My Sweetest Arley | Franklin, TN | Documentary and Lifestyle Family Cat Photographer
Sixteen (and a half) years ago, I went looking for two kitties, and I fell in love with a pair that were all cuddled up together, one white, one black. I wanted them immediately. Unfortunately, one had just been adopted, so I snatched up the black kitty and named him Seymour. I spent the next few days looking to adopt another that looked as much like the white one that I had seen at the humane society. I just needed that pair, they looked so right together. A few days later, I found my little Arley, and I fell in love again.
In January, we had to say goodbye to Seymour, and now, here in September, we’ve said goodbye to Arley too. I really anticipated that I would have these two lazy, fat 20-year old cats lying around letting me love on them forever, but as I tell my kids, every living thing must die. Doesn’t make it easier knowing it though.
Arley was my dog-like cat. He wasn’t aloof. He followed me around a lot, he loved to watch the birds and be outside as much as I’d let him. He was frisky. When he was little, he would carry around toy mice with jingle bells on their tails. He’d walk, stop and jingle them with one paw and then walk more. I wish I had a video of that! He was like my own personal heating pad, keeping my legs warm at night while I watched a little tv with my Ian before bed.
I’ve been grieving these two fur babies pretty hard. I’m still in that stage where I’m crying off and on frequently although not as much as the first week. I miss him in the mornings when I first wake up, hanging out at my desk with me while it’s kid-free and quiet. I miss him when I go out on the covered porch. I miss loving on him at night. I miss them both terribly.
I’ve had some big losses over the last few years. They suck. They’re the worst. But I continue to be grateful that I have all these beautiful images of my gatitos, and all the other loved ones who have gone too. I love to sit and study them, remembering those moments. I can almost feel him in these pictures. Hear him purr. I know they’re only cats, but dang, they have a piece of my heart.
