Mews, fellow members. I am 15 years old, and at that age I feel like anything could happen tomorrow. I am a healthy, happy kitty, but any tomorrow could be the tomorrow that I leave this world for a different one. So I like to spend my time making sure that I am prepared for whatever tomorrow may bring. Each day I walk around my house and garden, visiting my favorite places. I also like to stretch out in my favorite spots and sleep. The highlight of my day is when my Meowmie finally gets home and sits down on the couch. I make it my business to sit in her lap each evening for at least a little while. I want her to have lots of special and happy memories of me. I have been with her since I was 5 months old, and she is very special for me. So that is what I feel about tomorrow.
 

---

This is one of the haikus that Anemone Dawn wrote for the June 1999 Older Cats Society Monthly Activity:

Lament

Many of my friends
have walked across the Rainbow -
They wait for me there.

Anemone Dawn joined her friends and family at the Rainbow Bridge on July 6, 1999.

---

Anemone Dawn was also a member of CLAW's Minnesota Kitty Society and the Calico Cats Society. Through the Purr Scouts Adopt-a-GrandKitty program, she became the beloved Grandmewie of six Purr Scouts: Rhett, Razz, Cookie, Izzy, Samantha, and Tubes, a sweet young kitten who she recently adopted. Several months before Anemone Dawn made her journey to the Rainbow, she wrote a touching letter to her "Grand Purrs," A Final Goodbye.

Emmy and Jazz Miller wrote on 7/9/99:

When the Miller kitties first came to CLAW, we heard other cats mewing about "The Milliken Kitties". We heard so much, we couldn't wait to meet them all. Anemone Dawn was a sweet lady cat. She befriended Emmy when she took over the Older Cats Society, offering encouraging words and praise. Although she knew her time on Earth was fleeting, she joined the Calico Cats and became a friend to Jazz...offering suggestions and helpful comments for the new Guild. We will miss you dearly, Anemone, and you shall not be forgotten. We shall see you at the Bridge when the time is right.

Only Yesterday by Noelani Misty (BabyCat) Milliken May 1998 Was it only yesterday I slept by my siblings' side, Safe and warm by my Mommy - Now only I survive? Was it only yesterday I came to this good Home, A haven for all kittens From which we'll never roam? Was it only yesterday I lay sleeping in the sun, Dreaming of catnip mouses And having kitten fun? It was only yesterday The world at my paws lay A world a kitten could conquer Just about any day. It was only yesterday That I grew frail and old Then a frisky kitten, Now I'm not so bold. Now I lay curled warm and safe At my Mommy's feet, Dreaming of sweet Yesterdays In my soft, warm sleep.

 

BabyCat was a Charter member of the Older Cats Society. It was her suggestion that members share their biographies with the group. Many of these are included in the OCS Memory Book, which was also her idea. BabyCat was co-editor of the Memory Book, which contains some of her poetry and other writings.

This is one of the haikus that BabyCat wrote for the June 1999 Older Cats Society Monthly Activity:

BabyCat was an active member of the CLAW International Cats Society, Minnesota Kitty Society and Purring Paws. She also enjoyed participating in hunts and other CLAW activities. Her love of writing led her to establish the Literature & Poetry Society and CLAW Journal Society. She encouraged all the members to express themselves through their writing. She shared her poetry, stories, and journal entries with her friends and she often wrote additional material for the CLAW Mewsletter.

In the December 11, 1999 issue, BabyCat wrote:

This is a new column in the Mewsletter, called Chicken Soup fur the CLAW cat's soul. I have written the first article, but we hope to receive many lovely articles from all of you.

I looked in the mirror and thought to myself, I am the great and wonderful BabyCat, and I can do anything. Yup. So I set out to prove it. Well, I tried making a great and beautiful homepage fur myself, but I didn't have a clue how to do it. After I botched that up, I tried running a Society. And I just blundered along. I had my paw into efurything, but couldn't seem to do anything right. Then one day, some friends said, "Here, BabyCat, let us help mew." Before I knew it, my homepage was beautiful, my Society was growing and thriving, and always, my friends were there helping me. I looked in the mirror again, and saw that I was just a little old BabyCat, but I was surrounded by friends and by love. It was then that I realized, that I could do anything. Yup. I could do anything at all with the help of all of my friends. Thank you all for being my friend.

BabyCat knew the value of friendship ... and her friends appreciated her sense of humor, as well as her leadership abilities. Through her example, as well as by her suggestions, she always encouraged her friends to do their best. She also set high goals for herself and worked hard to achieve them. In May 2000, she completed the requirements for a PhD at CLAW University.

---

BabyCat's friends Spyder & MGD wrote the following poem to honor her memory.

On the morning of July 25, 2000, BabyCat joined her family and friends at Rainbow Bridge. She was honored with a memorial service in CLAW Rainbow Chapel.

Meow, I am Bonnie Crux. Bon Bon for short. I am 16+ years old. I was born in O'side Calif. A friend of meowy's had planned on giving me a home, but things happened and she couldn't so meowy kept me as part of the family. I have grown up with many different borfurs and siffurs through out my life. About 8 years ago my family and I moved to Mn. It's a lot colder here and I feel it in my joints now day's. But the adventure on the way here was something to experience. Meowy had a Cadillac car and make screens for the back windows and a screen to separate the front seats from the back, then loaded all 12 of us up in the car and we were off on the road. Daddy was driving a big noisy truck, but we had the comfort of the car and a/c. I was one of the older cats and I behaved my self very good, but a few others wined about the car ride for the first day. We traveled for 4 days on the road and went into 3 different places to sleep. Boy, I was glad when that happened since I did not like using the litter box or eating while the car was going. But we all make it here fine.

Each of us had an id tag on telling our names and where we were going and a phone no. to call if we got lost. When we got to our new home it was much bigger than our last and had wood floors to run and slide on and a staircase to run up and down. That was in my younger days though. Now I just find one of my many spots to nap in. I usually stay there most of the day. My teeth are not as good as they used to be, so I mainly just eat moist food and table scraps (lots of meat). But when meowy and daddy go away in the motor home for a couple of day's they take me also with my siffur Fluffy C. She loves to go all the time. Me, well I do not care one way or the other. Meowy says she wants to be sure that I get soft food and that kind cannot be left out for more than a few hours at a time. So, I have already found a couple of good napping spots in the rv and do just fine there too.

I have a couple of problems now that I am getting up there in years. I drool constantly because my tongue hangs out some and I do not seem to be very interested in cleaning myself like I used to be. Meowy calls me slimmer and stinky! If anyone has any ideas that meowy can use for getting me cleaner, without a lot of water bathing, please let her know.

I have had a good life and am still going, just slower.

Good health to all you older kitties. Enjoy the sun and your cat nap dreams.

---

Bon Bon's sister, Fluffy Crux, was one of the "Leaders of the Pack" in CLAW's Minnesota Kitty Society. She wrote the "Good Gossip" column which was inspired by one of Bon Bon's dreams.

---