It’s been a strange and sad week. After work on Monday, I went for a walk around the garden in the evening sun and noticed Alfie, one of our two cats and very much the outdoors cat (the cat pictured in my previous post), sitting in a flower border rather too close to an emerging allium for my liking. I picked him up and carried him around for a while before setting him down next to the pond to sit in the sunshine. He’d been ageing recently and he seemed rather stiff and withdrawn but I didn’t think much more of it. Tuesday dawned with pouring rain and no Alfie to be seen but later in the morning Harriet heard a miaow from under the sideboard in the kitchen and found him lying very flat against the skirting board. This is the usual spot for hiding when there are fireworks or thunder, so we all kept an eye on him, tried to coax him out with some pilchards, talked to him and stroked him gently. By the afternoon we were seriously worried and called the vet. With the lockdown situation and the fact that our cats hate visiting the vet with a passion, we agreed to see how he was and maybe take him in the following day, but by 5pm we decided that he had to be seen. I managed to slide him out from under the sideboard and lift him carefully into a box. David drove while I sat with Alfie, trying to comfort him. I think I knew in my heart of hearts that it was bad but the vet confirmed our worst fears. He was in heart failure and there was nothing they could do for him. I’ll spare you the details but there were a lot of tears and not all of them were mine. We had to leave him at the vet but I drove back on Wednesday to collect the body and we buried him in the garden in a spot where he used to sunbathe and where the primroses grow in spring.
As a friend said, it is such a pure sadness when a pet dies. Alfie was part of our family for 11 years (he and his sister were rescue cats, so we reckon he was about 14), he was a dear character and he seemed to love living here. Whenever I was in the garden, he would appear from the bushes or run up the front steps miaowing in a conversational way and it feels so strange to be out there with no Alfie around. I think my sadness has been amplified by these devastating times we are living in and I think my copious tears over the past week have been a release of sadness for everything.
Apologies for tainting Cathy’s lovely Monday gathering of beautiful flowers with my sadness but these are my May flowers in memory of a much-loved cat. Aquilegia vulgaris (common columbine), snapdragons, Cerinthe major, red valerian, Calendula Indian Prince and a few tendrils of honeysuckle. All these plants love this garden too.
acoastalplot 
So glad you found a good spot for him to rest. And lovely flowers, thank you xx
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Our 4 legged friends really are a special part of our lives and leave a big hole when they pass on. You gave Alfie a lovely home and remember the memories. Xx
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i am so sorry to read your sad news about alfie and how your lives will change once again. remember him well as i am sure you will do and cherish the sweet memories. you all lived well together.
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What a sad tale, but it’s good to know he was loved and cared for and looked out for right till the end. Somehow it becomes a positive for his death to act as a catalyst for those tears for everything. Your little posy is lovely and similar to mine in many ways and reminded me that I put cerinthe in mine too but it must be right at the back!
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It is heart-breaking when a family pet leaves us and I am so sorry for you Sam – I shed a few tears for Alfie too while reading your post. These are emotional times for us all, so this on top of everything else is bound to knock you for five. Your vase is gorgeous – beautiful colours and lovely photography. 🤗
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Dear Alfie, and what a difficult time to be dealing with such sadness. As your friend said, losing a pet is indeed a pure sadness. So much unconditional love. He was lucky to have found you, as you were him. Sending hugs, CJ xx
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I’m very sorry for your loss, Sam. I lost a 7 year old cat to congestive heart failure years ago and the memory still pains me. I’m certain Alfie felt the love you and your family felt for him, just as I’m sure he’ll remain in your heart where you can call on sweet memories of what he added to your life when you have need of those.
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A fitting eulogy to your beloved Pet. Hope you come to remember the lovely things about him without too many tears…in time.
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Oh Sam. Such an inconsolable loss. Our cats and dogs are such vital, constant personalities in our lives that there’s a gaping void when they are gone. Pure sadness is right. Thinking of you.
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I think your flowers in the vase are a beautiful tribute to a very much loved member of your family. They have such a big space in our hearts these furry beasts and rightly so. Thinking of you.
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Condolences on Alf. It’s a lovely arrangement, I especially like the blue columbine and orange calendula.
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I’m sorry to read about Alfie. You will miss him. Your flowers are full of colour and so pretty.
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I am so sorry. I can not even bother with your delightful flowers. They are pretty though. It is nice to see valerian is till appreciated.
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So very sad for you and your family. It is never easy to say good-bye to a much loved friend. Hugs to you.
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