So Long, Mr Pussy
Mr Pussy 2001-2017
The other night, I woke in the small hours to the sound of a clock ticking and I walked through the dark rooms, mystified at the origin of this strange rhythmic beat in my house which has no mechanical timepieces. Then I returned to my bedroom and I discovered the source of the sound. In the manner of Captain Hook’s crocodile, the ticking was coming from inside my old cat Mr Pussy. I squatted down to touch him where he lay, stretched out in the wing chair, and I discovered to my alarm that his breathing had become a harsh muscular spasm convulsing his body.
Next morning, his breathing softened and he lay stretched out in weary endurance upon the wooden floor. Occasionally, he would stand and change position. He would not eat but, if I held a dish out to him, he could lap up water and swallow it. I stroked his head and he purred at my touch. Overcoming his lethargy, Mr Pussy walked to the window and took up his usual position, peering over the sill with pleasure at the wonder of sunlight upon leaves and the infinite minutiae of the living world.
It is more than six months since I have had an unbroken night’s sleep. Consistently Mr Pussy has woken me with his cries and overcome my resistance to wake and pay attention to him. As I arose, he would run from the bedroom, expecting me to follow, and either make his way to the kitchen or the front door. If it was the front door, I opened it even though he had his own cat door. Secure in the knowledge of my oversight, Mr Pussy would take a wary look outside and, if all was clear, he would wander off into the night. If he led me to the kitchen, he would sit by his dish and look up at me in overstated expectancy, even if there was food already upon his plate. Often, after I fed him, he would follow me back to the bedroom and cry again. This charade might be repeated several times through the night until I could find some novelty to appease him – by running water in the bath for him to lap up or discovering some forgotten chicken liver in the fridge.
Sometimes, Mr Pussy would just sit and cry at me. I could not understand his night terrors. How I wished for words in those moments. As a last resort, I took him to bed and cuddled him against my chest – as I had done when he was a small kitten – until he quietened.
Only once, I lost patience and shut the door to him, foolishly hoping that he could be silenced and I might get some sleep. His cries were vigorous enough to wake the entire street and, unwilling to risk complaints from my neighbours, I had no choice but to let him in again and resume our pitiful nocturnal ritual. In the morning, Mr Pussy would be peaceful and climb onto the bed to slumber. When I could, I slept late or took afternoon naps to recover. I was disappointed at myself that I could find no comfortable resolution, though I feared that a resolution would come of its own accord before too long. Mr Pussy had been afflicted with anaemia for a while, although the precise cause of this was never diagnosed and medications proved to be of limited effect against the inevitable.
Denying he might not recover, I still had hope when I took him to the veterinary surgery that there might be a way to restore his breathing. Meanwhile, peering from the taxi window, Mr Pussy was overwhelmed with surprise at the vast spectacle of the city and its streets, a new vision of another universe revealed beyond his domestic existence.
Nothing could be done that would extend Mr Pussy’s life, improve his breathing or restore his being, and I gave my consent to end his days. The vet fitted a tube to Mr Pussy’s leg and I sat on a chair next to the table where he stood to face his death while still gasping for life. His body was strong but his internal organs had failed him. Mr Pussy looked at me and I stroked his head as the vet administered a lethal dose of anaesthetic. I expected Mr Pussy to grow weary and fade out, but he crumpled immediately like a punctured balloon and the life was gone from him in an instant. His furry carcass was dead at once upon the table.
Mr Pussy possessed a strength of spirit and presence of mind that never ceased to fascinate and inspire me. Equally, he spent every day of his life among humans and he studied them with his quick intelligence as a source of never-ending interest. It was a relationship of mutual curiosity.
How grateful I am that his deep golden eyes were undimmed until the end and the extraordinary softness of his black fur was never corrupted. Whenever I picked him up, I was always astonished by the miracle of his small lithe body, quivering alive. How I loved the honey-sweet fragrance of the short fur between his ears.
For sixteen years, through the travails of my life, my cat Mr Pussy was with me. When my mother died, he consoled me. When I sold my childhood home and left, he travelled with me. When I walked all night through the streets of London on Christmas Eve, he waited for my return. When I broke my arm and lay alone in bed shivering, he was beside me. Writing is a solitary activity but, as I sat working each day, through the long hours and the years, he was always at my side as a calm and patient presence. I could never be lonely while he was here.
I realise now that he was always in the periphery of my vision and, even now that he is gone, he remains in the margin of my sight. It will be a while before he fades from my familiar expectation. I hear sounds in the house and attribute them to him without thinking. Thanks to the reflex of my unconscious recognition, any deep shadow or dark shape I spy transforms itself into him. Even now, I expect him to enter the room or to come upon him in any of his familiar spots. Yet he is not here any more and his favourite places are vacant. Returning last night, I could not rest at home and left to wander the streets for an hour instead to calm my troubled spirits. The house had never felt so empty.
I cast my mind back through time. Exactly half a century has passed since I acquired my first cat, a grey female tabby whom I named simply ‘Pussy.’ For my birthday, I was given the right to choose a kitten for myself from a litter that were born in the next street, in recognition of my progress in life, shortly before I commenced preparatory school.
How curious, fifty years later, to be confronted with my former self, a lonely child delighted by a tiny kitten, and to appreciate – for the first time – my mother’s motives in giving me a cat. Although she never expressed it overtly to me, I realise now that she saw a pet as the solution to ameliorate the loneliness of her only child. She encouraged me to read books and to write stories of my own too.
All these summers later, I sit here now alone after the death of my old cat and I am grateful for this recognition of her insight and kindness, newly granted. Writing has filled my life and I understand how this moment today is the outcome of that earlier moment a lifetime ago, when the world was a different place and I was a different person too. It was the first moment when a cat came along to guide me, leading me on the long journey, through all that time to the point of writing these words.
Mr Pussy was a fine creature and he lived a fine life.
Mr Pussy was my cat.
How I miss him now I mourn him.
READ ABOUT THE LIFE & TIMES OF MR PUSSY
Those of us who love our companion animals, understand fully how painful it is to part with them when they die. Many of them are especially delightful beings and they leave a very deep mark on one’s heart and soul when they pass from this world. I know the days are tinged with sadness and longing to have them back. Dear Gentle Author, may your heart heal in time and may your memories of your beloved cat, help in doing so.
You have my deepest sympathy. Losing a beloved animal is devastating. Your mother was a wise woman indeed. I hope that when the time is right you’ll consider adding another sweet cat to your life. It’s so nice to have another being in the house with you.
I’m so sorry you’ve lost Mr Pussy. I’ve loved your posts about him – he was such a wonderful friend. Know that Mr Pussy is in my thoughts.
I’m so sorry. Mr. Pussy had a marvelous life with you, and I know how hard it is when these dear friends leave us.
Though I’ve not commented before, I’ve been reading you for a long, long time and I need to say how very sorry I am at your loss. I loved his stories and know he will always be in your heart. 🙁
I’ve been dreading this news and offer my sincerest condolences. I’ve always enjoyed reading about him and seeing his photos. May you take comfort knowing your act of kindness helped Mr Pussy cross Rainbow Bridge, where he is young, healthy and happy once more.
I’m so sorry for your loss of Mr Pussy. What a beautiful fellow with his own quirky personality, who I came to know through your stories about him.
So very sorry for your loss. We lost our wonderful cat of 13 years two weeks ago under circumstances eerily similar to this.
I am so sorry to read about Mr. Pussy passing on. You Will see him again my friend. He will be waiting for you at the Bridge. I believe this with my heart and soul,because I have a special boy waiting for me . So very very sorry ((((G.A.))) ,take solice in all the years your were blessed to be his personal servant. RIP Mr. Pussy, gone but never forgotten.
My very sincere condolences, GA. Arguments about the importance of animals in our lives become otiose with time – they’re family, a constant, comforting presence, and their going is a true bereavement.
I am sorry to hear of Mr Pussy’s passing. I understand the kind of connection you have with him. Mr Pussy loved you and you did him a great service with your love and kindness. I hope your coming days are full of light.
So sad to hear that Mr Pussy has passed. Treasure the good memories, he will always be in your heart. Valerie
my heart goes out to you, deepest sympathy
I think many regular readers of your blog will miss Mr Pussy too. I know I will. Thank you for sharing him with us. RIP Mr Pussy.
:’-(
#hugs
No words can really help in these immediate, raw days, but here’s to a life well lived. And a beautifully written epitaph.
dear GA –
I am so sorry to hear about your dear cat. I have always enjoyed reading about him, and his quiet but contented life with you, and you write so beautifully about what he meant to you. You must miss him much more than even your words can convey.
Very sad news for all of us who have appreciated Mr. Pussy, and your posts about him, over the years. May his memory be a blessing.
Oh nooo…I am crying, over here, at work in.America. I am so so sorry. I am afraid that I know the loss of a furry friend all to well.
He was loyal to you, and, you to him. The two of you faced things together. I pray he is purring and eating fresh tuna as he awaits you on the otherside.
