (and vice versa). The pics of your kitty and bunny together are so sweet. No doubt they are snuggling again. And you will all meet up again, I believe that.
Thanks for your kind words about our Bandit ~ he was a special horse and sadly missed.
Hugs to you.
Bridget

Michele said...

Oh, BG, I'm so sorry to learn about Pixel's passing. He was a beautiful cat and certainly a very good friend in your family for a long time. It's always so hard and so sad to say goodbye to our pets, as it's like saying goodbye to a part of our lives that means so much to us. I hope you and Dan are doing okay. My thoughts are with you.

Very sweet story about Pixel and Tidbit. In light of your recent post about community, their relationship takes on a very special meaning.

EPJO said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
RoadBunner said...

Oh, I am so so sorry for your loss. It breaks my heart when I read about furry friends who have crossed over the bridge. I got all teary thinking about Pixel and Tidbit together again. ((hugs))

(oops, had the wrong account logged in before)

Erin said...

I'm so sorry for your loss:( He had a good long life though, and I hope he found Tidbit on the other side.