10/10/2015

My Queen Meffi

Six years ago I wrote a blog post about my boy Merlin.
A little over a year ago I lost Merlin's great love Meffi. Until now I didn't even want to talk about it, it usually takes me a while, but now I have a very special reason to share some memories with you.



Meffi came to us a few months after we lost the cat that had started it all, White Dude, the foreign exchange kitty. We picked her up at a farm. Actually I didn't pick her. I was sitting in the hay cooing over a litter of mostly black kittens with some white spots when my ex shoved her in my face instead. How could I have resisted that cute little nose? She looked adorable!
In fact we didn't know it was a girl, though. Even then she hated to be picked up and she was like an eel with claws. We named her Mephisto because she was such a little devil. That day she kept her tail very firmly tucked in and we thought it would be best not to stress her out too much. The next day, however, that tail went up and we found we had a Mephista instead.

It was still common then to let a cat get in heat once before having her spayed. Our boys were neutered, so the only problem would be to stand the noise and Meff rolling around on the floor.
I have never heard such a voice coming out of such a little cat. A cat in heat? It sounded more like a moose in heat! It was absolutely impossible to ignore her song, and Merlin went for it hook, line and sinker. With the whole show, too, neutered or not.
They stayed a pair until Merlin went over the Rainbow Bridge. Still with the whole show. Sometimes it was downright embarrassing to lie in bed when the lovebirds were there as well. Merlin was friends with all the others and they all loved him, but it was nothing compared to those two.

After Merlin was gone, things changed. Meffi didn't think highly of the others, especially not Ponder, no matter how much he was in love with her from the moment he entered our world. The Queen was not amused at his rowdy and childish behavior.
Then my husband left. As much as the boys had always been more attached to me, the girls had chosen him, but Meffi dealt with it easier than I had feared. She started to sleep on my head at night with my hand touching her fur. Not holding her, though. Meffi always needed the feeling of being able to get up and leave any moment. She was not a hugger like the boys, I already said that she had taught us from the very first day that she didn't appreciate to be picked up and held longer than a few seconds. It could turn her into a fierce furry octopus with thousands of claws. I have more than one fine scar to prove that and this is only from the occasions when there was no choice and I had to pick her up.
I also have a fine scar on my cheek from when she had been sleeping on me and Ponder suddenly decided he wanted to play. He jumped her, she jumped me, my glasses flew off my face, I spilled soup over myself and felt something warm running down my face. Never a boring moment here!

When Meffi got sick, the bond grew even stronger if possible. I would never have thought that I would be able to pill her and even give her sub q fluids every day. Not that she was apathic and sometimes she let me know very clearly that she wouldn't put up with my stupid ideas today, but in general we made a great team.
It is never an easy decision to let a beloved animal go and I'm not ashamed to say that once again I'm sitting here bawling. I miss her so much.

Of course I could go on and on and on, but now you may ask what that special reason of mine is to share all of this with you.
When I lost my Queen (a position she filled effortlessly here),  I knew that I wanted my friend Dawn to do what she already done when I lost Merlin.
Dawn's miniatures (click the link to see more) are amazing and beautiful. I asked her to make a miniature of Meffi, a necklace, and she did.
I can't express my feelings at the moment when I opened the parcel. I don't think I need to. Thank you, Dawn, thank you so much.


❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

13 comments:

  1. What a beautiful tribute to your 'Queen' and a talented artist. I have loved reading this. X

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  2. Awwwww, Cat. Now you have made both of us cry. This post is such a beautiful tribute to Meffi and I am thrilled that you are pleased with the pendant. It was a pleasure and an honor to create this for you; I hope it makes you feel as if a little piece of Meffi has returned to you.

    Thank you so much, my dear friend.

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    1. Even if we have never met, Dawn, I'm grateful for your friendship ... and your talent.

      Thank you. I am glad you liked the post.

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  3. Beautiful story (((hugs))) to you

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  4. What a beautiful story. Dawn's painting is fabulous and captures Meffi's specialness.

    Cat, I think we'll see our beloved pets again. Until then, hang on to the sweet memories.

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  5. What a loving tribute to your precious Meffi.

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  6. What a wonderful gesture from Dawn, and the pendant really does look like Meffi.

    I know it's hard to write or talk about our furry loved ones that have crossed the rainbow bridge.
    I miss my buddy Ollie too.

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    1. Of course I ordered it from her. I know how much time and love she puts into these miniatures and only that was good enough for my girl.

      I'm so sorry about Ollie, Carina, but I'm very glad that you found a new companion. Does she still like her outside spot? :-D

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  7. Aw Cat, what I touching story! Love Dawn's beautiful pendant. Just yesterday I found an old picture of my two beautiful white cat boys snuggled together in our baby stroller. The baby is now 19 and both my Angel and Sparkle are back together again waiting to greet me some day, when my time on earth is over!

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    1. Thank you, Karin.
      I always say I have a very clear idea of the place where my animals are, the gerbils and guinea pigs, the bunnies and chinchillas, my prairie dog, and of course the cats - all of them together waiting for me.

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