My cat Jane

Today I had my small cat Janey put to sleep

She was almost 10 years old

She was the one who purred so loud it cheered everyone up!

She was small and timid

most of the time she sat and watched life

or came to sit upon my lap while I was working on the computer;

she tucked herself very small and neat and purred rejoicingly.

Sometimes when she was a little girl, Claire would phone me

I could hear from her voice that she was sad

I would hold the telephone against Jane and "Listen" I'd say:

PURR, PURR

And we'd laugh.

Jane was the one who consoled;

when Brynn lived in my house

Jane was her best friend,

always warm and loving.

Towards the end she grew so light

it was like picking up a feather

She did not seem to suffer

She licked my hand, for the sweat, for the life

Then curled up very small, and died.

Why do I weep so long?

She is saved the suffering her cancer might have brought

I have not burdened her, and feel no guilt

But I miss her enormous, generous purr

I miss her.