It was one of those dreaded things we knew we needed to do. It was just a matter of knowing when. As it turned out, today was the day we said good-bye to our twenty year old cat, Pebbles.
Well, actually she was Amber’s cat, that stayed behind when Amber left the nest. Amber has always been an animal lover and after writing a report on cats that we thought would change her mind on wanting one, we granted her wishes to get a kitten. One day after school, on a whim, we went to the animal shelter and found the perfect kitten.
She wasn’t your typical cat. She was social and friendly and soon won over the heart of i-don’t-like-cats Mark. She lived every cats dream… living in the great outdoors of our backyard, catching lizards and mice, climbing trees, sunning on the porch, and greeting Mark at the drive most evenings when he came home . It really is amazing that she lived for 20 years as an outdoor cat… with the neighborhood raccoons, possums, armadillos, and such.
She lived through two dogs… Jessie, our sheltie and of course in the last year, big ol’ Max. But she was the queen after all and knew how to let him know she was just that.
Sometimes I would even find them sunning together on the porch.
When you are a friendly cat who has lived a good life for twenty years, 
you make lots of friends. She will be missed.
Pebbles and her adopted sister, Tabby, who is just a couple of years younger,
were never really close, as it goes in cat relationships. But on rare occasions they would do this…
They did teach me a valuable lessons a few years ago. After we said good-bye to our sheltie, Jessie, we were dogless for several years, enjoying the freedom and lack of slobber and hair in the house. But then, Amber, came home from college one weekend, with a surprise…
Hailey, the cutest little puppy that grew into a big dog.
Whenever Amber and Hailey would come home for a visit, Tabby, being anti-social, would hide for the whole weekend… staying on the outside of the fence. Pebbles on the other hand, would stand her ground, letting Hailey know that she was Queen indeed. So life was good for Pebbles… she got pats, lovin’, food, and the enjoyment of people. Tabby was robbed of all that by her fear. I did feed her outside the gate… just want to clear that up for those of you that might of thought i was a bad cat owner.
This made me think about the enemy who wants nothing more than to steal, kill, and destroy everything good in our lives. I can either live in fear of that and live in bondage, unable to enjoy the freedom God gives me to enjoy His gifts. Or I can refuse to live in fear, let the enemy know who’s boss, and truly live life. And just like I would not abandon Tabby even though she was hiding in fear, my heavenly father is always there for me, will never abandon me, and will graciously draw me out into his life giving love.
Rest in peace sweet Pebbles. Thank you for helping me learn more along this journey called life.
Ruthi's Reflections 
There’s just something about cats… Pepples did live a Cat’s dream…a family that loved him and the outdoors to explore!!!
I’ve had cats all my life… Buttons, Moses, Tom and Jerry, Bozo and Bandit, and now Pepper, our 14 year old King Tut… Gary and I “love to hate” him!!!
If “All dogs go to Heaven” then certainly cats do, too!!!
Pepples will always be a wonderful memory in your family!!
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Pebbles will be missed, but you are right…she lived a good life filled with lots of love.
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What a sweet kitty…..Pebbles will be missed 😦 I still laugh about the time I stopped by and she was “pounting” because of something you had done wrong…..
I never told you this story, but one time during B-study, I looked out and Lilah was shoving Pebbles face in the food bowl trying to make her “eat”…. Pebbles was so sweet and kind to Lilah…..any other cat would have eaten her grits, but not Pebbles…..what a great cat and a great life……♥ you 🙂
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What a wonderful tribute to Pebbles to document her life like that! 20 great years! Thanks for sharing your story, it was sad (pretty well made me cry) but it was happy at the same time. I love my 2 pets (dog = Chip, cat = CeCe) and I will give them both an extra hug today in honor of Pebbles 🙂
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Rest in peace Pebbles. Sounds like a lot of cats would have l0ved her life. Thanks for sharing.
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Oh my, how I can relate although it’s been quite a few years since our 21 yr.
old cat died. I still miss her cuddling in my lap, sleeping in my bed and,
especially, her greeting me every time I came home. However, God has
replaced her with two grandcats who think my apt. is their home during the
day and spend many hours with me. They, alas, don’t have my heart like
dear Jerri did all those many years. Thank you for reminding me of such
good memories.
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Our cat, Color, whom we got for Sarah when she was in fourth grade, lived with us for 18 years. Don was like Mark. He did not like cats, but she worked her way into his heart. She was an indoor kitty, and each night when she heard him coming into the garage, she would go sit at the door and wait for him to scratch her on the head.
On the day that Don died, I’m sure she grieved as we did. She became physically ill, and I thought she was going to die that night too. She lasted a few more years and then one day lay down at my feet and drew her last breath.
I know how you will miss her. RIP, Pebbles.
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Dogs may be more in touch with human emotion… but cats teach us little life lessons. I know she will be missed. My Siamese Shamroc was 19 when he told us it was time to go. Each loss is hard, still they leave so much love behind.
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My heart hurts for you in your grief. I have had many dogs in my life, no cats, and in the past 6 years have had 2 pets pass on. the grief is real and we never forget our four paw friends. thanks for sharing your story with usa nd thanks very much for the paragraph about pushing through even when the enemy strikes.
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I forgot to say what a beautiufl, beautiful cat Queen Pebbles was. tell your daughteer Hailey is beautiful also.
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My friend Bev sent me a link to your blog. I am so sorry for your loss, we had three cats when we were first married. This post is wonderful, indeed, just the way you write about everything. The last picture is rather heartbreaking. Pebbles was very lucky indeed to be a member of your family where you could all learn from each other.
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I will tell Ben about Pebbles he sure loved that cat when we came over to visit as the Corbett’s have always been a catless home!
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So sorry for your loss. Pebbles was one cute kitty! She lived a wonderful life that’s for sure. Never easy losing them.
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Thanks for sharing such a sweet story! I can’t believe she was 20! That is amazing and I know you will miss her.
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Wow, I can feel your love and pain. We had an adopted neighbor’s cat that I held when we had to say goodbye to him. We have two more loves that God sent our way who were abandoned in the neighborhood along with their homes….bless you for blessing your fur babies….I like to think that God has such a special place for them, for us to see and hold again….may your dreams of fur hugs bring you joys remembered…..thank you for sharing these tender moments.
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AW!! So sad! Stephen will be terribly sad to know this!! I don’t think I’ll tell him. 🙂 He loved that cat – even in the short time we were there.
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