A terrible tragedy......

I haven't posted for a few days. We suffered a terrible loss when our poor dear puck was attacked and killed by some dogs. He somehow managed to go over Paul's 6 ft Vinyl fence into the yard of his neighbors. Apparently this is not the first time these dogs have killed a cat. Our poor puckers didn't seem to suffer long. We think he died almost instantly. We are lucky his poor little body was still intact so that Dylan and Marley and I could take some time with his body to say good bye.

I can't write anymore without crying and I am trying to keep some of the tears in so that I can be ready to go back to work tomorrow. I'll just post here the email announcement that I sent out to my friends yesterday evening.


Many of you have come to know a cat I so fondly nicknamed Monster. Others may have just heard the stories of a kitten named Puck that I nursed from infancy to adulthood. This feisty little bundle of joy changed my life one day when I happened to be in the right place at the right time. I was at the shelter picking up a dog when a man brought in a tiny little meowing kitten. The shelter staff said he was so young that he would need to be put down immediately. I started crying that this poor little thing hadn't even had a chance to experience life and the shelter staff slipped me a kitten to take home. I told them I knew what I was doing and what I was getting myself into which was a huge lie. I'd never nursed an infant and had no idea what to do next.

Thanks to the advice, assistance, and experience of many friends, this monster survived a troublesome first few months of life. He became such a part of my life that I couldn't bear to part with him. Paul also fell in love with him and made the decision to adopt him just a few months ago. I'm writing today to let you know that after an unfortunate series of events today, Puck has met an untimely death. I'm still unsure of how to deal with the road ahead but luckily I have some wonderful dogs, a wonderful boyfriend, and the best friends in the world to help me deal with this grieving process.

In memory of my little Monster's life, I wanted to make a list of some of the wonderful things I loved about him:

-Puck had a confident attitude in nearly all situations. He's the only animal I know that had enough confidence to whack Dylan on the face and then turn and run to try to entice him to play. He exuded confidence in everything he did and showed no fears to the three dogs that constantly surrounded him.
-Although his cuddly moments were rare, they were extra special. I appreciated them more because he just didn't want to cuddle that often.
-It sounds odd, but I will always cherish the way he could stand on you purring but then bite you if you tried to touch him. While it was annoying and sometimes painful, it's what made him who he was. His biting was a part of that feisty personality and it was in play rather than aggression.
-Puck had a food drive like no other cat I have ever met. It didn't matter what it was, he wanted to eat it! This made him easy to train. Puck is proof that clicker training can work for all kinds of animals. He's the only cat I know that understood that the sound of a clicker meant a treat was coming.
-He turned me into a cat person. He also had a profound impact on so many of the people that knew him. I know neither Paul nor I will never be the same since both living with such a lively and unique cat. I have no doubt I will get another little one day. I really hope that they will be as full of zest for life as Puckers once was.

Thank you all for your love and support since the day I brought him home. I couldn't ask for a better network of friends to support me through both the good and the bad days. I hope you will all remember Puck fondly.

May he rest in peace.