An Ode to Muffin

Dear Muffin ("Muffy"),

You came into my life just after my 10th birthday. You were so cute with your little pink and white paws.

I remember hearing you and your brother, Tigger prancing up and down the passage in the middle of the night, and I remember you both sleeping in the crook of my neck when you were so tiny.

I remember early days of you climbing to the top of the tree, thinking you were so brave and then meouwing until someone climbed up to get you down.

You hated driving in the car, and trips to the vet became interesting kareoke sessions.

You helped me get through a lot during my teen years, and I can still clearly remember coming home one day from school and crying because some stupid little boy had called me a name. Nothing anyone said could cheer me up. I took you hostage, locking us in my room and spending the next few hours going through the motions of crying, screaming and finally calming down. You were my saving grace that day, and many other days during that roller coaster period in my life.

I never looked at you as just a cat. I called you my 'furry friend', because you were just that.

Luckily for us, you weren't much of a hunter. You caught one or two birds and a couple of lizards and that was that. What fun it was putting on my slippers barefoot one morning, only to feel something cold and slithery running on my foot! In your last years, you made friends with the birds outside and they could come right up to you and say hello, and you wouldn't even bat an eye.

There was great fun introducing you and Tigger to the dogs, and after many, many years - the idea of them chasing you outside became almost laughable. You owned the house, and they knew it.

I'm so sorry that I wasn't standing with you when the time came to say goodbye. It's something I promised I would do from the time you arrived and it's not something I can easily move past yet. But, I'm glad you had Mom and Matt with you, and that you were able to still recognise me the last few times I came to visit.

We had a very special bond, you and me. No one can ever replace you. You were one of a kind, my 'furry friend',  and you will be greatly missed by us all.

Love you always,
Mel

xxx