We adopted this beautiful wild kitten, who had been abandoned at 2 1/2 weeks old. He successfully took to handfeeding and thrived. He had beaten death when I received him he was cold, dehydrated, very skinny, and stools as hard as rock. His sibling with the same symptoms passed away 3 days later in the arms of her caretaker. Paco was very dear to me. His passing happened 3 1/2 weeks after I adopted him.... he was only 6 weeks old. Just a wee little baby. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Last night Paco left us and went up to heaven..... although I think he's procrastinating since I still feel him here with us. It's hard loosing a little one, Paco became like one of my own children to me. Last night he chose to sleep with Doug, curled up on his chest. Sometime during the night he rolled over between Doug and the side of the couch. He never woke back up. Doug picked him up this morning and his heart just broke. I went over and cradled him in my arms, and that's when it hit. I just sobbed. This beautiful little kitten with the spirit of an angle laid here in my arms....... but would never wake back up again. I felt like I was cradling one of my own children, and for the first time I could understand partially how a parent must feels as they hold their child that passed on. I couldn't put him down. I wanted to hold him forever. What I would have given to be able to wind back the clocks and have him laying here in my arms peacefully. It was time for his breakfast, he should be meowing and begging for food..... hopping at my feet as I walked to the kitchen, or sitting here in my arms and looking into my eyes with a paw on my chest as he wishes I'd hurry a bit faster since his tummy was growling! But instead, here he laid nearly stiff cradled in my arms. I held him close and just cried. He had just grown a bit more.... from a little kitty to the first steps of being a big boy! Just on Thanksgiving Day, he moved from the bottle to eating from a dish. From only milk, to a little bit of solids. My little baby had taken the next step to being a big boy! Paco loved to grab my feet as I was working on the computer, to roll over on his back and bite my toes while he grabbed my foot with his legs. Big fierce lion, he thought he was! From Paco's waking moment till he fell back asleep....he'd play nonstop. A piece of paper on the floor became an evil invader that must be stopped! POUNCE!!! Grab..... roll..... POUNCE! Then taking the paper captive, it in his mouth, he'd haul it to his prison that he kept for "evil invaders". He'd do what he could to talk you into playing with him.... down on the floor he'd call you. Following his command you'd find yourself on all fours. He'd run up and attack your hand and bounce back sideways and around in a circle. You'd reach out to grab him, and he'd throw himself to the ground, grabbing your finger in his mouth as he proceeded to shred your hands with his feet then immediately he'd let go and BOUNCE back sideways again ... inviting more play. So tolerant ... he'd handle Alyssas "a bit too full of love" squeezes, and my unending smothering kisses. Doug and I sat together this morning with Paco in my arms. We both cried over him, our tears falling on his lifeless body. After a bit of time, I was ready to let him go from my arms. I placed him in a container that Gloria brought out, curled on a towel, being careful that his ears weren't being pinched against the sides. I took one of my dried rose buds from when Alyssa was born and placed it in the container with him and covered him with the end of the towel. Together Doug and I went outside and he dug a hole..... I placed the container in..... and he ever so carefully covered the hole back up. I placed a rock at Paco's head...... and together Doug and I held eachother there and cried some more. It's hard knowing that he wont ever be playing with my feet, my hands, attacking me in the morning when I'm still trying to sleep and HE'S HUNGRY, or sleeping on my head or neck at night anymore. I wont be able to smother him with kisses anymore and hold him up, looking into his eyes while I tell him how much I love him and how grateful I am he's with us. Paco, I miss you. I'll be waiting to play with you in my dreams. Your Human Mommy