Memorial Day – Cat Style
This is a special holiday edition of Mondays with Merlin and the rest of the boys. We’re kicking off a big week of celebrations to mark the first anniversary of Cat Wisdom 101. It’s Memorial Day here in the U.S. and it’s a weird mix of shopping, and parties while honoring veterans and dead soldiers. My fellow philosopher Martin Heidigger once said,”If I take death into my life, acknowledge it, and face it squarely, I will free myself from the anxiety of death and the pettiness of life – and only then will I be free to become myself.”
Our cat daddy calls our mom, Layla morbid to be thinking so much about death lately but I disagree. Cats never think about death until they are faced with a needle before they’re ready. Try getting even the sickest cat into a carrier when euthanasia is the final destination. We know. Life is precious.
I’ve been circling around and towards death literally, walking in circles at night. On the floor, on the bed, on my human’s bodies. My claws scratch where they once retracted. My glaucoma leaves nothing but shadows to see. And I am indeed a mere shadow of my former glorious Siamese self, my bony spine growing larger as I gradually shrink towards the inevitable. I cry in loud Siamese to be soothed, acknowledged and purr in the moment with whatever is good. It’s feels good being mollycoddled 24/7. My humans complain about not sleeping but I say, it’s more time to spend with me! You can sleep when you’re dead! It’s good having three amazing purr brothers to look after me. Don’t feel sorry for me. There is plenty of good left. I’d like to see my 18th birthday despite a little thing called kidney disease. I get anything I want. Gris Gris was in the primo spot napping spot on the porch and whap, my feisty self said, get out bro hehehe! If this was the only war on the planet, we’d be better off.
I have more teaching to do. My latest job is teaching Layla how to tell when I’m in pain and what the difference is between a pleasure purr and pain purr. She’ll be no doubt be writing about it and sharing hands on with her kitty clients. That’s all for now. Peace, love & purrs!
17 Comments
alicia
Love you Merlin you wise wondrous soul!
Oui Oui
Merlin, you are so right. Humans could learn so much from animals. They could start with wars and living in their environment without destroying it. We hope you had a happy Memorial Day!
The Island Cats
Merlin, you are very wise…you could teach us a thing or two!
Deb Barnes - Zee and Zoey
Merlin – We know you have much left in you to teach and we look forward to many more words of wisdom from you. The wonderful thing about cats, however, is that even in the process of death, they teach us lessons that remain in our memories. So, no matter how much time you grace the physical world Merlin, you will always remain teaching in spirit.
Abby
Merlin
You are as wise as your years, but you still have so much to share with all of us…
purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥Boo♥Ping♥Jinx♥Grace♥
CATachresis
Merlin you are surely the wisest of all the philosophers!! Therefore you will know when your time has come and you will leave the world a far better place for having just been in it! I am sad though and even Austin is thoughtful today ! xox
Brian
We all love you Merlin and we bow to you wisdom and we are hear listening.
Glogirly & Katie
Oh Merlin (((purrs & love))) you are wise beyond your kitty years. Your insights touch our hearts and ground us. You HAVE made the world a better place.
xoxo Katie & Glogirly
Tamago
Hi Merlin, you have good spirit and are wise and glorious Siamese no matter how you look.
Congratulations on one year anniversary of Cat Wisdom 101!
Cheysuli
We would love to have you teach the Woman the difference between a pleasure purr and a pain purr. It is hard in kidney failure. We were lucky our Georgia insisted she was happy, with her tail up and interested in everything (when she was awake) during her last months.
libramoon
Merlin, it’s so wonderful you have your brothers to help guide you, even if you don’t really need it 🙂 No one will remember what you look like now, they will remember all those glorious years.
Concatulations to your mom on her one-year anniversary!
Sweet Purrfections
Merlin, you have so much to teach us. Before Sweet Praline left us, Mom Paula had a long talk with her and told her that whenever she was ready, that Mom Paula would be okay. It’s as if that’s all she needed to hear. Praline went to the bridge two days later.
Truffle and Brulee
Caren Gittleman
(((((Merlin))))) oh how this touched my heart. Please continue to teach us and don’t leave us. This brought back memories of my beloved Bobo who passed the day after his 18th birthday. Merlin…we need you and Layla needs you too….(((((hugs)))))
nadbugs
)))shivers((( But shivers are a sign of life. So’s a sigh. Both happening here. Sad — and happy — at the same time.
Kathy Thompson
Dear,dear Merlin,the wise sage and mentor.We have come to know and love you through your postings here and all the beautiful pictures that give us a small glimpse into your spirit and soul. Death is not an easy thing to contemplate but it will come to us all. We know that there are many more good days to come but we want you to know now that when it is time for your journey that we wish you peace,all our love and Godspeed. We will meet you someday wise one, over the Rainbow Bridge. All of our, love ,purrs and kitty kisses now and always. Skeeter and Izzy >^–^<
Pam Kimmell
Oh Merlin my wise old mentor, you have much to do before you rest sir…..I look forward to Mondays with Merlin to hear and absorb your wise words and they certainly have given me paws to think as I tiptoe into my senior years. Enjoy your sunny chairs and brotherly love from the other boys – and of course the hugs from your wise human Mom Layla and know that your friends in the blogosphere appreciate you now and always!
Kitty Hugs, Sammy
Sparkle
Yes, you do have more lessons to teach, my friend. Although interestingly enough, the two cats before me went to the vets quite willingly when it was time to go… and both had spent their lives hating and fighting that drive when it was only for check ups. The cat BEFORE the cat before me especially – he was very sick and my human had to go out of town, only to come home and find him so badly off that she immediately had to turn around and take him to the emergency vet to be put out of his misery. To this day she is sure he only hung on because he wanted to see her again before he died.