RIP Tilly - my little rock

A few days ago, my beautiful, lovely, sweet cat Tilly was hit by a car and died instantly. It’s devastating but I want to remember her and try to focus on the positives rather than attempt to describe the pain I feel.

I hardly know where to start in describing how much this little bundle of fur meant to me - or the adventures we shared. She'd been a stray for 2 years when I adopted her at a petco in Los Angeles. She'd been shot with a bb gun, had a big chunk of her tail missing and had been brought to the adoption event by mistake - but I knew she was mine the moment I saw her and we warmed to each other instantly.

Despite all she'd been through she was the most loving, trusting, affectionate sweetheart - at first she'd sit by my feet, then by my leg and it took about three months but one day she hopped into my lap and there was no looking back. She slept curled up by my side every night and I had a home filled with headbutts, biscuits, blinks and purrs.

We had a great 2 years in Los Angeles, then she came with me back to England - that was an adventure in officialdom, she was my little trans-atlantic jet-setter! She snuggled through her first British winter last year - glued to a radiator or to me! At the start of this year, my Mum became very ill and passed away - Tilly was my constant comfort and rock – I don’t know how I’d have kept my head together without her.

Thank you Tilly for being the best cat I could ever have asked for. I’m so sorry this happened to you - and to me. I love you and miss you and will hope to see you at the bridge one day. xx

Thank you for the kind words - really appreciated right now. I forgot to add a pic - this in one of my faves

Thanks again for all the lovely kind words, thoughts and virtual hugs for Tilly and for me - it's been an awdul week but such a comfort to read your messages and know that she's being thought about all around the world - it means a lot to me.

Now that the shock is subsiding a little, I also wanted to share how I got to say goodbye to her. She was hit right outside my home (the hardest thing is coming to terms with the guilt and if onlys I'll always feel for letting her dive out when I opened the door). The driver was distraught and rushed straight to the vets, which was only 30 seconds away, at the end of my road - but Tilly was already gone.

The vet called me straight away and took me to see her - she looked perfect, not a mark on her. They'd laid her out and crossed her little legs - so thoughtful and respectful - and left me to say my g'byes and give her kisses and strokes for the last time. She was still warm.

They're going to give me her ashes and I'll scatter them in the flowers where we put my Mum's at Christmas - she won't ever be alone again.

xx