What Is Wuv?

The picture quality here is lacking, and I could take the effort to run down the stairs, take another photo, get it in the computer and edited, and then re-do this post. But, I won't because I am lazy and I have a million things on my plate today. This is technically an ornament, though I have never hung it on the tree. I have about 10 of these, some are shaped like hearts, some like houses, some like stars. Some are with a black background and some are with a white background. They remind me of Scandanavian decorations, and I love the embroidery on them all. This year this ornament is extra special.
Last week our cat, Decker, died from liver failure. We knew it was coming and had done all we can to make his last months enjoyable. When he refused to eat cat food anymore we fed him meat or cheese. When he started refusing those things we held each piece to his mouth for him to eat from our hand. When he started refusing them, I shared our steak with him, and cooked bacon for him, and fried eggs for him. The girls took any chance they could to have him on their laps, or snuggle with him in their beds. (He was no longer able to have free reign of the house so had to have a chaperone every where he went.) We watched him start to really slide away beginning on Thanksgiving day. He refused water and food from then on. We warned the kids that he didn't have a lot longer with us and we all gradually said our good byes and did lots of crying. By Monday we all knew it was only hours. I laid on our cold basement floor with him Monday afternoon for a few hours. The girls each sat with him after school. By night time Hubby had his turn in the basement and came to let us know the time was iminent. Naturally there were lots of tears.
Decker was a great friend to our children and tolerated more from them than any other cat would have. We often said we thought his father must have been a dog because of the way he would follow us around, scrounge on the floor for scraps, come running if you snapped your fingers and greet us at the door when we arrived home. He is missed very much at our house. It's difficult to even go in our basement right now.
What may you ask does this ornament have to do with a cat? For whatever reason last year at Christmas Decker had decided that these ornaments were his. This one in particular was in a spot that was low enough for him to reach and pull down. He didn't chew on it, he didn't scratch at it, instead he would rub his head all over it, then lay on it, then rub some more, and eventually fall asleep with some part of his head, legs or paws on this small heart shaped ornament. If you look closely you can still see his hair all over it.
Happy Love Thursday everyone. If you have a pet, give them a hug from all of us.