Oh Gentle Author I am so sorry. I wish I had words of comfort to offer you, especially as you have so beautifully shared what it meant to have such a treasured companion. As you remember Mr. Pussy, and the first Pussy, I too am thinking about my furry loves who have left and my heart breaks all over again. How lucky are we to have been the caretakers of such magnificence creatures who unconditionally love us. Sending you healing vibes.
This is a wonderful, heartbreaking tribute. My thoughts go out to you. And thank you for sharing them in a such a moving, honest way.
I am so sorry to hear that Mr. Pussy is no longer with you. I have read and enjoyed so many of your posts about him and could tell how much you loved him.
Such sadness. I’ve loved reading about Mr Pussy over the years. You did the right thing for him. I hope you’re okay.
Dear GA,
I thoroughly enjoy your writings and insights each morning.
I had grown to love your love of Mr. Pussy.
There is nothing as important as a companion.
You must be feeling rotten today.
That makes me sad.
My thoughts are with you.
Continue, dear soul.
With respect and appreciation,
Adrian.
Thank you for such an elegant and beautiful eulogy. Your words are a comfort to all of us who are facing the same realities of life and death, and a timely and powerful reminder of the importance of recording these realities, and of continuing to write. Mr Pussy was blessed to have you by his side.
What a truly moving tribute to your dear companion. My heart goes out to you, and to Mr Pussy. May he rest in peace.
As a longtime reader of Spitalfields Life, I feel your loss with surprising urgency. I think of how I would miss your elegant, thoughtful companionship crossing my screen at midnight each night, and it must be some fraction of how you will miss the elegant, thoughtful presence of Mr. Pussy gliding through your rooms by day and by night. Your masses of devoted readers cannot, at the moment, replace that slender friend, but we would share the loss if we could. Please be gentle to yourself, Gentle Author.
Oh, I am so sorry that Mr Pussy has died. He has been your loved and loving companion for so long. You will miss him so very much, but I hope that the memories of him will be of some solace to you.
Thank you for writing so beautifully and wisely about Mr Pussy and about all the other interesting lives around you.
Oh dear, dear Mr Pussy! His dear spirit lives on in our hearts! May he rest in peace and always be at the periphery of our vision. Deepest sympathy!
This is a beautiful tribute. RIP Mr Pussy; you will be missed by your SL friends.
I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. Mr Pussy was lovely. He’ll never be forgotten by you or those of us who have had the pleasure to read about him. May he rest in the sun and have a soft cushion in Heaven. My thoughts are with you.
Dear Gentle Author, I have said everything to you personally. I am very sorry for your loss. God bless Mr Pussy and a great big thank you for sharing those special times with us. He will be greatly miss. We love you Mr Pussy xx
RIP Mr Pussy, how I have enjoyed the descriptions of your life.
I hope you will get another furry companion, or two. Two always works well as they have company
So sorry to hear this. That was a fitting tribute.
I am trying hard not to cry as I read this and I mourn too for your loss. The wonderful Mr Pussy did indeed live a good life with you and I loved reading about his adventures. He will be remembered, not only by you dear Gentle Author, but by your followers.
This reminds me of when I had to say goodbye to my gorgeous little cat, Crumpet, in 2013 at age 19 and it was two years before I could have another cat (or two) in my life. Now I have two crazy animals with me but I won’t ever forget Crumpet or her brother Muffin who had died eight years earlier than her; their place in my heart is permanent. Take care.
I’m so sorry. It’s terrible to lose a pet – often even more painful than losing a relative. He was a beautiful cat. Thankfully, you have many wonderful posts to remember him by.
Gentle Author,
A beautiful remembrance of your dear Mr. Pussy. Our hearts hurt so when our animal companions leave us, but oh, the hurt is worth the joy and meaning they bring to our lives.
Alas, the post I hoped never to read. My thoughts are with you, GA, at the loss of your beloved companion. Thank you for the beautiful, tender pieces about Mr Pussy you have shared with us over the years: his memory lives on.
An exquisite piece of writing, such a fitting tribute to Mr. Pussy who’s life and doings you have generously shared with your readers. And now you share your grief and that is a gift too. I am entirely unsentimental about animals but love my cat Stanley deeply, and that is what made your piece so true – no sentiment, just real appreciation and love. Thank you
I was so sorry to hear of dear Mr Pussy’s death. I know how it feels to lose a dear pet and friend. You gave him a wonderful life, remember that through all your pain of loss. Thank you for sharing him with us. My thoughts are with you both.
I’m sad to read of Mr Pussy’s passing. He was a fine cat and loyal companion, your tribute to him is heartfelt. We, your readers, will miss him too.
I am so sorryto hear about Mr.Pussy.
I am so sorry to learn of Mr Pussy’s death – I know you are bereft. I hope you will look up the poem “Her Grave” by American poet Mary Oliver, which includes these lines:
A dog comes to you and lives with you in your own house, but you
do not therefore own her, as you do not own the rain, or the
trees, or the laws which pertain to them…
How strong was her dark body!
How apt is her grave place.
How beautiful is her unshakable sleep.
Finally,
the slick mountains of love break
over us.
I’m so so sorry to hear of Mr. Pussy’s passing. It is indeed very hard when a much loved pet leaves us. Your stories about him have always brighten my day. RIP Mr. Pussy.
My heartfelt condolences on the loss of your furry friend. Hope you find comfort in his lovely memory. Oxx
Condolences on your loss; selfishly we will miss hearing more of the saga that had become Mr Pussy’s life story but can enjoy the warmth of your relationship by revisiting the site. Thank you and good bye to him
I am so sorry for your loss. I have always enjoyed reading about Mr Pussy and will miss seeing a new post occasionally about some facet of his endearing character and your wonderful relationship. As humans we are both blessed and cursed to be in a position to see the entire life story of our smallest companions – cursed to lose them but blessed to be able to witness every stage of their development and to know how their story ends. What a wonderful story Mr Pussy has had alongside you and what a caring companion you were to him right to the end. He was a fine cat with a fine owner.
I am so sorry. They wind their paws deep into our heart strings, and take a piece of us with them when they leave.
So long, Mr Pussy.
I’ve always especially enjoyed reading accounts of Mr Pussy’s life.
What a cat!
Gentle Author, thank you for sharing his life and times with your readers.
I am so sorry for your loss. Mr Pussy was a very special furry person.
Oh, so sorry to read this.
I’m so sorry. I always loved your updates and stories about Mr. Pussy. I’m glad you were able to give him the ultimate kindness of being there at the end and knowing when it was time.
I had to have my seventeen year old cat, Cleo, put to sleep last October and it breaks your heart. I held her as the vet administered the anaesthetic and thanked her for being an ace pet.
I hope, in time, you’ll find room in your life for another cat.
My sincere condolences.
We’ll miss him too.
The death of Mr Pussy will leave a hole in your life, and will be greatly missed, but the manner of his passing was as good as it gets. R.
Very sorry to hear about Mr Pussy’s passing. He appears to have had a beautiful life and a caring companion though. My most sincere sympathies.
Dear Gentle Author,
I send my deepest sympathies to you all the way across the sea. I have so enjoyed all of your many tales of Mr. Pussy, your companion and friend, throughout the years I have visited here. I feel your loss so strangely near and very real. I hope you know how many, from all the earthly places inhabited by your vast following, will be offering to you their heartfelt companionship – at least in spirit – these next days and weeks ahead. Mr. Pussy was our dear friend, too, as you painted his singular personality and his endearing quirks so vividly for us. I feel he may reside with you still, on another level of being, your wordless friend, yet literary companion, always. ~ Sending kind thoughts your way ~
Gentle Author
I am so sorry to read about your loss. What a wonderful companion you had in Mr Pussy and what a lovely life you have had together. I will miss reading about him and must admit to a self-indulgent tear as it felt like I knew Mr Pussy through your words.
Carolyn x
So, so sorry. Your writing speaks to all of us who have lost our beloved animal friends and companions. I’m sure many tears will be she’d for Mr Pussy today by people who only ever met him through your words.
SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS
I am so sorry. I knew this day would come, for Mr. Pussy was elderly, but I have tears in my eyes just the same, for you and for him. Well, you loved each other as long as it was possible, and you have made such a beautiful tribute for him and what he meant in your whole life – not only in this post, but in everything you’ve written about this good cat. Goodbye, Mr. Pussy, from a loving admirer who knew you only through your gentle owner’s words.
I share your inevitable sadness: you expressed the experience so eloquently. I recognise those peripheral sightings of the absent companion. So sorry.
Dear Gentle Author
Of all the “So Longs” I was dreading this one so much. I’m reticent to offer any words of commiseration as I do not feel that these will provide any blanket of comfort, as I would dearly like to do.
My one straw to grasp at is that of the affection held for you, in your capacity as a gentle author, will reveal to you the depth of warmth and concern that your listeners, friends and community feel for you.
Undoubtedly the pain, memories and possible imaginings (that dear Mr Pussy is nearby) will be present but I do wish that the reaction to your post will help you to acknowledge that that five year old child need no longer a lonely author. x
I am so sorry for your loss. I have so enjoyed your essays about your lovely cat. He shall be missed by many people, I’m sure.
