Goodbye, Friend. MingLing Walaski 8/8/1988 - 10/20/2005

For all that have read this blog, I thank you for your readership.

MingLing passed away today.

He was as good a Cat as any I've ever had. A friend, confidant, sometimes a combatant. But as I had tried to convey here, he was a regal creature. Intelligent, poised. We could never think of him as just a pet. He made sure of it. He ran the house, or at least tried.

Even at the end, he faced things stoically. Though in the last 24 hours, he was obviously in a great deal of pain, and very, very sick, he stayed with the family, because that seemed to always be where he found his comfort.

I miss him greatly and wish that I can just have him complain to me one more time about the kids, food, or the other cats. I held him as he passed, felt his last heartbeat, heard his last breath. These things I will never forget. But not just because of the sadness those brought, but because in that heartbeat and breath, I felt the strength and love that he'd given me for over 17 years.

Goodbye, MingLing. We love you.

-EdW