We'll miss you, friend

Yesterday was a very sad day.

Elf, who spent most of each day prowling the neighborhood and making friends with neighbor kids, got stuck in a storm drain last night. Some of our kind-hearted neighbors spent several hours with him, keeping him company and giving him food. When animal control couldn't come until today, they made the decision to pry up the grate and pull Elf from the drain.

They called us and we rushed Elf to the animal hospital. While the staff was terrific, too much damage had been done. Even with multiple surgeries, Elf would never be the same. Elf was only 2 and a half years old and we miss him.

So here's to our bad cat: you crammed more mischief into your two and half years than most cats do in a lifetime. Thanks for being a constant source of amusement and for being so patient with our son as he learned to pet. I'll miss you running between my legs every time I opened a door. I'll miss your awe-inspiring leaps across the kitchen cabinets and your catnip-induced floor dances. I'll miss your nightly "pet me" time and I'll miss seeing you sprawled out on whatever chair I just vacated. Elf, you are gone too soon.

Here's to the animals that were more than just our pets, they were our family:

Flit
Xena
Smokey
Maggie
Bubba
Heidi
Elf