I am so very sorry that you have lost your best friend and dear companion Mr Pussy. There are no words I can offer which will make his loss any easier for you but in time I know you will remember only the happy times and take comfort in the fact that you had many wonderful years together and you did your very best for him when the time came to part.
I am sure you will feel the love of your devoted readers at this very sad time.
Take care, kind regards
Madeleine
Understand your feelings completely. Lucky Mr Pussy to have you and vice versa. No need to reply.
Very sad to hear your news- Mr Pussy had a long and happy life and we couldn’t wish for more. When you have been together so long and seen him every day it’s a great loss.
RIP Mr. Pussy. 🙁
Aww, this has moved me to tears reading about Mr Pussy. As hard as it is to come to terms with, you did the right thing in freeing him from his pain. Animals rely on us solely to help them in their dark days, even though it breaks our hearts to lose them.
I so miss my gorgeous girls (Dalmatians) and often mention them to people. They shared so much of my journey over the past 20 or so years. Always there whenever I felt lonely and frightened and the softest cuddles I could have wished for.
Perhaps after a time you might feel ready to get another cat, maybe in the shape of a rescue one.
I hope you find solace in another furry friend, they are so good for our hearts and souls.
Sending heartfelt condolences, GA.
I have loved the Mr Pussy blogs and knew one day I would have to read the sad news of his death, that day had come and I know how much he will be missed
A beautifully written eulogy to a much loved family member. My ‘late’ cats are fondly remembered.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! I cant bare that you should lose Mr Pussy. I have just read of his departure with tears flowing fast down my face. The stories you wrote about him were always funny and endearing and I felt he was – sort of – my cat too.
But you know how much love he gave you – and how you loved and took such great care of him. He lived a long and undoubtably very happy and contented life.
Thank you for sharing all those lovely stories about Mr Pussy with his fan club – they really were a little sprinkling of happiness in my life – and I bet in hundreds – if not thousands of others too.
Another moggy is out there waiting for you to find him.
Paddy
So sorry to hear about Mr Pussy. He was a real character and obviously a loved family member. I know only too well how terrible it is to lose a pet and how difficult it is to come to the decisions we have to make. You did the right thing though and you were with him at the end. He knew how much you loved him. My thoughts are with you. RIP Mr Pussy.
I’m so so sorry about Mr Pussy. He was such an integral part of your blog (and life!). It’s awful when they get old and finally have to go – I too was amazed how quickly my two crumpled, just as you describe. It kind of helps to see there was so little life left and comforting to know I’d done the right thing. It’s been an honour to read about Mr Pussy all these years and he was so lucky to have a loyal owner and comfortable home till the very end.
I can’t be the only one weeping this morning at the news that Mr P has gone to the great wing chair in the sky. It’s a pain like no other, the departure of one’s cat. I do feel for you. Mind how you go.
A very fine cat indeed. You will miss him…
Sending our deepest condolences and fondest love, Gentle Author – we too know how it feels to lose a much loved black cat with golden eyes.
So sorry for the loss of your gentle companion.
I’m so sorry for your loss of Mr Pussy – this is a beautiful testament to your friend and companion. He has, through your words, touched and delighted me and so many of your readers and we will miss him.
I am so sorry you have lost your lovely friend and companion. As I learned when I lost smudj, aged 20, many years ago, you will feel suddenly lost and bewildered, then you will grieve. But one day you will smile again and be grateful for the years you shared together. You will recall his touch by your side, his welcome chirrup and the mutual understanding that grew in you both. Be kind to yourself and take time. X
Oh dear Gentle Author, my heart goes with you. Such an irreplaceable loss and your loving words about Mr Pussy’s life are a beautiful tribute to him. I almost feel I too knew him.
We can but hold the treasured memories close and be so grateful for the friendship of another precious soul.
So sad to hear about Mr Pussy… I know how much a feline friend can mean (even if they are a pain in the neck in the middle of the night!) I have really enjoyed reading your blogs about his antics and I hope it won’t be too long before another cat finds his way into your life. Love and purrs from Jill and Potty Purrbright xx
I am so very sorry to hear that Mr Pussy has passed away leaving you with a great emptiness in your life. Only yesterday I dwelled for a while at the grave of Mr Menger Cat who died last year and is sadly missed. His ghost still passes through our old house. I hope you will soon find a new cat companion. In sympathy.
Tears
Our “hex” (Hexadecimal) died slowly last year, but she was kept at home & fed milk-&-water (with a few drops of Bovril) until she died, among friends.
Get another cat – soon.
Sorry for your loss
This is very sad news I am sorry for your loss.
“Time spent with cats is never wasted”
I send you my deepest sympathy. Mr Pussy was a delight and will be much missed.
Thank you for sharing the life of Mr Pussy and all the beautiful photos. I am so sad to hear he is gone but you did the right thing. There is nothing the smell and touch of a cat’s short hair between the ears. I hope the chair doesn’t stay empty for too long.
Thank you for sharing the life of Mr Pussy and all the beautiful photos. I am so sad to hear he is gone but you did the right thing. There is nothing like the smell and touch of a cat’s short hair between the ears. I hope the chair doesn’t stay empty for too long.
Ah I’m so sad for your loss,I loved reading about him,RIP Mr.Pussy
Dear Gentle Author
I am heartbroken. I loved Mr Pussy. Please
accept my deepest sympathy.
Perhaps, in time, a new cat will become
your friend that you can write about – who will
become part of the fabric and history
of Spitalfields Life?
I lost my cat recently, I miss her very much.
Regards,
Vivienne
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. The Mr Pussy posts were the ones that I always enjoyed reading out of a rich collection of other contenders. I felt that I knew Mr P, such was the love that came across in the writing.
I went through the same experience exactly a year ago today. It is tough. There will never be a Mr Pussy replacement, but there are so many cats out there that need a home. New cat company has certainly helped me.
Take it easy.
So sad to read this although there is always that heartbreaking inevitability about the loss of our animal companions. Mr Pussy really was one of those special beings that seem to possess an understanding beyond what is thought of an animal. You will still see him out of the corner of your eye when you are least expecting to. I wish I had met him.
I am shedding some tears for Mr Pussy, the loss of a true friend is a loss indeed.
So sorry that Mr. Pussy has gone from your life, but what a great ending for him – loving life to the last minute,even though he found breathing hard. No lingering days of faading away and missing out on his interests in life or hiding and refusing a loving stroke. I am sad for you, as loosing a companion is always hard, but so happy that his last hours were filled with your affectionate attention.
You brought Mr Pussy to life for so many of us with your regular updates; now we mourn with you. My father used to say ‘The Great Sadness is upon us.’ May it lift, leaving the lovely memories of a life well lived. Good bye, Mr Pussy. (and Greg’s advice is good–another small ball of fur will help. Although you may want to get some uninterrupted sleep first.)
What a very moving tribute to your beloved Mr Pussy.
I am so very sorry for your loss.
So so very sorry for your loss, O Gentle Author. Mr Pussy was much loved by you and us. We delighted in the stories of his sweet Life. Thank you for sharing a little of him with us. Wishing you well.
God bless Mr Pussy ands keep him safe in his arms. Mr. Pussy will be amongst so many lovely friends, including my beloved Blotcher.
A wonderful eulogy, I feel for your loss.
Your tribute to Mr Pussy is very sad and very sweet. Condolences to the Gentle Author.
A most beautiful piece, Gentle Author. Mr Pussy should also be credited with bringing out your best writing. Deepest condolences.
Dear GA
I’ve been an avid follower of yours for some time now and always relished an update of MrPussy. So it goes without saying how sad I feel and how much of a void it will be for you.
I hope you cherish your memories and have a quiet day upon reflection.
Much love to you at this sad time.
So sorry for your loss.
So moving. I understand your loss and trust that time will heal.
I’m so sorry to read this. I loved when Mr Pussy strayed into your posts. We’ve been through your experience at the vet a couple of times and I know what a quivering wreck I came out. After the last one, we decided “no more” but several years later I still see a black cat out of the corner of my eye sometimes.
I’ve lost so many very close family over the years, losses that I will never recover from, but I was very sad and deeply moved by your account of losing Mr Pussy, sincere condolences.
I’m so very sorry to hear about Mr Pussy. I’ve been reading your blog for a long time and look forward to each installment, and Mr Pussy was a familiar presence. My deepest sympathy to you. You’ve touched a lot of lives with your writing and there a lot of people holding you in their hearts today.
Dear GA, we’ll all miss Mr Pussy, your good companion. Thank you for sharing his life with us.
What very sad news this morning, please take comfort in knowing how many people care
Thank you for enriching our lives through sharing yours.
How tearful. I feel very sad for you. Mr Pussy’s stories and photos were great and full of love. He’ll always be in your heart.
Fond memories will bring you peace.
Hélène (owner of 3 cats)
I am very sorry for loss so eloquently expressed.
Any article that featured Mr Pussy’s name was read immediately and was a delight.
Ian
I’m so very sorry to hear of your loss. This is such a ttouching tribute to your unique friend.
