My Pretty Girl

This picture puts a lump in my throat that I don't get from just looking at her. It doesn't fully capture who she is to me. You can't see how her whiskers curve, or the fur between her toes. You can't see that she has six toes on her front paws, or that her back end is shaved and that she looks like either a poodle or a lion, depending on her mood.

You can't see her begging for what she thinks is food, even when the food is celery, or dish soap, or something else a cat wouldn't like. You won't have to worry about her following you everywhere you go, and she won't steal your french fries; but this is what her face looks like, sitting on the back porch.

I see it with the full knowledge that I may never get a better picture of her face. After she's gone, this is how I will remember her.

before - after