It has now been two and a half weeks since I very suddenly lost the sweetest and dearest kitty God ever placed on this earth – my Murphy. Murphy gave me roses every day of his life in all the unconditional love he always gave me. I am so blessed that I had him 10 years, 8 months and 2 days – even though I grieve that it wasn’t much longer.

As far as the vets can tell, Murphy suffered a heart attack or an aneurism. He passed away at home late on the evening of 6/12/11. Murphy was extra loving to me throughout the evening, but I did not know anything was wrong until I thought I heard noises in the hallway. When I realized it was a kitty getting sick, I rushed out and he was laying on the hallway carpet. I picked him up and he was totally limp and unresponsive. I rushed to the car with him and drove to the closest 24 hour hospital in Alexandria, VA. I knew he was gone but prayed they would tell me I was wrong. So sadly, my dear Murphy was gone.

As a born again Christian I believe in the Bible and HIS promise of eternal life in Heaven, and have also examined Scripture to find it very reassuring that our animals are included in God’s Heaven. This very unexpected, sudden loss of my dearest one ever has left me in a place that I have never before been (and I have dealt with loss of other pets as well as people that I dearly love). I have asked myself why I am so unraveled, and I come to this answer……Murphy’s love for me was completely pure – not to say that my other pets and dear people loved me less – Murphy was my special Angel from Heaven – and I always knew that, from the day I met him. Today is my birthday – and ten years ago today Murphy was just a little over 8 months old and in perfect health. Yet, on my birthday I took him to the vet for a check up – just because, he meant the world to me, and I never wanted him to have anything less than perfect – always.

I have nine other sweet kitties who miss Murphy too. One of them is Reilley, and today is his 10th birthday. I could tell a story about each kitty, how I adopted them and what they mean to me, but that would be a book, so I will close with this:

LOVE your kitties, doggies, kids, parents and grandparents every day of your life! Don’t sweat the small stuff – just make time to love, love, love…….I did, and that is what sustains me now.

— Sunny from Alexandria, VA