Well, it's almost been a week since posting about my CoCo. It's been a tough week, and the break was needed. It was difficult trying to deal with things and with the new situation at home. It was very hard for me to even think of posting something new above CoCo's sweet little face. It broke my heart, but I wanted to give CoCo her time in the spotlight...kind of like a grief period.
Before I post, I want to express my gratitude to everybody who called, sent kind thoughts, hugs, and words of comfort. Somehow, gestures like that always seem to help one to get through the pain....and they really made a difference to me. Thank You!
A few things have happened since last Friday. When we came home to try to sort things out, and sort out our heads and our hearts, my inbox held a few surprises. One of those surprises was receiving The Rising Blogger award for a very special post called Look Through Any Window. A special thank you to Skittles for nominating me and also to Judd Corizan at The Rising Blogger. I was so upset over CoCo, that when I saw the award, I sobbed.
I also received 2 separate Rockin' Blog Girl awards, from Ruth atThere are a Million Stories in the Naked City and from Skittles at Skittles Place. Again, big thank yous.
I'm so tickled with the awards, that I think I am going to keep them forever on my blog.
Now, this post would not be complete without an update on BJ, our remaining kitty. You see, BJ will be 15 years old at the end of this year. He has never lived without another kitty in the household. This is his first solo gig, and I have been keeping a close watch on his behaviour. Now, I know that animals don't experience emotion. They don't feel happy or sad. They don't grieve. But they sure do have a sense that things have changed.
A little background.
In the past, if I were to sit on the couch, CoCo could have been anywhere in the house, but somehow she would magically appear and be on my lap. If BJ had the opportunity to be on my lap, and if CoCo entered the room, she would boot him off my lap, because it was her territory.
BJ has been on my lap every single night.
In the past, when it was time to go to bed, CoCo would grab her spot on the bed, resting behind my butt.
BJ has been doing something very similar each night.
In the past, CoCo spent many hours during the day in a kitty basket by the back door.
BJ has now claimed that basket as his.
I am not quite sure if, by gravitating to her old spots, he is missing her presence, or if he is doing a Happy Dance at being able to be the king cat. We'll have to figure out if we're going to get him a new little friend or not. Right now, I think we're going to let him enjoy all of the attention.
5 comments:
I'm sorry about your beloved pet. Hits close to home with me.
When we lost Fozzie last year, Taz was lost without him. He wanted to be on my lap (which he hated doing before!) and just generally had a feeling of uncertainty. I think animals do feel happy, sad and lonely. Especially the ones we let into our hearts.
I agree that you should let BJ have his day in the sun!
I'm sure BJ misses Co-Co in his own way and is doing his best to fill all those empty spaces. Congratulations on all your awards and let your blog wear them with pride.
Rx
I have to disagree with your theory that animals don't mourn, don't feel emotion, etc. The dog I had when I was a kid -had her for 12 years and I shared custody of her with my grandfather. (She was pretty equally devoted to both of us.) When my grandpa died, that dog mourned him by going, every day, to four houses along our street that Grandpa visited most every day. She would sit outside the back door at each house for a while, then move on to the next place. At the last stop on her "tour" - when he didn't appear to accompany her back home, she would tuck her tail between her legs, head down, and very slowly make the walk back home. She did that every day for six weeks -until the day she died then. Animals, I think, are much more intuitive than we humans are inclined to believe. They trust us to provide food and shelter for them as well as mega doses of love and attention too and when the familiar surroundings of their lives change, the take note of it and act differently then as a result. Here's hoping BJ continues to adjust to the changes in his life -as well as you are to the empty spots CoCO once had.
Oh, I know for certain that animals morn and feel emotion. Last year when we had to put our Black Lab down...Buddy, our Bichon literally cried for days afterwards because he missed his friend. Then, he seemed to get over it...then a month afterwards he went in the basement with my mom while she was doing laundry...and we had put the black lab's bedding down there to get washed (which we hadn't gotten around to yet) and Buddy went over to the bedding sniffed it and started whining and crying all over again because he was reminded of the other dog.
It was pretty heart breaking.
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