This is sad news indeed but your tribute to his life and times is a fine way to remember the great Mr P. You enriched each other’s lives and ours too. Take care, dear friend.
Oh Gentle Author, it is with deep sadness that i have received your news of Mr Pussy, i have grown accustom, with fondness of his gentle presence in my lives. thank you for sharing him .
How elegantly you write, Gentle Author.it has made me pause and recall ,all my feline friends from the past with deep affection.
take care
leonie
Oh how touching and beautiful, a poignant epitaph to Mr Pussy and the great companionship he offered you. I hope you find solace in the space he has left in your life.
Thinking of you and sending a big hug.
I’m sat on a balcony in Poros, Greece with tears streaming down my face after reading of Mr Pussy’s demise. Cats leave such a huge void . Deepest sympathy.
So sad to wake up to this this morning. I am so very, very sorry for your loss. From the moment you introduced him in your first post about him in 2009, I was hooked on his story and became very fond of his ways, always so beautifully realised by you. I can’t imagine the hole he will leave in your life but you have done a wonderful thing by being so generous as to share his, and your, shared story and creating a narrative around him. Long will he live in all your readers’ thoughts and imaginations. Sending condolences and thoughts x
It was with sadness that I read of Mr Pussy’s passing. RIP Mr Pussy.
I’m so sorry to read about the passing of Mr Pussy. I’ve enjoyed reading about his antics, he sounded full of personality and charm and will inevitably leave a huge void in your life and home. RIP x
Goodbye Mr Pussy
Lots of love to you GA
xx
Such a sad post. I’m so sorry.
Goodbye Mr Pussy.
You embroidered my days when your human wrote of you.
You are already missed by many.
R.I.P old chum.
Such a gentle tale. Good bye Mr. Pussy, your story lives forever.
I am so, so sorry. He was such a fine fellow and a wonderful friend.
I am very much saddened to hear of your loss. You write with great compassion and warmth for your old friend. I hope that somehow that time heals and you can find a new cat friend and start a new journey all the while remember with joy the past.
Rest in peace Mr Pussy!
So sorry to hear this news. He was an excellent cat who had a lovely life with you. A beautiful essay in tribute to him. Thank you for sharing Mr Pussy with your readers over the years.
So right and proper that we mourn this marvellous-sounding cat.
My condolences on your loss.
Oh Mr Pussy, what a wonderful cat – to all of us, not just your loving parent. We will miss you. Polly
We are so sorry to hear the sad news of Mr Pussy your special companion and friend.
What a wonderful life you have shared.
What a very sad start to the day. So sorry to learn that the wonderful Mr Pussy will grace us with his presence no more. He will live on in our memories for ever. Sleep well little chap.
Longtime reader, first time commenter.
We unite with you in your Grief. Mr P will be sorely missed. He was part of us as he was part of you.
You do not suffer alone, if you need us we will be there.
Rob, Natalie and Chico-Baby
I’m so sorry for your loss. We love our friends so much, and you showed great compassion in letting him go. I hope the hours become easier, and you can enjoy the memories of your lovely cat.
So very sorry to hear about the passing of Mr Pussy.
I felt I knew you Mr Pussy and I really did know you through beautiful stories written by GE your much loved life partner. I have that heartache that everyone knows well when we have to say goodbye. Farewell you dear, dear boy , we are blessed having had a delightful black cat Mr Pussy cross our paths.
Thank you for sharing your life and love of Mr Pussy with all your readers. I too have had beloved cats but am now alone and have so looked forward to those blogs which have regularly painted the picture of your life with such an admirable companion. He certainly kept you on your toes! Sleep well black furry friend.
Dear Gentle Author, I am so sorry. Losing our closest and dearest friends, no matter what form that friend may take, is hard. I hope that as time passes you have nothing but good memories, and take some comfort in knowing that out here, in the virtual world, you have so many other, unknown, friends who are all thinking of you and Mr Pussy today.
An absolutely beautiful and heart-rendering tale of Mr Pussy’s last days. This blog is a daily piece of wonderful escapism from the horrors of the news in the age of Trump, and an escape for me from the daily grind of an uninspiring job. Mr Pussy was a big part of that for me.
It mirrors the loss of my own cat in 2014, who had been with me as a childhood friend and companion since I was 7. My cat had lived with me growing up and seen me almost every day of my life (with the exception of my University term times). When my cat passed away when I was 27, it was very much me leaving behind my childhood, saying a goodbye to a part of my life and a sign I was now grown-up, in a dull desk job, engaged, trying to buy a house and wondering how the heck I had got there.
The passage of time is a constant, yet some things still stay the same. I still miss my cat and childhood companion, and the 30 year old me still wonders where on earth am I, and what happened to the goofy 7 year old kid with his cat?
I will fondly re-read your posts about Mr Pussy and raise a glass to him and you later this week. Take care and take comfort in the memories of a wonderful shared life you had together.
How beautiful your writing is.I was delighted to read about you in The Oldie recently.I wonder if you have ever confided doing a memoir?
So sorry to hear of your loss. A beautiful tribute. Brought back memories of our last two cats and a big lump in the throat …
If you want another, I hope you find a loving furry pal to share headbumps and cuddles. We did eventually and are very happy with our young furry pals.
I am so sad to hear of your loss, you must be thankful for the comfort that his companionship has given to you.
Gary
Vale Mr Pussy.
There is nothing that we can say that will help just now, we know, but ‘thank you’ for allowing us (and all your readers) to share in your friendship with the wonderful Mr. Pussy. We are holding your both in our thoughts and prayers.
Dear Gentle Author,
I am so sorry to hear to that Mr Pussy has died. I always enjoy reading Spittlefields Life and have always particularly liked the cat ones. It’s so hard to lose a much loved pet and friend. I am glad Mr Pussy didn’t suffer and that you were with him at the end.
I read this in bed this morning, surrounded by my six cats, with tears running down my face. It’s so odd when an animal is put down. You do expect a ‘drifting off’ but boomp, and they’re gone…….
So sorry you have lost your feline friend. He was a cat of distinct character. Your words made it so easy to visualise his – and your – restless nights and his lazy days curled up in the winged chair or stretched out in a patch of sunlight.
Mr Pussy: Prince of Spitalfields cats.
…. I am so sorry – Mr Pussy had a full and happy life with you – I cry as I type this remembering your stories about him, and about the cats I have loved and lost …
I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope in time, your memories Mr. Pussy will be of as much comfort to you as he has been in life.
Dear Gentle Author,
I am very sorry to read of the passing of Mr Pussy. My deepest condolences. Your post is a beautiful tribute to a much loved companion. You are both in my thoughts. RIP Mr Pussy.
I’m so sorry to read of the passing of Mr Pussy. My thoughts are with you.
I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you. RIP Mr Pussy. Do not despair because he’s gone, but be thankful for all those years he spent with you.
So sorry for your loss; cats burrow their way into our hearts and lives deeper than we ever realise, until they are gone. They are so special. RIP Mr Pussy!
Impossible not to cry, reading this. My own cat is the most foolish, delightful, funny and loving animal whose place in my life would be impossible to fill. So sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry to hear that Mr Pussy has died. My cat does the Se thing during the night and simetimes I’m exasperated with her. Now I’ve read your lovely story, I’ll be more patient. We suffer when our pets die but it’s marvellous to have shared a part of our lives with such beautiful and inyetesting creatures.
How sad. Sorry to hear bad news of the loss of an old friend.
We miss Mr. Pussy. A good and great cat.
He surely is one reason that Tomino, a grey tabby,
came to live here. I am now awed by felines
as much as I’ve been dogs before.
Bless Mr Pussy – he was such a trusty companion to you and anyone who shares their life with a special pet will understand your loss. I always loved reading about him and no doubt he has left many treasured memories for you to remember him by. xx
Dear Mr Pussy. He was indeed a fine cat, and much loved by your many readers, including myself. I have grown used to receiving the news of the passing of a local figure from your daily emails, the title always beginning ‘So long…’. So when I saw the title of this morning’s daily message I admit my heart sank, and I chose not to read the contents until I could find a quiet moment to reflect upon the life of the famous and much admired cat.
Thank you for sharing your stories of Mr Pussy. We shall all miss him very much.
My condolences for your sad parting from Mr Pussy.
A beautifully written elegy for a beautiful creature.
Here’s to a life well lived and an eternal friendship which we have all enjoyed reading about.
Here’s to Mr Pussy, a cat for all seasons and true star.
An amazing epitaph to an amazing cat by an amazing man. I only hope I have someone to write something so tender and poignant for me.
To you both….
Very sad for you. But for him, a quick, pain-free end to sixteen happy years. Apart from a few more years, what more could we all want?
I am so very sorry to hear that the treasured and much loved Mr Pussy has gone. I loved your last post on Mr Pussy’s chair just as I have loved all your posts onhim. I’m glad that we brightened his life a couple of years ago with some new taste sensations from the Australian Women’s Club. Vale Mr Pussy. We shall all miss you.
