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Losing the Last Part of Your Parent
Inheriting a lovely and quirky new pet after Mom’s passing
Have you ever lost a loved one and all that remained were the pets they adored? It’s a tug-at-your-heartstrings situation that I navigated two years ago when my mom passed away.
After placing her young and vibrant cat with a loving family, I was left with her somewhat rotund and tuxedo-marked sister. She was impeccably cared for but sixteen years old and completely deaf.
Those latter qualities made her an undesirable candidate for adoption into any other home — not that I would have allowed that.
We knew Lacy; she was part of each visit to Mom’s home for sixteen years. My two young boys would storm into the small but cozy space and begin their search for the cats who bolted under the bed as soon as they heard our car door.
During our last two years of visiting, Lacy remained perched on her padded windowsill ledge in the sun, a sure sign she was no longer hearing our boisterous entrance.
Now the boys could pet her to their heart’s content.
