Gigi

Me - This past weekend our family suffered a tragedy. My Dad and I came home from shopping. It was our cat's birthday. She was 17 and as a surprise we had bought her tuna and an ice cream cake for the rest of us. I went to check on her. She was lying on the bathroom floor, and she wasn't breathing. It was so sad to see her like that, but I knew she was in a peaceful place. I know I will never forget Gigi as she was with me since I was born. She never hissed at me even though she hissed at other people so I know she loved me. I still remember being in first grade waiting to go to school, sitting and petting Gigi. She nudged me all over. Mom said she had marked me as her territory. I belonged to her. I always sang "You Are my Sunshine" to her. I would sit with her and pet her and sing to her. I love Gigi more than I have ever loved any other pet. Gigi was very special to all of us, and we will always have memories of fun times we've had with her. I remember one time, we were playing with her cat teaser, she grabbed it out of my hands and ran off with it. That was the only toy she played with. She only liked the kind of toys where you could play with her. Gigi was by far the best cat in the world. She was sweet, furry, cute and pretty. She was completely amazing. I know Gigi was very loved by our whole family, and we were all loved back by her. She was special to each of us for different reasons. Without Gigi, my heart is half empty, but at least I know she's not in pain anymore. She may have been a cat, but she was my big sister. My last words to her were "Gigi, I love you, I'll pet you again later," But I never got a chance. Even if Gigi isn't physically with us anymore, she will always be us in our hearts.

Mom - This past weekend our cat Gigi died. She was  17. She actually turned 17  just that day. We had her since she was six weeks old. Actually, I had her since she was six weeks old because I had her before my husband and I were married or even dating and before our girls were even thoughts in our heads. I got her from the ASPCA, and I picked her because she was the only kitten that interacted with me when I went up to the cage. She chewed on my fingers.  My father had gone with me to pick her out and paid for her adoption. We brought her back to my Mom and Dad's house. We put her in the extra bedroom in the back of their house. Gigi was so excited to be out a cage and out a box that she ran around and ran around. The last pet I'd had prior to that had been a rabbit who was so scared she was probably scared of her own shadow. She spent most of her time hiding. So when Gigi just kept running around the room and running around the room, I thought 'Oh great, another pet that isn't going to pay attention to me.' But then, Gigi tired herself out, she came over to me, she curled up in my lap and from that moment on she was my baby. I loved Gigi, and she loved me. However, she was by no means a pet who loved everyone. She interacted with who she wanted, how she wanted and for how long she wanted. She definitely knew who her family was and she loved her family. It did take her a little while to get used to her two human sisters though, especially Melia who came first. I'll never forget her sitting on the steps and glaring at us if to say "what have you brought in to our house now?" when we first brought Melia home from the hospital. Eventually she warmed up to  Melia and grew to love her and Aurella after her. She loved them because she knew they were part of us.She loved them so much that even though she didn't like loud noises whenever one of the girls was crying, she would go right to them and she would keep looking at me as if to say "Mommy, please help my sister!" I know I it will get easier to think about Gigi and remember all the good things about our life with her instead of just feeling so sad. Even though I will always  love her and miss her, my heart won't hurt so much when I think of her. Eventually, we will probably get another pet, but it won't replace Gigi. No pet can ever replace another. They are all different. However, I can talk about getting another pet and even think of getting another pet not because I didn't love Gigi or because I am being disrespectful to her memory talking or thinking about it so soon. It is precisely because I loved her so much that I can. I know what it is like to really love a pet and to care for a pet and there are plenty of pets out there that need that love and care. The most fitting tribute I can give to Gigi is to find another pet to save and love and care for and make a member of our family the way I did her. I will never forget Gigi, there will never be another one of her, she will always be a part of my heart, but as hard as it is especially right now, my life will go on because it has to.

And that's our view. What pets were or are special in your life?

Tune in tomorrow for another Tips for Tuesday.