by CATHY WILLIAMS
WHEN I WAS A CHILD I COULD NOT BE AROUND CATS AT ALL, LATER ON IN MY LIFE I OUT GREW MY ALLERGY WHICH WAS A REAL BLESSING FOR I HAD ALWAYS LOVED CATS. MICKEY CAME TO US IN THE FALL, MY GRAND PARENTS WANTED ME TO TAKE A KITTEN HOME BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MY HUSBAND WOULD LIKE IT BUT I DID IT ANYWAY. WE HAD TO BATH THE POOR THING SO MANY TIMES THAT FIRST DAY TO GET RID OF ALL THE FLEAS BUT MICKEY SOON BECAME A VERY MUCH LOVED MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY. OUR DAUGHTER CARRIED HIM AROUND IN A BABY BLANKET AND HE SLEPT IN A DOLL BED. THE FIRST COUPLE MONTHS OF HIS LIFE WITH US HE DID NOT HAVE TO WALK VERY MCUH TO GET WHAT HE WANTED. HE WAS SO LOVED. HE SLEPT ON THE BED WITH WHO EVER HE WANTED AND IT WAS REALLY NICE ON THOSE COLD WINTER NIGHTS WHEN HE WOULD LAY ON YOU FEET AND KEEP THEM WARM. HE HAD A REAL DISLIKE FOR THE GARBAGE TRUCK AND YOU COULD ALWAYS FIND HIM HIDING BEHIND A BASKET OF CLOTHES WHEN THE TRUCK WOULD PASS BY. MICKEY HAD REALLY BEEN A HEALTHY CAT UNTIL THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND HE BEGAN TO LOSE HIS SIGHT. WE TOOK HIM TO A ANIMAL EYE SPECIALIST TO TRY AND REGAIN HIS EYE SIGHT. THIS WORK FOR A WHILE AND IT LET US HAVE HIM A FEW MORE MONTHS. ON JANUARY 18TH,2003 HE MADE A AWFUL TURN FOR THE WORSE AND COULD NO LONGER TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF. HE WAS UNABLE TO EAT, DRINK AND COULD NOT WALK AROUND. THIS WAS VERY HAD TO SEE OUR CAT OF 15 1/2 YEARS SUFFER IN THIS WAY. MICKEY CROSSED OVER THE RAINBOW BRIDGE ABOUT 12:45 AND WE ALL KNOW THAT HE IS HAPPY AND WELL AND PLAYING WITH OUR BELOVED MINNIE WHO HAD CROSSED OVER BEFORE.
WE WILL MISS BUT WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS VERY SPECIAL MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY AND WE KNOW WE WILL SEE HIM AGAIN WHEN WE CROSS THE BRIDGE OURSELVES.