About twelve years ago, my husband and I learned of a litter of kittens that was taken to a local pet hospital where we lived in San Francisco. We got there to find the most beautiful white kitten and to learn that she was the last one left, that all the other kittens had been taken. There couldn't have been a prettier kitten in the litter than her and I couldn't understand why the prettiest one would have been the last one left but I now realize that it was because we were meant to have her. As the years passed, her coat grew long, with cream and grey patches here and there, her bushy fox tail-a greyish white-continued to get bushier and her sparkling blue eyes remained. 

We named her Gilda (with a soft G) after my mom. Living with Gilda was like living with an angel and I truly believe that she was part angel. She didn't have a bad bone in her body and was as sweet as she was beautiful. But it's the quirks you fall in love with, right? She loved to get tummy rubs more than anything in the world, and loved when I would bring her a new wheatgrass plant. She used to adore her plant and look at me so she could be sure that I was seeing her adoring her plant. Every time I ran water for a bath, she'd run in the bathroom with a sense of urgency as though she was under obligation to be there as I bathed. On cold nights, she'd come under the covers with me and knead on me. She loved my husband and would always jump on his lap and cuddle with him in the morning, snuggling under his arm. She loved her younger brother, Cosmo, our darling little black cat and he loved her fiercely. They were constantly spooning and huddling together and oftentimes our calico cat, Flower would join in the love fest. I have so many pictures of all three of them, snuggling in love. 

A few days after she departed, I prayed for a sign of reassurance of her spirit being with us and that very same night, I dreamt of her happily playing and this dream has given me complete reassurance. So although we are both heartbroken with our loss and will never stop missing her, we are so grateful to have had her in our lives and know that she is with us in spirit always.