Karen Winters' daily artblog.
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Cat Mandu Winters May 1984 - July 14, 2006
In her favorite old chair, taking a sunbath, in April 2005.
Our son, Michael, took this picture of her when he was home from college. Mandu was born almost a year before Mike, and never let him forget that she had seniority.
You were a great friend, Mandu, and I’ll look for you in my dreams.
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Ms. Mandu, I’m sure, will be missed. I’m thinking of you on this day, when she slipped away. Cherish those sketches, friend…I still “see” Pugsley sometimes, out of the corner of my eye.
In a way, she’ll always be around.
My tears are probably mingling with yours, mia cara … so glad you had precious moments with Mandu and recorded them with such love and tenderness …. may they be a comfort during these most difficult days …
It’s such a difficult act of love, to say good-bye. My heart goes out to you.
Oh so so sorry to hear this - you have wonderful memories and beautiful sketches of your precious Mandu
and these photos of her are just gorgeous.
Goodbye Mandu….
Hon, my heart goes out to you all. I know it’s hard…soft (((hugh))) to you all.
Sad time for you, Karen. I know you miss your Cat Mandu. She was blessed to be a part of your family.
Thank you everyone … every single one of your kind thoughts helps ease the sorrow. It really, really does.
I’m so sorry to read of your loss. It’s heartbreaking that dear pets are with us for such a short time.
I am so sorry, Karen. You are in my thoughts.
Mandu - missed by so many. And remembered in such a beautiful way.
So, so, sorry to hear about Mandu, Karen. She was loved and that’s all that matters. I’m so glad you shared her with us. Will be thinking of you, and shedding a few tears too. Take care.
Mandu fly high, you have made an impression on so many of us…rest in peace. My thoughts are with you Karen and your family.
I felt as if I knew Mandu, too…I’ll miss her. What a beautiful tribute this and ALL your posts about her have been.
My throat is tight with unshed tears…
Hugs Karen.
I’m sorry. I know you and your family will treasure the wonderful memories you have of life with her. Just yesterday my 26 year old son came over and told me he’d been thinking about Mary Margaret, the wonderful cat we had nearly his whole until a couple years ago. He said he remembered how she would let him use her as a pillow and he’d put his head on her and take naps that way. She was a very special cat and the only thing that made her passing easier was that I knew, l had done everything I could for, as you have for Mandu, and that I’d had a good long time to say goodbye and appreciate her every day, as you have. I wish Mandu a sweet and swift journey to kitty heaven and lots of mousies to chase up there.
I’ll miss seeing her pictures and reading about her on your blog.
Oh. I’m so sorry. Sending you hugs and love and good thoughts.
She’ll be in your dreams and sketchbooks and in all our memories and hearts, Karen. Thank you for sharing her with us. We are an extended family that will miss her, but we only have to turn back to your sketchbook of loving touches, and to that photograph by Michael, to enjoy her, once again.
My love to you and your family,
Annie
Karen, My heart is heavy for you. Gentle thoughts to all of you and yours.
I’m sorry for this, Karen. She’ll live on in your heart as one of the dearest friends you ever had.
Karen, you don’t know me, but I’ve followed your posts of Mandu and the blessed life she led with you and your family. I have the feed of your blog on my home page and tears began to fall when I saw the title
of your post.
Take solace in knowing you gave an angel a home filled with love.
She’ll be there to welcome you home one day,too. My deepst sympathies are with you and yours.
Karen, I’m so sorry. *hugs*
I’ve been reading your blog for quite some time now and I feel like I’ve come to know Mandu, too. She will be missed.
I’m so sorry about your kitty….I’ve been reading your blog for months and knew it was coming, but hoped for more time for all of you. Hugs to you and your family.
Mom (and Dad),
Thank you so much for all of the kindess, love and tenderness you’ve shown Mandu over these past years, while Michael
and I have been away. You cherished her and showered her with pets and kisses just as she did for us over the years.
Also, thank you to all of my mom’s friends and supporters for rallyiing around her — our family is blessed to have so many
people who care.
Love,
LBK
Oh Karen - what a beautiful friend you’ve had- I am so sorry for your loss, but rejoice that your family had your pal for so long! I’ve truly enjoyed your posts (I read them on LJ) and drawings of Mandu as she was approaching the end of her life, and feel the sadness deeply. (we lost our beloved Juliet at age 19, and I still miss her 8 years later….they are our family too.) Blessings to you and your family for giving this beautiful cat such a wonderful life.
I knew I’d find this one sad day soon. I salute Mandu, her dignity and grace —and I salute you, your dear devotion and faithfulness to her. Karen, these last weeks of sketches have been
a gift to your fellow animal lovers.
Keep well, take care, find comfort.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Karen. She was such a beauty and I’m sure your many happy memories of her will ease the sorrow. You and your family are in my thoughts.
