Al

While we were in Ohio, Al got steadily worse in every way. Ben banished her to the outside, where she has contentedly, for the most part, laid in the sun and slept. She began her atomic meowing Thursday morning, very early, and was let inside. She found a pillow in Ben's room and curled up. Later, she was doing the atomic meow in the bathroom, and I went to pick her up and set her into the bathtub, so that she could drink fresh trickling water.

I picked her up... and she was urine soaked. There was a small puddle directly beneath her... but not enough to saturate her fur as it was. Mr C checked, and the pillow she had been laying on was wet. Back outside she went. Friday, she could barely get up or down the steps on the porch. Mr C found her curled asleep under the canoe by the well house. He said he needed to 'put her down" and didn't know if he could. We both sat and boo-hooed for quite awhile. Friday night, she meowed on the back porch, but I didn't let her in.

We haven't seen her since then. Mr C looked all day Sunday for her, every place she might have curled up to sleep. The boys say they didn't let her inside. She has been missing more than 24 hours... I am afraid something 'got' her. There are coyotes, foxes, and dogs that roam about here at night. Mr C said he should of put her down the day before, lest she is out there injured and suffering somewhere. I just think she quietly passed on.

After having the critter for almost 18 years, it is hard not to miss her.