Life, beauty, love, pain

Our sweet little cat, Mink, died a few days ago, suddenly, unexpectedly. The emergency vet said it was probably an underlying heart condition. The shock was intense, for her and for us. So much beauty in life and so much pain, all tangled up together.

You may remember Mink as my little friend who helped me make Osprey-themed party decorations. This is the way I like to remember her . . .

She was a keen supporter of all wildlife, not just Osprey. Being an indoor-only girl, she liked to stare fixedly for hours, every muscle tense and coiled for action, at the sparrows nesting in the gutter just on the other side of the window. And she especially loved a good TV nature documentary with wild dogs howling.

Vale, Mink. You were adoring and adorable. There was too much catness in you for just one name, and the most fitting memorial I can think of is to record all the many and varied appellations we called you by, which you answered to depending on mood:

Mink

Minky

Minkalicious

Minklet

Little Minklet

Princess

Baby

Baby-cat

Princess Baby-cat

Little Fatty

Slim

Little Bowling Ball

Furball

Ruby

Slinky

Slinky Slinkster

Spooky

Spooky Spooklet

Best-cat-in-the-world

Little Friend

Minkalated Cat

The Minkster

Minky Cat

Crazy Cat
Sun Bunny
Widget
Little Widget
Little Minky Widget

Yoda

Seal Pup

Owl Face