I am so very sorry. They are wonderful companions and friends. Lost our elderly kitty in much the same fashion last winter.
So very saddened to read of Mr Pussys passing & the loss you’re enduring, we sit in the South of France reading this as our 20 year old cat Anthony basks in a warmth & light he’s not afforded in London, he was once Spitalfields resident also. Every day we share with him is a blessing & caring for his special aged needs now includes him travelling with us which today he is clearly enjoying. May you find warmth & solace in the memories of the wonderful life you shared together, our furry companions forever dear to our hearts. Heart felt condolences. =^..^=
I’m so sorry. I couldn’t bring myself to open the post for several hours .. I’ve been dreading this day and have come into a beautiful church in Hay to read it. I’m going to light a candle for you both. Please don’t stop writing about him! Sending much love..
Dear Gentle Author,
I am so sorry for your loss. I have come to know and love Mr. Pussy through your eloquent words. I will miss him too. May his fine spirit RIP.
With sympathy and kind regards,
Sarah
Heartbreaking to lose a beloved pet and friend. So sorry for your loss.
It is so sad to hear this last sorrowful story about MR PUSSY… I think he will stay in eternal remembrance for you and all the readers of this wonderful blog. — R.I.P., MR PUSSY!
Love & Peace
ACHIM
So very sorry to hear about the demise of Mr Pussy. I am sure that all of us who have studied with you in the past will join with me in sending you our love and sympathy. It must be very hard to lose such a dear and constant companion.
My condolences to you for your loss.
Please accept my deepest condolences. The raw grief will pass, leaving sweet memories of your companionship.
I am so sorry to hear about Mr. Pussy. It is so hard to lose our four-footed, furry friends. We lost our 17 year old Dusty last month, so I know how empty the house must feel to you, but Mr. Pussy will always be in your heart. I send my very best to you from across “the pond.”
Candy
I am so very sorry for your loss. Mary x
Oh no, so very sorry GA.
It can be heartbreaking when you loose an animal friend who has been good company for so long.
He had such a good life with you, that’s the most important thing and he’s at peace now.
I am so very sorry for your loss. Mr pussy was an amazing cat x
It is 23 years since I went through this, and it is still very much with me. But then I think we should try not to define our pets, and indeed human loved ones, by their end. It’s the overwhelmingly positive memories from their lives that matter, and that becomes easier over time. A beautifully written piece, and one that I know will have struck a chord with many, many of your readers.
My heart sank when I read the title of today’s blog and prepared myself with a box of tissues before reading your touching eulogy. You were both so lucky to have had each other in your lives and my thoughts are with you at this very sad time. Take good care of yourself.
Big hugs
Our cat, Mr. Pussy. You’ve shared him with all of us. So a huge throng of followers are joining you in mourning this most special being.
You did so well by him. And he by you.
slb
I cried reading this. So sorry. You gave Mr Pussy a fantastic life, and he gave you love and friendship in return. He will live in in your memories forever.
So sorry for the loss of your faithful companion. He will be missed.
I’m so sorry to hear this news. We’ve had nearly 20 cats over the last 43 years, and each one has left a lasting impression. Easy for me to say, but hopefully you’ll eventually be able to just remember the good times. Best wishes, Terry
I’m so so sorry to hear this. I’ve been reading your posts for a while and this one had me quite tearful. I lost my lovely good natured, 16 year old cat in January. I spent ages afterwards expecting her to walk in a room, or find her napping in a favourite area. Our animals become so close to us and such an important part of our lives. x
I’m so sorry to hear you’ve lost a devoted companion and friend. As followers of your blog, he was our friend too and we will mourn him. God bless Mr Pussy. x
This is such a lovely post in memory of him, i’m sure he’s somewhere having a good old purr…
Gentle Author, I always loved reading about Mr. Pussy, and am crying for you now. You were there for him when he most needed you, and all the way until the end. I know how much it hurts – I held my 18 year old Tinkie while he was put to sleep in April – he was having convulsions and could not get better. You and your beloved Mr. Pussy will be together again one day. As Gran said when something bad happened – This, too, shall pass.
I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. I know how attached we become to our beloved pets. Mr Pussy sounded like a true friend.
IMO, Losing an animal companion of long standing is often worse than losing a family member. My condolencies to you.
Dear Gentle Author,
I am so sorry for your loss. Anyone that has suffered the loss of a pet that was also their best friend grieves with you today. My deepest sympathies.
So very SAD to read of the passing of Darling Mr.Pussy. FEEL your PAIN Been there too. XXX
If I may i know that it is not perhaps the right time,but when my Darling passed I coulden’t live with the feeling of coming home and not finding my Darling Max there as always waiting on me.
After a few months at the shelter little Julie came into my life she was 6.1/2 years a little Cavalier King Charles Maw was a Cavalier Charles too. Her owner had Alzheimer and I had just lost my own Darling mum with that illness that steals everything from you. Julie has been my baby since and in a few weeks time she will be 14. She saved me,and I saved her too. i LOVE her just like my lovely boy MAX.
Recently i have been going to You Tube every day and following the WONDERFUL work there done by Viktor Larkhill and the doctors and staff at the hospital to give PRECIOUS as ALL FUR BABIES are a new life it is EXTREME RESCUE and not all of the videos are easy to watch. If you can when you fell you can please join us there with your LOVE. BLESS YOU GENTLE AUTHOR
you are a GOOD MAN. Mr.Pussy knew that too……………….XXX BLESS YOU BOTH…… LOVE NEVER DIES.
I’m sorry Mr. Pussy will no longer be your ‘writing partner’–what a fine job he did! The recent story of Mr. Pussy and your mother’s chair had me worried something was amiss. It was and today came the news I feared.
May wonderful memories of Mr. Pussy bring you smiles, soft laughter, and, yes, more tears in the days and years to come.
What a duo you have been! Take care.
So sorry, to hear of Mr Pussy’s passing, you have my sympathy.
Lost my dog seven years ago, still miss her.
Never cease to amaze me the pleasure and trust our pets give to us.
The human race should follow their example.
Condolences from Boston,
GA, such a moving eulogy for your beloved pet. And such an outpouring of sympathy and support. I stopped counting after 150+ replies.
You must take comfort in hearing from your vast world wide audience. Wishing you the best in adapting to your new life without Mr. Pussy…
So very sorry to hear Mr Pussy has passed on. He felt like an old friend that you shared with us all. Losing one’s beloved pet is like losing a family member. At the moment all the love that you have exchanged to and from him will make it all that much harder to cope but in time that same love will be what you remember and you’ll smile again when you think of him.
Do wish you could feel all the love that has been sent to you through these messages Gentle Author. Love and hugs to you.
There will be another chapter for you to write when you take home with you another young cat.
All my cats over the past 50 years found me rather than the other way around.
You will feel better sooner when you befriend another Pussy.
For both your sakes I hope it will be soon rather than latter.
Wishing you a speedy recovery………..
Oh no.. So very sad to read this post today. Have hugely enjoyed all the stories you have shared about Mr Pussy. Beautifully written eulogy. Lots of love to you
I mourn with you in your loss of Mr. Pussy. He always seemed such an amiable gentleman, with the serious air of a cat who has lived many lives and seen many things. You gave him a home, and he loved you with all of his heart, of this I am sure.
In my life, I have known a few cats, and treasured each and every one of them up to and beyond their passing, so I know the pain that you feel, and the loss.
Thank you for sharing Mr. Pussy with us; it was kind of you to be so generous, and he was an interesting cat, all the way around.
Please take good care of yourself.
My deepest sympathy. Your story, especially the interest in the big world outside the car window on that final journey, is all too familiar. We have experienced this sadness and the preceding feline night terrors twice in the past year. Both our black cat Chloe and the gentle grey tabby Rory were, as most cats are, unique personalities. Now it’s time for their sister, the former huntress & night-rover, Bella, to hoard the bed and crave undivided attention.
Please accept my heartfelt condolences. Rest in Peace and gentle meadows Mr. Pussy.
I am so so sorry for the loss of Mr. Pussy. Your post is a lovely tribute to him—and also to your love for him. I teared up reading it. I too have, in the past, had to make the decision to let a cat go, at 15, 18, and 19 years old. I too attributed sounds to one of them without thinking, sometimes for months. All of my cats have been (and are) precious to me, but the ones who lived many years, and accompanied me on many life changes, stay especially in my heart. I’m happy to currently have two cats who (fingers crossed) are years away from my having to make the decision. When that time comes, I will, as you did, accompany them to the vet and be with them at the end. Mr. Pussy lived a wonderful life with you, and I hope you have some comfort in that. You will stay in my thoughts.
I’m so sorry. Your writing brings me comfort and wonder. Thank you. God Bless.
So very sorry for your loss. Some time ago I had a very similar experience when it was time for my old cat to leave me and was totally unprepared for the anaesthesia; when she crumpled I did too. She had been with me longer than my husband had been at that point.
There is a time-honoured prayer that I offer a part of to you, attributed to Bede Jarrett. It was of course written about people, but if God hates nothing God has made then I imagine that all things return to God. “…life is eternal and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon, and a horizon is nothing, save the limit of our sight.”
