Midge and I came together in May 1984. She was a hyperactive and highly intelligent kitten, full of affection (she would kiss me on the cheek then nip me on the neck) and (unlike most cats) her love was totally "unconditional".

We would spend hours playing hide-and-seek. In a one bedroom flat there's not many places to hide but I would manage to hide and she used to walk around the flat calling for me if she couldn't find me.

Midge had an incredible talent for judging someones mood. My father was in a terrible fatal accident in June 1986. He had just visited me in my Hawthorn flat and was heading up the road to deliver gas to a taxi depot. An hour after he left I saw on the TV that there had been a terrible accident between a gas truck and a car in Hawthorn - 2 feared dead. Fortunately my father had survived but the driver of the car had not. He had an alcohol reading of .237 - nearly five times the legal limit. My father was in shock when I got him back to my flat. He sat in the corner and did not speak. Midge went up to him and sat beside him and put her paw on his knee and look him directly in the eye. He acknowledged her presence and stroked her. She sat there the whole time we were there and she was the only one he spoke to.

Midge would travel with me everywhere. At the time I lived in Melbourne, Victoria. I moved to New Zealand in 1990 and Midge followed me six months later. Up until we moved to NZ Midge had led a very sheltered life - only being allowed outside under my supervision. She had more freedom in NZ and would wonder outside on her own during the day whilst I was at work. She would never leave the property but unfortunately other cats would enter. She was fiercely protective of our property and hence lost her bottom teeth in two separate fights, was attacked by a Rottweiler (and survived to tell the tale) and also bitten on the jugular (I nearly lost her at that time). She also chased dogs off the property - usually with her claws firmly implanted in their backsides!

Midge continued to travel with me around the North Island. I moved house several times and she would always settle in. In 1993 I rescued Meeling, a 3/4 multi-colored siamese with deep blue eyes (her grandmother had been indiscreet!). Midge accepted Meeling into the family but made absolutely sure that Meeling knew the hierarchy in the household - Midge, Me then Meeling!

Midge developed a cat equivalent of "asthma" at about the age of 9 years and would quite often get into coughing fits. It caused me quite a bit of concern but the vet said it was normal. At age 10 she had deterioration of the kidneys and liver and I believed the time was nigh for us to say goodbye to each other. The vet gave her a dose of steroids and "lo and behold" I had a kitten on my hands again!

I had forgotten how lively she was as a kitten, having busted her stitches after she had been spayed through being too boisterous. She would sit at the end of the passageway at 10pm every night and tell me, in no uncertain terms, that it was time for bed. Any visitors were always 'welcomed' with a noisy chat and playful bantering. She was a constant source of amusement at that time.

In 1995 I had my first child and Midge was aged 11. We were worried that she would be jealous of my daughter but, true to her wonderful nature, she accepted my daughter and continued on as normal. My daughter was very rough with her but Midge took all that she could take and never complained or laid a paw on my daughter.

In the summer of 1997/98 we had the hottest weather in New Zealand ever recorded. Midge did not handle it very well and started to show her age. She battled on and survived it like a trouper. My son was born in April 98 and Midge accepted him into the house with no problem at all. She let him touch her, he was very gentle with her considering he was only 6 months old.

In December 1998 I found Midge laying on the chair breathing very heavily. I had seen a cat I had had as a child breath the same way, and I knew that she was seriously ill, she would not eat or drink. I took her to the vet (with a heavy heart) and the diagnosis was "she has cancer of the lungs and deterioration of kidneys and liver and she is severely dehydrated". Rather than put her through the pain of treatment that would keep her alive for only possibly two weeks I made the heartbreaking decision to put her to sleep. I held her in my arms and cuddled her and talked with her and we said our goodbyes. She nipped me on the neck and I knew I was doing the right thing. I held her while they gave her the injection. She fell asleep in my arms. It was the saddest day of my life.

12 Months Later....

I didn't want to bury Midge as we were renting our house and if we moved that meant Midge could not come with us. I had her cremated and kept her ashes in the dresser. We finally bought our own home in July 1999 and Midge made her last move.

On December 9, 1999 my daughter, Jessica (4 years old), and myself spread Midge's ashes in the sunniest part of the yard - beside the front door. We had a little ceremony and talked about the wonderful things Midge did. Surprisingly Jessica remembered Midge and could describe her to me. I found it hard to open the packet and let her go but felt at peace once I had done it as I know Midge would have loved her new home.

It wasn't a sad day and just as I went to bed that evening Jessica came in to my room and said "I love you Mummy" and then went back to bed. I felt that my grieving had finally come to an end and I now find I can mention Midge without my eyes filling with tears although I still love her now as much as I ever did. .

12 Months Later....

Today is 11 December 2000 and, yes, Midge is still very much alive in my heart. The pain has faded and the tears don't flood my eyes everytime I think of her but the memory is still strong and I still miss her. Amazingly Jessie still remembers her and we have a silk rose tied to the tree that we spread Midge's ashes under to remember her forever. I saw a kitten a couple of weeks ago sitting and staring at me in the same manner that Midge use to and it was very hard not to go into the pet shop an buy her bit I don't want to replace Midge. One day I will have a new friend, it's just not quite the right time.

A couple of years later....

Today is 4 September 2003. The pain has gone but the memories will always be there. We have a new addition to a family now. I was asked in January of this year whether or not I would be interested in rescuing a siamese that had strayed onto a dairy farm. My heart leaped but I kept control. I would have to meet the cat first and then discuss it with my husband (yeah, right). If the cat did not like my children then I would help find the cat a new home.

However, these were not my biggest concerns. Did this cat look and act like Midge? Was I ready to take on another siamese? Answers? No and Yes respectively. We met on 29 January 2003, first and foremost - it was a he!! That was a good start. He was rough around the edges and in need of a good comb and some TLC. He had obviously been self-sufficient for a couple of months or more, he had a very thick cream coat and was a huge cat! Needless to say, I fell in love with him and we took him home that day.

Well, to cut a long story short, his coat fell out and he has a beautiful dark saddle on his back, he is the soppiest, most gentle cat I have ever met and the kids pull him from pillar to post and he just takes it without a complaint. He rules the roost and is very much a huge part of our family. I think we will keep him!

My dear Friend
You walk with Angels
and live in my heart
I will always love you
See you at Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they miss someone very special to them; who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. The bright eyes are intent; the eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to break away from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. YOU have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.......

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