So Senseless...

I arrived home from a wonderful weekend only to discover a tragic death in our animal family.

Two weeks ago, the neighborhood kids found a tiny kitten wandering around, and decided it needed to be theirs. I ended up 'rescuing' the poor kitten from being swung around and otherwise mauled.

This kitten was so loving, it allowed me to flip it on its back like a baby and rub its tummy. He just purred and was thankful to be safe.

The neighbor across the street took it in for the night and fed it; I didn't want another cat in the house. Last weekend, another friend decided to adopt the kitten, and called it Simon. He would be my daughter's cat at her house.

Now this particular friend has three small dogs and two cats. Apparently yesterday, the Alpha dog decided to attack Simon. The 'second in command' tried to rescue Simon, and by the time my friend got to the 'doggy tug-of-war', Simon was in bad shape. She rushed him to the vet, but his injuries were too severe and they had to put him to sleep.

Today, the Alpha dog is being sent to doggy heaven. Simon is the 3rd cat she's attacked, and this time it was fatal. She's also snapped at my 5-yr-old, and bitten my husband.

My spouse is furious that a) we allowed our friend to take Simon; b) She decided to take him in the 1st place; and c) She hadn't put the Alpha dog down sooner. My daughter is in tears not only for Simon, but because of Alpha dog, who is her favorite of the three.

I woke up several times during the night, grieving for this senseless act which took the life of one of the sweetest kittens I've ever known. Not even my own.

Sandra Cox has a wonderful series about Catarou, the Cat Heaven. I hope Simon is resting comfortably in his new home, and knows he was very loved in the short time he was with us.

If I could have a do-over, I'd still have him in my house, and he'd be alive and well.