Karen, I’m so sorry for your loss. Cheers and bottoms up to a great cat!!
((((hugs))))
Lovely photographs, Karen, just as you have had many wonderful drawings of Mandu. Your family clearly honored her with love, and she clearly paid you back in kind. Be well, and I hope you see her in your dreams often.
my thoughts are with you. . . ..sweet Mandu . . . thank you for sharing her with us in your wonderful sketches and words. . . it has been a joy to see
I’m so sorry, Karen. My heart goes out to you and your family.
The Grief Counselor gave this quote to me when Racetrack passed and I always found comfort in it:
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” — Anatole France
Been dreading this post. I am so very sorry.
Karen, so wonderful that your family had 22 years with Cat Mandu! That is an amazing life span for a cat.
Mandu was indeed a special cat, as she was there when your children were growing up. It’s a certainty that
she will always be a part of your family memories (and discussions) just as my childhood cat is (Topsey, who lived
19 years). Michael’s Butterscotch is still mentioned when we spend time with Michael’s brother. Cats have
a way of touching our hearts and staying there, forever! All the best to you and Glen.
Karen, I’ve followed your posts about Cat Mandu with a heavy heart. I don’t know you, and you don’t know me, but we both know cats and thus a bond extends. I have nothing to say, except that there are tears on my cheeks - for a cat I never met. Perhaps they are for a future event that I dread.
It has been brave of you to share Cat Mandu’s last weeks with friends and strangers.
Thank you so much, everyone, from me, Glenn, Kelly and Mike. I am replying to each of you personally, but I wanted to say a public thank you here for the outpouring of kindness and support. I am appreciating each and every note …
I am especially touched to discover how many people were following her story who I had not met. She was indeed a lucky little cat to have had so many people rooting for her. Perhaps that explains her rare longevity - she lived a year longer than the vet thought possible.
For those of you who have cats of advancing age, feel free to write me any time - I’ve acquired a few tips and tricks that I think helped make her aging more comfortable, and I’d be glad to pass them on.
I am sorry to hear about Mandu. It is hard to lose a member of the family at any age. But I do know she had a full life and was better taken care of than any other cat I’ve met (or read about).
So, so sorry, Karen and family. Mandu was very well-loved.
What a wonderful cat she was–a family member for all those years. You will carry her in your dreams forever. Personally I take comfort in some form of hereafter–and the pets are there, too. My condolences.
Carolyn, Christine and Fran, thank you for your kind thoughts.
Fran, I also have hope that there may be something beyond this life. Not belief or conviction or gnosis but hope. I hope that it is even more just, merciful and wonderful than human minds can conceive of. I’ve produced too many shows about consciousness topics to maintain that what we see is all that there is.
Karen & Glenn, I’m so sad and so sorry…. I’ve been watching and fretting, and here it is. With Michael’s amazing photo of her sweet little face, I can imagine her prancing along that special rainbow you and Glenn inspired together in March, 30 years ago. I hope she’s there, lapping cream, and I hope your memories of her soften the edges of loss. My arms are around you both.
xo, b.
Karen,
I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved friend. She had the best of everything while in your care. A pet could not want for more.
Karen,
I’m sorry to hear the day finally came. But glad to hear that you had an “extra” year and about your dream of Mandu in the milk bowl.
What a great vision. May you all have an easy, peaceful and loving transition as you ease through the loss. Thanks for sharing her with us. Jennafer
My condoleances for you and your family. She was a beautiful and what an age! That proves she had a very good life with you. My best wishes for you and your love ones.
I haven’t been keeping up on Mandu’s life, as my own life has gotten a bit busier, so when I re-visited your blog (and subscribed to it) I felt very sad that Mand no longer walkds the earth.
I had a childhood cat, Alex who lived to be 13 years old. He passed on while living with my brother when I left for the Peace Corps. I received a registered letter with the news. I cried in the bathroom to know Alex was gone. Folks in Belize did not understand why I was so upset over a cat. My American friends provided lots of hugs, comfort and support.
I had about a year earlier, had to make the decision to put my cat Arthur (7years old) to sleep, as he had kidney failure.
These two experiences bring tears to my eyes and throat clenches.
I want to send my sympathy, as I know you’ll always feel sadness when someone you love so deeply has passed on from our world.
Karen, I’m so sorry. I had to make a similar decision for one of my hedgehogs a couple of years ago. It’s never easy. I’m glad you had so many happy years with Mandu, and I know she is in a good place now, with all the other departed pets, and St. Francis of Assissi, the patron saint of animals. My grandmother also passed away on July 14, 1983, and so it is a special date in my heart. My thoughts are with you.
farewell dear mandu. i still miss my JazzCat, who we had to put to sleep Jan 1, 2005. Mandu was well memorialized, and that will help you in your grief. Cats are like not other companions… I have many paintings and memories of my precious kitty, and it helps me honor and remember him.
xo
jane