Spirit

Seven years ago, Paige called me from the S.P.C.A. where she was volunteering. "Mom, come inside the building when you pick me up. There is something I want to show you."

When I arrived she led me into a back room. An overturned laundry basket was on the floor. She lifted the basket and there sat the most beautiful cat I had ever seen.

"His name is Spirit. He's about three years old. He's a California Ragdoll. He's really afraid, that's why he's in here under the basket. Isn't he gorgeous?"

Gorgeous indeed. But we weren't looking to adopt another cat. We had recently lost one cat and had 2 other cats at home.

But I couldn't get Spirit out of my mind. I thought about him constantly. A few days later, we adopted him.

Best decision I ever made.

Spirit came into our home and made us laugh. He was always sitting where we'd least expect him. In, on and under things. Every day was a surprise.

He was playful. He'd hide and wait so he could leap out at us and gently swat at our ankles as we walked by. Nothing delighted him more than to have us drop to all fours and swat back. Or chase him. Oh, how he liked a good chase!

I've never known a cat who loved having his belly rubbed as much as Spirit did. Joe would lay down to take a nap and 3 seconds later Spirit would jump up onto the bed, flop onto his back with his legs in the air and snuggle in against the length of Joe's body. The two of them were sleeping buddies.

He was my official greeter. When I came home from school each day, I'd open the front door and there he'd be. Stretching out from a day-long nap he'd saunter down the hallway to sit at the top of the stairs. Halfway up the stairs I'd lean down and put my face up to his. He'd sniff my hairline, then we'd bump foreheads. I guess that was cat speak for 'Glad you're home'.

I don't know what life was like for Spirit during his first three years, but that kitty was afraid of everything. He'd drop to the ground and head for the hills when the phone or doorbell rang. Friends of ours didn't even believe we had a cat named Spirit. They'd never seen him.

Spirit hadn't been well for the past several months. We brought him to three different veterinarians before we left for France. Each did their best to diagnose him. He received treatment after treatment after treatment.

He seemed to be on the mend at the end of June. We left him in the loving and capable hands of Molly and Paige, fully expecting to pick him up on August 15th and take him home with us.

It was not to be.

He took a turn for the worst this week and landed in a Vancouver animal hospital. An ultrasound showed he had stomach cancer and that it had spread to his liver.

Molly and Paige were with him at the end. Will called and the girls put the phone up to Spirit's ear for him to listen to Will's tearful good-bye.

I will miss that cat terribly. Whoever named him was spot-on. He truly was a 'spirit'. I told him that all the time. I'd ask him, "Who are you? Where did you come from?" I've never met an animal who would gaze so deeply into my eyes like Spirit did. He touched my soul.

Thank you Molly and Paige for caring for Spirit while we've been away. You both have done an exemplary job. Dad and I are so proud of you.

We will be home soon.






- Posted from France by Nancy

Location:Rue du Petit Pont,Paris,France