Dreaming Félicia

Félicia would often sleep with us at night. The process went something like this. First, she would jump on the bed and make her way toward my chest. She would climb aboard and position herself just so. Then, she would purr and really immerse herself in the caresses she would insist I give her. Eventually, she would get off--by her own choice or by my persuasion--and position herself at the foot of the bed next to my feet. Sometimes in the middle of the night, I would shift in my sleep and feel this "rock" (she weighed over 20 pounds) at the end of the bed. ;o)

The night we said goodbye to Félicia I had a difficult time sleeping. So the next morning after Michel left for work, I went back to bed and I dreamt of Félicia.

In the dream, I am in bed sleeping, believing that it is October 1 and Félicia is gone. Then, I feel Félicia down at my feet, very carefully creeping near my feet as usual. Her creeping has awakened me and I realize it really is Félicia! I am amazed and ecstatic. I sit up in the bed and start talking with her excitedly. "Félicia, you're here! You're alive! You're all right!" I reach toward her to pet her and at some point she has jumped off the bed and is lying on her back and I see her tail stretched out. I am trying to play with her and pet her at the same time. She is being playful and stays just a bit out of my reach. I keep saying, "Félicia, you're all right!" I know that Michel is coming home around noon that day and can hardly wait to show him that she's alive.

When Michel does arrive home, I try to tell him and show him that Félicia is alive and there with us. He can't see her, so he doesn't believe me! To help him see her, I put a large star that is on a yellow and orange ribbon around her neck. This ribbon necklace is too long for her. The star is quite large and looks like a star you would see on a general's uniform. The ribbon and star remind me of the Olympic medals given to athletes. In the dream, I am hoping that Michel will at least see the ribbon necklace move even if he can't see Félicia. The dream ends there.

I have a Native American friend who once told me that when a loved one's spirit/soul departs, it usually takes about a year before he/she adjusts in the journey to the other side. When you dream of that person, it means that he/she is settled and ready to help you. I find it amazing that Félicia has already come to me in a dream. And, of course, I believe she was only doing what I asked--letting me know she was all right.

As we walked home from the vet that night, Michel said he visualized Félicia standing next to Yoda and the other Jedis from the Star Wars movies, luminescent and ready to be of assistance. I have posted a photo that he created to portray our little Jedi Master.

--Vicky :o)

Félicia's Leaf

Félicia was an indoor cat all her life. In our previous apartment on the second-floor, she was able to go out on our balcony, but in this basement apartment, she was only able to see directly outside from the sun room. During Autumn, she would position herself on the large window sill and try to catch the falling leaves as they swirled and danced outside the window. On particularly windy days, she would go back and forth chasing the leaves--such a funny sight!

Félicia had stones that irritated her bladder. The pain she associated with peeing in the litter box would cause her to pee other places. One place she tried was the carpet in the sun room. We couldn't let her continue that behavior so we had to keep her out of that room. We were sad because we knew how much she loved looking at the birds, the squirrels, other cats that came by, and, of course, the leaves.

Imagine my surprise yesterday when I went into the sun room and saw this sight out of the window: a leaf suspended in mid-air as if by magic. Immediately, I went outside to take some pictures. I have posted one of them; I titled this photo "Félicia's Leaf." Ironically, when I tried to take a picture of the leaf from inside the sun room, the only place I could get a good shot was the sill where Félicia would usually lie to observe the world outside.

Michel came home early yesterday and was able to see the leaf and take some photos of it, too. A few hours later the leaf was gone. No trace of it remained. In the 3 years we have lived here, I have never seen a leaf suspended like that.

As Félicia was leaving her body, I asked her to let me know she was okay. The appearance of this leaf, the arrival of the parcel after I posted my last entry, and the presence of Félicia in a dream I had the morning of October 1, which I will recount on another day, all seemed to be her way of letting me know that she is just fine.

--Vicky :o)

Goodbye to a Special Friend!

Last night we said goodbye to our cat Félicia. To honor her, I have posted her picture. This picture shows her love affair with boxes, no matter what size! She always loved when we got parcels in the mail. She would watch patiently as we removed our "treasures," waiting until we gave her what was left. Then, it was her turn to explore in as many ways as she could think of. :o)

I will write more about her in a future post.

"Cats come and go without ever leaving." --Martha Curtis

--Vicky

P.S. Today, several hours after I had posted this entry, we received a parcel in the mail. Perhaps Félicia was sending me a message? I like to think so. :o)