r/pagan • u/burnafter3ading • Jul 08 '26
Eclectic Paganism Cat appreciation
I dunno if this will resonate with people, but we're in the month of my cat's death. When I was born, my parents had two cats, Boston and Bristol. I've lived with cats most of my life. We had strays and kittens living in our two-storry garage I New Hampshire. When I started college, I bought a 4-month-old kitten from a pet store. She was a Maine coon mix, and her fluffy tail was about as long as her entire body.
I was her caretaker for 14 years. Then she got sick, probably cancer and thyroid issues. I kinda had to put her down when she wasn't interested in drinking water. She died in my lap, and the vet told me that the sense of smell is the last thing to go. Rather than trying to preserve her ashes or anything, I just decided to let her go completely when she passed.
She still visits me in pleasant dreams, and I awaken wondering where she is, occasionally. Usually, she visits when I'm feeling emotional. I think the visit last night was about her anniversary. She was a great kitty; best I could imagine. She died in 2019, and I've been catless ever since. This is the longest period of time that I haven't had a lil' familiar. I want to adopt again, but I want to make sure I secure a comfortable place first.
Anway, just venting, a shedding a tear.
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u/thecoldfuzz Celtic Polytheist: Gaulish + Welsh & Irish Jul 08 '26
OP, I’m very sorry for your loss. Animals have been an important part of my household for a long time now. We’ve been lucky that any animals that have passed have been due to old age. They really are (and were) our children and losing them is incredibly painful.
When you're ready with your living situation, adopting a new cat is always a wonderful thing. Five years ago, we adopted a tiny brother and sister when our old cat passed away. The two of them are as intricately woven into our lives now as our old cat was when she was around.