I hope that Mr. Pussy’s memory will be a comfort to you.
Your story really touched me. Very similar to my black cat that I had to put to sleep a month ago. Thank you for writing it.
Barbara
Your sorrow and your sweet words brought tears to my eyes this morning; the love of a cat is something very special.
We your reader love to share your stories we can now give you back that love.
Dear Gentle Author,
Thank you for telling us about your love for Mr. Pussy. May his memory always be a blessing and may God comfort you profoundly in your loss. August 15 is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She has taken him up with her.
I am so sorry. Yet you had a long time together and he lived his life to the full. Undimmed, uncorrupted. The best any of us – animal or human – can wish.
I feel with you as the loss of my cat friend Jackie comes hurtling back. I can still see her in the shadows and she comes to greet me in my dreams from time to time.
We are both so sorry to hear of Mr. Pussy’s passing. We have 10 beloved feline family members and we love each and every one of them. We’ve had to say goodbye many times and it is always heartbreaking. So our very best to you from Canada.
Hold on to those sounds you attribute to his presence, for they are him with you still.
Much love and comfort for your loss.
I’m so glad that he was with you for so long, and so glad that you shared his life with us. He will be missed.
you have recently paid the price that all of us pay when we have a loving animal. Their unconditional love comes at a cost to us- and that cost is having to do what is required sometimes, no matter how hard and painful taking such a decision is to take. you did the right thing, and in time you will start to remember only the happy memories and not the pain of the last few days. I hope in time you will pay a visit to celia hammonds in canning town and add to your house again. You cannot replace Mr Pussy, but you can continue to provide the love and affection you gave to him, to another.
I, too, am sorry for your loss. You wrote beautifully of your most special cat so I’m glad you posted all your writings about him at the end of this last one, along with the lovely photo of Mr. Pussy and the leafy shadow. We were devastated when our “last” two cats died, and decided to not have another. Then tiny Bingley showed up in our yard. Within a week I brought the kitten inside. We had to rename her — Maisie.
I think you can see by all the notes from your readers that we too feel the loss of Mr Pussy. Not like you do, of course, where shadows echo his fur and small noises should be his but aren’t. That ache is yours alone, and I am very sorry for it.
But you have shared Mr Pussy with so many years that he has felt like our cat, too — his quirks and foibles and small adventures melding into the memory of those of our own cats, both long past and those curled beside us. I hope retreading those same evocative stories of yours may make you smile as well.
Thank you for sharing Mr pussy with us on his all his wonder.
The death of a beloved cat leaves a small furry hole in the universe that never really heals – but thank you for sharing Mr Pussy’s life and good times, and this sad news, with us.
Goodbye, beautiful Mr Pussy <3 <3 <3
One more thought, might you create a small book of your essays on Mr Pussy? Woven together with images and a few short tidbits, your years long tribute to the joy of a cat companion would resonate with many readers.
I’m sorry for the loss of Mr. Pussy. He was well loved by you and your followers. May you find peace <3
I’m very sorry for your loss. It’s been 30 years since that fatal day at the vet’s with my first dog and not a year goes by that I don’t think of her. I’ve had a few dogs since then and the final trip never got any easier, I’ve loved them all dearly. People without pets will never understand how and why it hurts so badly. I hope you’ll find the strength to get a new cat in a while; I find that life without a pet is not impossible but unbearable.
I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing his life so vividly with us over the years. Your beautifully observed accounts of Mr Pussy helped when we lost our feline friend. Yours with renewed tears.
Like all those who have commented before me, I am truly sorry to read about Mr Pussy’s departure and wish him Godspeed. Thank you for sharing your wise and thoughtful words; by giving such meaningful expression to your grief you will, doubtless, help me to phrase and understand mine when similar, very sad circumstances duly arise. With every good wish.
I am so very sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing Mr. Pussy with your readers. While our loss can’t even remotely compare to yours, please know that he will be missed and has left a hole in many people’s life. All my sympathy, CHC
So sorry to hear about your loss. When we moved into our new house, we brought our cat of 10 years with us. He was a rascal. He liked to play outside so we let him. A few weeks after moving in, he left and never came back. He was old, his health wasn’t the greatest. He was a free spirit. I do not begrudge him dying on an adventure. I just wish we’d gotten to say goodbye. A few months after he left us, we went down to the animal shelter and brought home two new cats. They had big paws to fill and they have filled them well. Thank you for sharing your love of your cat with us and I hope you meet another cat who can fill the hole in your heart.
God bless Mr.Pussy, he had a grand life with you but it was his time to go..
I am so sorry for your loss, gentle author. Thank you for so generously sharing Mr. Pussy with us your readers.I too mourn his loss. I am making a donation in Mr. Pussy’s memory to my local animal shelter. Please know you are in my thoughts.
This is indeed sad news. Mr Pussy will live on forever in the story’s that you have both given us.
So Sorry.
Jimmy
I am so sorry for your loss of your friend and companion. Your words are a beautiful tribute to your cat, and I hope that your memories of him are a comfort to you.
My dear, I am so sorry for your loss of the unique Mr Pussy. I am foster-mum to a 17yr-old lady.. You will see him yet awhile; cherish these moments. Sincere commiserations; I miss every one of the engaging felines I’ve been lucky enough to have in my life. I so hope there is a Rainbow Bridge.
16 years!! What a long life he had and so lucky you are to have shared it with him. Thank you so much for sharing his stories with all of us over the years. We miss him too!
Dear Gentle Author,
Sad news today. God bless Mr. Pussy. I have lost 3 dear cats over the years, and know that empty feeling . I still miss them. Time does heal though, and we must take consolation in knowing that we provided them very good homes and loving care. I now have another individual feline who is very close to me, loving, with her own personality.
Thank -you for your eloquent daily writings about a unique area of London that spoke to me as well from the first time I visited it. I enjoy hearing about the history, architecture, economy and especially the characters, human and animal that have made it so.
My condolences
Celeste
What a beautiful epitaph for a beloved companion. Loved to read your words about Mr. Pussy; they always expressed so well how we think of our faithful pets.
Dear Gentle Author
Sending my condolences on hearing of the sad loss of Mr Pussy. What a wonderful life he had with you .
Regards
Lynne Newman.
Your wonderful tribute to Mr Pussy today has left me in tears, so sorry to read your news. Having had so many cats of various colours and characters over the years didn’t ever make it easier when the decision has to be made that it will be kinder to let them go. There are so many hoping for a loving home—–perhaps in time? Thinking of you
So beautifully written, and so infinitely sad. You and Mr. Pussy are in my thoughts.
I’m so sorry for your loss. You shared Mr. Pussy through your blog posts and you’re both in my thoughts and prayers.
Dear GA…your heartfelt, beautiful words about the passing of Mr Pussy are redolent of the words we all need to hear when we face grief in all its forms. Thank you. Your words are perfect for such a sad occasion.
It is the last, best gift we can give our furry companions, to be able to ease their suffering when their time comes. Vale, Mr Pussy, a very fine cat indeed. And thank you for writing so wonderfully about him over the years.
This is beautiful tribute to a beautiful friend.
Please don’t be too sad GA.
Mr Pussy wouldn’t want you to be.
Think of all the pleasure you gave each other over the years.
Very much in my thoughts at this sad time.
Pauline
I had to have my cat, trixie of 13 years put to sleep a month ago, I miss her everyday. My love and thoughts are with you xx
I’m so very sorry for your loss. I’ve lost too many dear furry friends and know how devastating it is. Thanks for the eloquent and loving tribute to Mr. Pussy.
What a beautiful tribute to Mr Pussy.
Made me cry. He sounds like a truly wonderful part of your life and your were both lucky to have each other.
Oh Gentle Author, my heart goes out to you. I made the same decision to let my beloved Raasay go in February. I too live a rather solitary life at home ill (or occasionally writing my blog!) and know how much you must miss Mr Pussy. For ages I kept hearing and seeing Raasay as you describe. Rest in Peace Mr Pussy.
I am so sorry that Mr. Pussy is no longer with you. Take comfort in knowing that you did the right thing for him to the end. He will always be with you in spirit. Take care and know that many mourn with you.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Your tribute to Mr. Pussy was very moving.
So sad….
But thank you, Gentle Author, for still being with us every day……
Oh how my heart goes out to you gentle author it is so hard, however much we know that it is the thing that we must do for our beloved friends, to make that terrible decision. Of course we know that to try to keep them with us would be cruel, but we all pray that it will never come to that and that they will die peacefully in their sleep. I feel for you, truly I do, but as everyone has said, your beautiful Mr Pussy has brought so much joy, not only into your life, but into the lives of so many of us and we shall never forget him.
Au revoir Mr Pussy and if you meet my Tim and Sampson and Napoleon in your new pain free happy life please give them all my love, except for the extra bit reserved for you of course.
Pauline.
