Anatomy of a Friend

A friend is there when you need him

 He warms you when you sleep

 A friend allows you to learn with him

This is Aidan as a baby. He loved his Coo Coo.

A Friend tolerates change.

Me, pregnant with Kieran. Cookie Puss was the most gentle cat with all the kids, from babies on...

When a friend is sick, you stay with him

Even if the loss of him will hurt very deeply.

You stay with him in comfort through his last night and you cradle him in your arms for his final breaths. 

A friend is someone you NEVER forget.

I miss you Mr. Cookie Puss.

You were a VERY good friend.

P.S. 

Mr. Cookie Puss came to me in April 1996 as a newborn kitten. I was lonely in my new Santa Barbara apartment and decided to "foster" a mother cat and her three kittens. I ended up adopting the mother, Wren, and her two sons, Mr. Stripes (a descriptive term, which stuck) and Mr. Cookie Puss (an unfortunate name, I know, but the more dignified name never caught on).

These cats kept me company in the two years I lived and worked in a new town before I met my husband and future family.

Mr. Cookie Puss was always a happy and adventurous cat. He loved water and new places. In my 1920's apartment cottage, he discovered a whole new world by climbing up into the flue vent of the stove in the kitchen. 

When he made the move with me to our current house, he retained his jovial outlook and settled in happily.  As our family expanded, I grew to appreciate his sweet tolerance of babies and children. He never hissed, scratched or bit anybody. As a baby, Aidan loved to pat him and be near him. Aidan's first words turned out to be "Coo Coo". They had a special bond.

Cookie Puss loved me and was always there in my garden waiting when my car would pull into the driveway. We had a ritual. I would pull in and he would approach the car from behind and lay himself down behind one of the tires, as if I had just run him over.  The kids and I would always stop to pet him while he was down, expressing our feigned grief that we had run Mr. Cookie Puss over. Again.

Cookie Puss was a very soft, fluffy cat. He loved to groom himself, so he was always clean. He was infinitely pet-able and always loved to be held. He was the best cat for comfort, my therapy cat.

This important being will always be in my heart and I miss him terribly. He was a very good friend.