Dear Muffin

This is a really hard thing for me to do. But I figured, just do it, like ripping off a band-aid....

Dear Muffin,

  You were Two when we met you in 2007. I still remember that day we walked into Petsmart, and as usual I insisted we go say "Hi" to the kitties at the shelter. And there you were, alone in a kennel. Your little information card said you were Two, affectionate and just a little anti-social. I remember thinking , "But this is the sweetest kitty I've ever met"! You were excited to play with Daniel and I from behind kennel bars.
  I remember thinking "This is the coolest kitty I've ever seen". Your fur was beautiful; long, thick and splattered in brown tones. It was the softest fur I had ever felt! We called you our "Bunny- kitty". You shared a birthday with my mom, which I thought was pretty funny. I remember the day I adopted you, Daniel was out of town. I remember it was December and really close to your birthday. What better gift could I have given this kitty, than to give her a loving home on her very birthday? So I did. Everyone at the shelter was so happy that you were going to a home! You had been at the shelter for over Six months! I remember being so sad when I found out. How?! How could this sweet, adorable kitty have spent so long in a lonely cage at a shelter?!
 I remember the day I brought you home, to our first tiny apartment. You were so happy! You fit right in! I remember letting you out of your traveling box and you immediately jumped on our couch and curled up with me. I knew I had made the right choice. You were meant to be with us. A few days later Daniel came home from his work trip and he was so happy to meet you! You were excited to meet him too.
 You always had a big personality, you always wanted to be with Daniel and I. Which I loved! I loved having a kitty that was so friendly and pretty. The vets always commented on how pretty you were. And you were! You were the loveliest kitty! Always so poised and well- behaved. You moved with us through Three different houses, and you made each of them a special place to be in. You were so much more than our kitty, you were our buddy, our furbaby! You kept me company for the many years that Daniel was on the road, and I never felt lonely because I had my Muffin.
 You were a single-kitty for a looong while. Then we brought you home a friend, Truffle. You seemed skeptical at first, but then you two grew to like each other. It was always so cute to hear the Two of you playing, or play fighting. I was happy to see you had a little friend for when we went on trips. I know she will miss you too.
 You may not know it Muffin, but you also had many people who loved you because of mommy's blog. You helped in such a BIG way. To this day I'm sure more people came to this blog on Mondays to see you, than to see my nails. And that was just fine with mommy, because she had the sweetest kitty in all the land who helped her pick her polish. It was our "Monday thing". I know it may sound stupid to some, but it was "our thing". I will miss this greatly. I will miss her chilling with me while I polished.... I will miss her.
 There are so many things I will miss about you, my Muffin. You had such a big personality. You were such a loving kitty. We tried so hard to keep you with us. We really did. It broke my heart to see you struggle with your health so greatly. I didn't want to be selfish though, I knew you were suffering.Even as I sit here typing this I still can't face the reality that you are gone, but I must. We will miss you so very much Muffin. You were a fantastic pet, friend and even a cry pillow when I needed it. Daniel and I will never forget you, you are irreplaceable Muffin! I hope you had a very happy life, we tried so very hard to make sure you were always happy and comfortable. You were a great kitty, the best kitty and I will never forget you.
 I hope your kitty heaven is full of all the things that you loved! I hope you have a lot of space to run and a lot of things to jump on, you always liked being up high. I also hope you never forget us, because we won't forget you. Even though I hugged and kissed you everyday, it still doesn't feel like enough...
 With that, I bring this letter to a close. My heart is heavy, my eyes are sore and I really don't know how to occupy my thoughts at this moment other than with the happy times we all shared together. Muffin, you were SO loved and cared for, I really do hope you knew that. I'm grateful I got to know you and have you in my life. I'm grateful I got to take you away from that crowded shelter and give you the best life possible, but I am so sorry I couldn't save you in the end. You were a fighter kitty, you really were.

We love you Muffin! You left us in good paws, Truffle is a fantastic kitty as well and I hope she knows that for a while, she had the best kitty friend in the whole world!

 Don't forget to hug your furbabies today, and every other day.