My Old Missie Cat

My Old Missie Cat

by Connie VanWingerden

She wanted to be outdoors and she loved to see you there.

She wanted a gentle scratch and she loved a fishy share.

My Missie.

She out-lived all the Tom's that came into our life;

By stretching in the sunshine and forgetting all the strife.

So sleepy.

I worried she would run away when we moved to our new home.

On the new deck I fashioned a bed of comfortable foam.

She stayed.

She loved the new view and she loved the quiet peace.

No cars zooming by just noisy lakeside birds and geese.

My friend.

Many years she greeted me when I walked outside to see

The birds that filled her day with chirps and chickadee-dee-deee's.

We listened.

Her body grew old and grayer than her gray coat had always been.

Her steps were slow and faltering, we figured past twenty by then.

I worried.

That day she had walked to the open door from the garage she had moved into;

The sun shined warm on the sidewalk and I smiled as I watched the view.

She listens.

Early in the morning we woke for church and walked out the door to go.

Startled, I saw her bed was empty! We left and I still didn't know.

Where's Missie?

Two days have past now, I've looked in hidden places. Her bed's still cold.

I can't find her in this secret place, my family I have told.

Empty bed.

Miss Clawpaws we named her 20 plus years ago.

Missie Kitty and Missie Cat, her names we all did know.

Our cat.

She's a good girl. She's always at home.

Like me, she doesn't like to roam.

She's gone?

I walk outside and call Missie? Missie Cat? Kitty?

She does not come. She does not answer. Where could she be?

Breezes rustle.

I feel the wind, is it cool with approaching fall?

I prayed it's warm where she is; back into the trees I call.

I shiver.

My thoughts go back to when Kitty was just a little one;

When my kids were still young and Kitty was so much fun.

Our Kitty.

Life goes on when we lose our friends, the days they won't pause.

When I walk outside I will remember our sweet Miss Clawpaws.

Goodbye Kitty.

I will miss you Missie Cat.

Missie Cat was part of our lives since my youngest son was a baby. Kris is 22 now so we figure Kitty must have been at least 21 years old. She was a good ol' cat and the last few years have been hard on her. I was encouraged to have her put to sleep, but I just couldn't do it.

Now somewhere, she rests. We all will miss her.