My heart sank when I saw the heading of this post and I’m writing through teary eyes remembering my own late furry chums, Sammy, Gonga, Ginny, Mrs Cat, Spud & Hissing Sid, all of whom found me rather than the other way round. I feel sure that Mr Pussy will have primed a friend to pass the word around and soon someone will come calling, but until then I’m sending you a virtual consoling arm around the shoulder from someone who knows the pain of having to make that ultimate decision to let a loved friend pass peacefully. They bring us so much joy, but ultimately break our hearts……..
To dear Gentle Author, I am so sad to hear of your loss and have loved all the stories of Mr. Pussy. Love and best wishes to you and please, if you can, get a Mr. Pussy 2 soon to cheer you and keep you company. Love J.L.
My heart is hurting for you. Safe journey Mr Pussy. xx
Blimey !
I have never left a message here before . But decided that I should today .
As did so many , many , many others . I thought the messages would never end .
Very , very sorry that Mr . Pussy is gone .
Sleep well to you , and to Mr. Pussy too .
And So Long Marvellous Mr . Pussy .
x
I don’t usually comment but was moved to do so.
Very sorry to hear about your sad news; I experienced the same thing recently (two cats)
and it is hard.
I love reading your blog by the way, brings back those few carefree years I spent in London. I still miss the place.
Deepest sympathies.
It’s a hard time, but love has a price.x
I’m sobbing
Dear Gentle Author, I have read Spitalfields Life for many years and particularly enjoyed hearing about Mr Pussy, so I am very sorry to hear of his passing. You have written a beautiful tribute to him. From my own experience of pet loss I can only recommend one thing – a new kitten (or two!) as soon as possible to receive your love and help fill the void that Mr Pussy’s loss has created.
How sad, i was only thinking of him yesterday. Farewell Mr Pussy. Good vibes to TGA. x
How very sad to lose your old friend . Mr Pussy had a good life and was well loved , lucky cat . Big hug and lots of love . xxxx
RIP Mr. Pussy, so sorry for your loss, resonating quite deeply as I am a cat person myself and have had to suffer like you several times over the course of a lifetime, it don’t get no easier!Beautifully written as always and will miss all your tales of your wonderful Mr. Pussy.
I feel for you, lost one of my little dogs a few months ago and I still see her dark shape out of corner of my eye and can feel her shape on the bed. These feelings are an important part of goodbyes. She was part of you.
So sorry to hear about Mr Pussy,we loved reading about him.
So beautifully written!
Im so sorry GA. Beautiful, clever Mr Pussy, how I shall miss him and your love letters about him and your tender friendship. Im sure your writings about Mr Pussy will be read many years from now.
I am sorry to read of your loss, I hope all of the messages on here will bring some comfort to you. Thank you for sharing the tales of Mr Pussy and his adventures over the years, he was a ‘very fine cat indeed’ xx
So sorry you have lost your beloved companion. As you say how your life with your friend has marked other significant life moments, further ones will be marked with Mr Pussy’s absence. Now this sounds very silly but it is comforting, 13 years on I still mark my 14th swimming length to my lovely dog as that was the lifespan of my Moondog.
A beautiful piece of writing in memory of beautiful Mr Pussy. Thank you and take care x
I am deeply sorry to hear of the loss of your Mr Pussy – he sounds so much like my diva girl Miss Tiggy who is also 16. I lost her brother Me Clive last year. Cats are wonderful companions and we become so close to them when we live next to them and they allow us to share their lives. He will live on in your memory.
From NM, USA: your beautiful tribute to Mr. Pussy has really moved me. Thank you.
When my friends’ pets die, I send this poem/prayer, originally sent from a friend in England when I lost a beloved Dachshund:
Holy, holy, holy, perfect Lord of Hosts,
heaven and earth are full of the holiness of your
glory.
You have created all creatures with your word.
You carry them all without being weary,
and feed them all without ceasing.
You think about them all without forgetting any.
You give to all without being diminished.
You water all the earth without running dry.
You watch over all without sleeping.
You hear us all without neglecting any.
While your presence fills every place,
they have told us about you in a way we can receive.
–An Ethiopian prayer
From Richard Marsh,
in Black Angels: the Art and Spirituality of Ethiopia
Deep condolences…
Such a sad sad post today dear Gentle Author…what a very fine cat and constant companion he was and what a great and varied life he lived with you on all your journeys through life…you will miss him so much and so will all his loyal readers everywhere….
RIP The fabulous Mr Pussy and take care Gentle Author. Anne x
Rest in peace, Mr Pussy. A fine cat indeed. It sounds as if you gave him everything he needed in his final days, right to the end. A good companion to him as he was to you.
Deeply sorry for your loss. Though Mr Pussy did lead a long idyllic life. Best Wishes and keep up the great work.
Mr Pussy had many fans, through you. We are sorry and will miss the tales you told. I hope your loneliness recedes but the memories stay strong.
So sorry to hear about Mr Pussy. I always loved reading about him – he seemed such a wise cat.
Your post was a fitting memorial to him. Goodbye, Mr Pussy!
Dear TGA,
I can’t start imagining how you feel. Once I read that when those we love become a memory, a memory becomes a treasure. How true. The thing is – it is not just your memories, so many of your readers loved him dearly.
It is a very sad occasion for us all. I first “met” Mr Pussy 7,5 years ago and instantly fall in love with your feline companion. Over the years I learnt so much about him that at times it felt that it is my cat too.
I am sure he’ll be missed by many. Thank you for sharing Mr Pussy with us.
My deepest sympathies.
Such is the power of good writing that I’m going to miss Mr Pussy too. I realise that more than the pictures, it is your words about him that made me feel I was personally acquainted with Mr Pussy. Thank you so much for sharing the beauty of his life with your readers.
I am also one of your long time readers who read your writings everyday but who never comment. Today though I wanted to write and express my condolences for the loss of Mr. Pussy. My family and I have loved reading about Mr. Pussy and his life in East End London. I inherited a cat we called Mister Lucy from my mother when she went into a care home some years ago though sadly both my mother and subsequently Mister Lucy have now passed. Your final story about Mr Pussy summed up in such eloquent words the same feelings I had for my own cat. Although I live in Canada now I lived in your part of London for some 15 years and know the area well. Reading your stories brings back many happy memories for me and inspires me to return to London as often as I can. Your blog is beautifully and superbly written and a joy to read. I wish more websites were of the same quality.
Sorry for the loss of Mr.Pussy. A splendid feline. RIP
Beautifully written, so very sad. I am sorry for your loss.
Deborah
IT would be nice if you wrote a book about mr pussy, putting together all the blogs and the lovely photos
Reading this, I wept like a child remembering my own furry one who has passed on. Thank you for sharing this touching tribute with us.
I too will miss Mr. Pussy, and your tales of his adventures. As my own cats grow older, I am more and more aware of how dear they are to me, having accompanied me through the many vicissitudes of my own life–divorce, cancer, job changes. I find it hard, as you did, to deal with their crotchets and ailments, but I know when they are gone, I will miss them as just as you now mourn for Mr. Pussy. All my sympathy to you, gentle author, and God speed Mr. Pussy to his eternal romp in the mouse-filled fields of cat heaven.
So very sorry to hear of your loss. Mr Pussy was a good boy, the best!
Rest in peace Mr Pussy. I loved reading about you. Hoping the space you left behind stops hurting the Gentle Author soon.
I have been a faithful reader of your wonderful and informative blog for a few years now but I never left a comment until today. I am very sorry for your loss and the troubles that you and Mr. Pussy experienced these last months. I would never presume to say that I know how you feel, but I have lost dear pet companions in recent years and I know how difficult it was for me to bear that loss. I hope it provides some comfort to you to know that your historical research, passion for the city and civic virtue, and not least, the stories you shared about your pet companion, have all greatly enriched my life. I am very grateful for all of it.
I’m so sorry to hear of the loss of Mr. Pussy.
Deepest condolences and thank you for sharing the wonderful stories of Mr Pussy. E-hugs from the heart of a grateful reader and fellow cat lover.
This is such a beautiful and touching story. You must be indescribably sad.
How lovely that you have written so much, and so observantly, about all the a cat does. May I suggest that you investigate publishing them all together in one volume, sold for the benefit, say, of a cat shelter?
That would be also be a lovely tribute to Mr. Pussy.
What a beautiful and moving goodbye to a much loved companion and friend. Myself and my partner have three cats of our own (two found and one given) and we know that we will one day say goodbye to all of them. Which is why they are all cherished and given the best life we can possibly give them. They are an absolute joy as Mr Pussy was to you and he will always be in your heart.
Your affectionate, observant posts about Mr Pussy have been a delight to read, and I am so sorry to hear that he is no more. Alongside all your readers, I send especial love to you today.
I an so sorry to read of Mr Pussy’s passing, especially as you had written about him only last week. I loved to read about all his adventures. What a beautiful tribute to him.
I too am a follower of your blog who has never posted but feel moved to do so now. Your words on the last days and sad passing of Mr Pussy moved me deeply as it mirrored my own experience with my beloved cat Charlie. I feel your grief at his loss, and understand the love and sensitivity that he gave you. I hope you soon feel some peace and start remembering his antics with fondness.
