Good bye Dynamite

At 14.5 years old, our cat, Dynamite, suddenly passed away early Thanksgiving morning.  Michael and I were both heartbroken.  The first week was especially rough dealing with the grief of losing her.  She was so much more than a cat or pet to us.  She was family.  She was our baby before we had a baby.  She was our muse.  She taught me a lot about love and honesty.  She provided so much love and joy to us.  She gave us a million moments of absurd hilarity, and millions more moments of perfect, quiet companionship.  Our family feels like it's missing an important piece now.

A quick glance through my doodles will show you that it's mostly cats.  It was all inspired by Dynamite.  The art that flowed most easily and joyfully out of me was always those doodles of cats as I envisioned Dynamite on all kinds of imaginary adventures.

Her passing was a devastating loss for our family, but as I dig up memories of her, I am inspired to resume sketching and dreaming.  I spent the last 3 years diving deep into technical skills.  Now I emerge from it feeling empowered.  But art and story was always food for my soul.  And I can think of no better way to honor Dynamite's memory, than resuming my "Official Kitty Cat Business" comic and just drawing a ridiculous amount of cats.

A month later, the crippling grief is gone (nevermind, it still comes back every other week or so), but the sadness is still there.  I think we'll be okay, but we'll be feeling this for a long time.  We still miss and think about her everyday.  I still listen for her taptaptap on the hardwood floors.  I still look for her in my closet.  I still think about the last affectionate head bump I got from her.

Dynamite, my sweet girl, you will never be forgotten.  Thank you for spending your life with us because you made every moment sweeter.  Thank you for your love, your sass, your inspiration, and the profound impact you had on my relationship with Michael.  I will love you forever and ever.

And here are some new cat sketches.

More Cardboard Moroccan Cat Palace pictures!

Here are some more pictures of our darling little Dynamite enjoying her Cardboard Moroccan Cat Palace.

Top level entrance.

 

Top level, facing the window.

Sometimes, I just see little paws sticking out from behind the arm chair...

And it's because she's lounging like this :)  This time on the second level.

Cardboard Moroccan Cat Palace Update

Cardboard Moroccan Cat Palace has been set up in its rightful place behind the armchair and up against the window for quite a while now and I'm please to say Dynamite has taken to it pretty well.  At first it was probably just for the cat nip we sprinkled inside (Cardboard Moroccan Cat Drug Den?), but since then she has claimed it as her own and uses it for gazing out the window, cat naps and just getting away from her humans.  I'd call this an unqualified success.  Maybe the next cardboard palace will be a Chinese style palace, or a Boston style apartment with bay windows.

Oh hai!

Rubbing up on the cardboard corners to mark her scent.  Note the little kitty-teeth-shaped holes.  She sometimes nibbles on her home.

Hopping out for a snack or a snuggle.

Back for a mid-day cat nap.

Cardboard Moroccan Cat Palace!

It's official, our cat has become a homeowner!  (While mom and dad are still renting... how shameful for us.)

We've been working on this project in our spare time for a few weeks now, and by "we", I mean just me, until I suckered Michael into it too.  Crazy loves company.

I love this picture because of Dynamite's expression as I'm cuddling and smooshing her face.  I'm clearly more enthusiastic than she is.

See pictures of the full construction process after the jump.