Once upon a time, you were my jungle cat,
Stalking anything and everything that moved in the grass of your kingdom,
Pouncing with boundless energy and delight, the eternal kitten,
Fearless of all but your own shadow.
Independent, proud, regal as you captured the warmth of the noonday sun.
A ready companion, always the quiet observer, your presence enough.
Those days are coming to an end,
And now we watch and wait,
Love, love, and more love,
As my jungle cat prepares to cross over to her next adventure,
Leaving paw prints on my heart,
And gratitude in her wake.
The View from Here 
I can’t even begin to tell you how much emotion the words I just read about Kasey stir inside me, and make me sad and yet completely understanding of what you are trying to say. Having had cats all my life, with two of my own now, I know the joyful playfulness of kittenhood, the comfort of the mature cat, and the pain in seeing an aging cat, or a very sick cat at the end of their time with me on this Earth plane. My heart goes out to you and yours in this process. Yes, gratitude is another emotion associated with our relationships with our pets, who give so much of themselves to us each and every day. Thank you for your perspective…it is very meaningful to me.
Thank you so much, Jan. This time is heartbreaking, but it also has its own beauty. We are so grateful to be able to have given her a good life- and a loving a peaceful ending when the time comes.
This is beautifully written and very moving. Thanks for sharing. I have just started a poetry blog here on WordPress and some of my poems are about our amazing cat Lenny who we lost back in February in case you have time to look? Wishing you a good day, Sam 🙂
Thanks so much, Sam. I will look forward to reading your poetry!
Thanks so much!