My condolences. Your piece brought memories of my own dear Tam who is now buried in my garden under a statue of Buddha. I would put clean cold water in the bath for him to slide down and lap up and he would love to raid the neighbour’s pond, dive through the cat flap and rush up to play in the bath with an ill-gotten frog. Tam was bequeathed to me by an elderly neighbour. “Promise you’ll look after Tam If anything should happen to me”.
“Don’t be morbid,Ethel, nothing’s going to happen”! A while after Tam passed,I would be distracted by an insistent banging on the redundant, locked, cat flap. These days I am trained by the perpetrator to leap up and open the back door so he and his magnificent ginger tail can promenade through my little terraced house and out via the front door into the street. A short cut. Cats seem to choose us when they need us. Mr Pussy knew you were the right one; he stayed til he could stay no longer. How fortunate you have been. When the time is right fortune will bang at the cat flap again!
Dear Gentle Autor, I am so sorry to hear about your loss of Mr Pussy, I loved reading about him and feel that I have known him a little too. What a lovely cat he was. xx
A fine and touching piece about a fine cat. Dear Mr Pussy will live on, thanks to your writing. Sending love your way and a blessing after a long and good life. Our Blossom, (also black) died after twenty two years. I think of her often. She was a zen master, always wise and gentle and, apart from her fine purr, a mostly silent and loving presence. Thank you.
I’ve always enjoyed spotting Mr Pussy in your posts or reading about his exploits..despite being a dog person they always made me smile. As my old hound is going grey around the chops and hobbling a bit, I dread the day when I have to make that sad trip to the v.e.t (no we can’t say it without causing him alarm) so please accept my best wishes across the ether.
I am so sorry. The hundreds of comments here are testimony to how your writing made all of us friends to Mr. Pussy who feel his loss.
It’s not long since we lost our dear Black Magic so I know how you must be feeling. RIP dear Mr Pussy. Apparently today is ‘black cat day’.
Perhaps it wasn’t wise to read these beautifully-written words on the Hammersmith & City Line, as tears sprang to my eyes. I have followed the life and times of Mr Pussy, always especially pleased when he was featured in your daily email, and had feared from recent posts that he might not be long for this world. I will miss reading about him. The pain of loss is the price we pay for loving animals but any love we give them is repaid manyfold. I dread the day when my own dear black cat has to leave this earth. May Mr Pussy’s memory bring you comfort.
I’m so sorry for your loss. My 15-year-old cat left a year ago July, and I am still processing his absence. It’s too quiet, too lonely and too sad.
Losing a pet is like losing a part of oneself. Keep writing about the experience. It helps.
(Hugs from a stranger)
The End of an Era. It’s heart-wrenching when you’ve known a pet since it was a small and exuberant bundle of fur and you are left with no choice, in the end, but to witness it’s inevitable demise. That’s the deal we sign up for.
But you had some great years together which you were able to share with your readers – and
Mr Pussy is now immortalised in your words and pictures. Most cats don’t get that privilege.
Dear Gentle Author, I’m very sorry to read your news. I always enjoyed reading about Mr Pussy. I’m sad that I won’t be seeing any more articles about him, or any new photos of him, and I can’t imagine how utterly bereft you must be feeling at the moment. Sincere condolences.
I am so sorry for your loss. Having read so many times about Mr Pussy I almost felt like I knew him! He was so lucky to have you, and you him.
We have just acquired a little tabby for our sensitive young grandson who lives with us. We have all fallen in love with her. It brought tears to my eyes, knowing loosing them is the price we pay for loving them. It’s always worth the heartache though. Thank-you for your wonderful expression of love.
Dear Gentle Author,
Cats are small animals but it is amazing what a huge hole they leave in our lives when they go. It was brave of you to stay with him until the end but it would have made it much easier for Mr Pussy that you were there for him. Now he will wait for you at the “Rainbow Bridge”.
My condolences. Your lives seemed to fit together so well. Your stories about him will also be missed.
Sorry to hear the sad news. Best wishes
(((Gentle Author)))
RIP Mr Pussy
I’m really sorry about Mr. Pussy’s death. You wrote such a beautiful memorial to him. Our old Bessy is nearly 14-good for a Lab. Her coat is still glossy despite the milkiness of her eyes. Not sure if the deafness is selective or old age. She is the most important member of our family and the best Pal to all five of us. So, I know the sadness of losing Mr. Pussy, and I’m sorry for you. Hope you find solace in your happy memories. Sending love and hugs! glyn
Such sad news dear Gentle Author. Our thoughts are with you. Requiescat in pace Mr Pussy, much love, Paul B
I have enjoyed your writing about Mr Pussy – the photographs too. I’m sorry he has gone; he was a special cat and a loved companion. A link with the past and a link with love.
“…When their lives on earth are done,
Happily, I think, they run
Over death’s dividing dark;
Where those saints, who ran the
Ark – Noah and Japhet,
Ham and Shem –
Probably look after them.”
Geoffrey Dearmer
Hi Gentle Author – how lovely to have so many blessed comments for Mr Pussy from your followers and readers all. Love John’s comment above – my thoughts to you … he’ll be with you for always as a never forgotten companion in the years ahead … for now – one day at a time … take care – Hilary
I’m so sorry for your loss.
My heart goes out to you. My Kittyman is also black and I also see him when he is not in the room. I fear his loss.
My sincere condolences
Diana Buck
What a very poignant and moving tribute to such a precious companion, how very sad for you. I dread the loss of my own black boy, now nearly 18, and still mourn his brother’s death 2 years ago.
Dear Gentle Author, I’m very sorry to hear of the death of Mr Pussy. These endings, although not unexpected, can still take us by surprise. Very best wishes. Edward
Sob.
xx
So sorry, but such a lovely tribute
What a beautiful and moving to tribute to a remarkable companion and friend. Very sorry to hear of Mr Pussy’s departure but your memories will keep him alive in your (and our) hearts.
Sorry to hear of your loss…your writing brings tears to my eyes always. My cat is also undertaking strange noctural mutterings .17 years Bless X
I am so sorry for your loss – my husband and I were neigbors of yours for a little over a year – we knew Mr Pussy; he came over for visits in the warmer months. He was a wonderful, spirited cat, and we grew to love him.
I stumbled on your blog just now doing some reading on east London and was stunned to recognize Mr Pussy and even more stunned to learn of his death. I had fancied a reunion one of these days, taking a stroll through the old neighborhood, and it breaks my heart that this will never be. I am looking forward to reading through your posts about the life and times of Mr Pussy – this whole other side to him I never knew! My sincerest condolences, Gentle Author.
I’m afraid I missed this message earlier. I am so sorry, GA. I know through your writing what Mr Pussy meant to you and I loved reading your stories about him. My sincere condolences.
I had fallen off my usual blog reading this Autumn with the start of my library school classes, and so had not known of Mr. Pussy’s end until your recent mention. I read this with a tear in my eye. I have also had and lost a cat who was more a companion than a pet, and I send you my sincerest condolences and sympathy.
I am so sorry to hear about Mr. Pussy. I’m sure he was aware of what a good life you gave him.
While I am a dog person, certain universals apply. My house was so very quiet and stark after I lost my Caesar. The same was true when my parents lost Goliath. Their house had a kind of deadness, even though two people lived there. It didn’t really come alive until they welcomed Candy. She’s now 13 and I fear what will happen to my 88 year old father when she passes. A few months after I lost Caesar I went looking for a puppy and adopted a rescue. Ramses has been with me over 14 years but now I live each day with his ever nearing end surfacing in my conscientiousness. I give him medication for his arthritis four times a day so that his movements don’t remind me how very old he is. We had a scare last week with his heavy labored breathing, but the vet hospital said it was due to him being in pain, hence the increased meds. While he’s fine now, it was a wake up call to how little time we’ll have left, no matter how much time it might be.
It is a tragedy of nature that dogs and cats do not live as long as we do.
What a delightful story. I bought the Mr Pussy book for my partner for Christmas and I am looking forward to reading it myself!
A friend of mines black cat has been diagnosed with oral cancer and may have weeks to live. It caused me to re-read this post and l am in tears again. I have bought the cat’s human a copy of the Mr Pussy book.
I re-read this today, looking at my wonderful cat, Ronnie who is 14. He’s been by my side constantly during his happy life.
When I lost my partner of 30 years, who was his ‘dad’ he mourned with me.
Since then, he loves my new young lodger, who is delighted to share his life. He goes back and forth between us wanting strokes and administering furry kisses.
I am aware he’s getting frail, can’t imagine life without him. ?
Did you get a new cat after Mr Pussy? I’d love to hear. Your stories are a delight.
Love Annie xxx
Having just farewelled our beloved old cat, who had been our companion for almost 17 years, I have returned to your Mr Pussy posts for comfort. Thank you – it has really helped and so much of the way you describe your relationship and the impact of that ending, resonate so much. Cats are wonderful, fascinating creatures and those of us who get to share our lives with them are so lucky.
Such a story… cats and pets remind us how simple life can be. The simple joys. And the pleasure of connecting with our pets and being loved in return