Our Dear, Sweet Roxy

I'm not sure how to write this post. I'm so sad. Our sweet Roxy was hit and killed by a car sometime in the last couple of days. I suppose it was inevitable. We live at a fairly major intersection and she was so cocky with cars. Many times I had to look away as she crossed in front of our house, forcing cars to slow down or come to a complete stop as she sauntered across.

The last time we saw her was Sunday just before we left for Addison's birthday bash. When we came home late that night she didn't come in. I hated it when she didn't come in at night and would often go whistle for her in the wee hours of the morning if I was up to nurse. Usually if she didn't come in at night she would be there to greet Rene in the morning but Monday morning, still no Roxy. During the day there was no Roxy flirting with pedestrians as they walked past our house or fraternizing with the mechanics at our neighbouring garage (they actually referred to her as their garage cat as she was frequently in talking to them as they worked on the cars).

There's only been one other time she has disappeared for that long and I figure she was stuck in a garage or shed or something. Monday night prayers included keeping her safe and helping her get out of wherever she was if she was trapped.

This morning we got a call from the SPCA. My first thought was great, someone has found her and taken her in. That's happened to us once before as well. She was taken in as a stray and thanks to her microchip we were able to be contacted and get her back. Unfortunately, that's not what they were calling to say.  Someone found her on the side of Broadway, wrapped her in a towel and brought her to the SPCA offices. I'm grateful for kind people who go out of their way to show kindness and respect to animals, especially when, perhaps unbeknownst to them, they are beloved pets.

I burst into tears as soon as I was off the phone. Thankfully Audree was up in the toyroom playing so I could have some time to compose myself. I got through a shakey conversation with Erica then had to go right into a Primary meeting that was being held at my home.

Next was calling Mom then Rene. I wasn't sure if I should call Rene at work about this but I couldn't picture myself holding it together breaking the news to him and the girls all on my own.

After dinner, we sat the girls down and told them. Lots of tears as we reminisced about the funny cat she was. Rene will miss her jumping on the bathroom counter every night as he was brushing his teeth for a pet and chat. I'm going to miss our nightly snuggles, she was almost always on my side of the bed to sleep, purring everytime I moved. Amelia is going miss her early morning companion - many mornings they were the only two up. Audree is not going to miss how Roxy would lie mid-stairs, not letting her get by by playfully swatting at her legs and feet. Evelyn is going to miss how she shadowed us whenever we went to the park, or library or anywhere in close proximity. I once had to put her in our bike trailer while we travelled to and went into the $ Store because it was too late when we discovered her following us. Or ask if the vet office could keep her for 1/2 an hour while we went to a chiropractor appointment because she was hot on our tail. Lucienne doesn't know that she'll miss how while I nursed her to sleep Roxy would jump in the crib to keep it warm (she wouldn't sleep in there unless there was potential of Luci going in). None of us will miss finding dead carcases of mice, birds, moles and other little animals in varying degrees of eaten decay around the front yard. I also won't miss having to close the window on a summer evening while trying to sleep to block the sound of squeaking from Roxy's midnight snack. Rene will miss chasing her through the house with a live mouse in her mouth and having to trap it in the toyroom. Paris will miss chasing her through the house and sniffing out all her hiding spots. I'll miss how she patiently waited for us to finish showers so she could get in and have a drink. Evelyn will miss trying to fall asleep with a tail in her face. None of the girls will miss her kneading (but I will).  We will miss seeing her trying to get into the second story bathroom window while the girls were getting ready for bed, wondering how on earth she managed to get up there in the first place. Rene will miss her next Father's Day when he doesn't have a dead mouse brought into the house and dropped at his feet (she did that for the past two Father's Day but never any other day). The girls will miss her scattering all their Squinkie balls
throughout the house and chasing remote control cars. We will miss her greeting us as we pulled into the driveway by climbing on top of the car. Our neighbours will miss her inviting herself into their homes and cars. Strangers will miss her jumping on top of their cars as they stop on the side of our road to talk on their cells (twice I had to run out and get her off a car before they pulled away). Garfield (the fish) will miss his cat kisses as she drank from his bowl (even if there was fresh water out she would only drink from the fish bowl or a toilet).

She was an adorable cat. The minute we saw her at the shelter we knew she belonged to our family. We had visited three times looking at cats and could never come to a consensus, until a volunteer went to the back and brought her out (she wasn't even up for adoption yet) and it was love at first sight...for all of us.

We love you Foxy Roxy and miss you. Keep the mice out of heaven until we get there.