Big story for a Little Cat.

You may have seen this painting at my site -

I rent half a house from a lovely couple and their daughter and she was their pride and joy - Cookie Cat. One of three and then four at one time, two others passed on after good long lives, and so did Cookie last weekend.

She was very old and a true Jellicle cat as in the famous show - small and black and white and full of spunk and spirit and yet quite well-behaved…most of the time.

I travel with work and my childhood and early momdays were rich with animals of all sorts and so now I miss pets in my life, sometimes, and Cookie repaired that void.

She would visit my apartments often, though less in her last days. Her diet was the realm of her owners, but I had a basket of toys and the laser light fun and a towel that was only Cookie’s on hand to accommodate her when she stopped by.

She was perfect in every way. She would greet me like family when i returned from errands. On may way out to my day, she’d find me on the path to the street and bond for a moment’s friendship.

Cookie found me last week on the path and it was special, solemn and yet fine as goodbyes can be.

I’d house sit when the owners were away and mind her food and water and make sure the pet door was there for her. Pals. Returning from my day yesterday and seeing her gear outdoors to be cleaned was how I knew that the day had come and Cookie was gone.

An email from her owner to announce her passing was at INBOX, waiting for me, and backed up my guess.

Cookie was why I took this rent. NOT a joke.

Cookie was “the sign” people look for when they get ready to say yes or no to a new place.

My bestie as a toddler and little girl was my spaniel also named “Cookie” - a sidekick on my adventures and my guard. So nice to have this new Cookie as my new neighbor!

She is gone now and I was thinking of the many ways she enriched my life, and there are stories of US.

She came when I called and cats don’t do that.

We always had a smile for one another, and cats don’t do that. So she made me feel special and I returned the gestures.

She was alert and interested in things so I shared a .gif of a cat typing at an Apple laptop at my site with the caption “My Secretary - not for sale” including it among my paintings https://ellefagan.com/fineartstorepage/catsecretaryatapplelaptop

She was a charmer and brave - the brook that forms the back border of this property goes on for several houses in both directions of us and Cookie would “go on walkabout” across the yards and back again! Brave!

The property never had a rodent as long as the cats were here, and in fact, that is how we knew she was failing.

Cats love getting birds too, but her owners taught Cookie to not bother the birds in the aviary out back and she was wonderful about it. Except for the rare occasion, when nature won, the birds were as safe as she.

So I was mildly surprised to find “evidence of former bird” on the path on my way out one day some years ago. Looking further up the path, was Cookie. It was super clear that she forgot her rule about not bothering the birds. And Cookie was making her “Innocent of all charges” pose when I looked at her with mild suspicion: The pose? - both white paws quietly together and a dignified stature - even seated and petite and no sound. Everything about her said “innocent of all but the loveliest things”

- .except for the feather protruding from her mouth!

She’d had an accident some time earlier, that left her with no feeling in part of her lip for some years, so she was unaware of the damning evidence.

I knew I must not smile, but geeee……
I knew “failure to report might make me an accessory, so I told her owner and righteous in her defense, we cleaned away the evidence and followed up with a jolly cup of tea that day!

I gave her owners one of several portraits I did of her - she sat for them well, and now it is very nice to have that to add to our many happy memories of Cookie-Cat , friend and neighbor. 2013- August 27, 2022