Sophie has, this week, travelled a lot of miles to visit specialist vets.  We have gobbled up a lot of savings to cover insurance excesses, but a quick calculation shows that, over her lifetime, we are still ahead.  She is not a well cat, but she is a happy cat, a loved cat (all the vet nurses fall in love with her, and the vets aren't far behind) and she has a gentle plan to enable her to enjoy her life, however long or short it my be.

The photo is her in her 'chariot' - a two-cat cat pram that I recently bought to make it easier to take her and Sasha by train or bus to the vet, as taxis are prohibitively expensive, and the old carriers were nearing the end of useful life anyway.  Although not entirely keen to be placed in the carrier, once there, Sophie sits up and watches intently to see what is going around her.  Yesterday, she enjoyed an hour long sunset walk back from the specialist vet, before devouring half a tin of tuna and a fair amount of chicken for her tea.  As I say, a happy little cat, who enjoys the sun on her fur, the wind in her whiskers, and snuggles on my lap.

Already this week, Sophie has been blessed with an Aaronic blessing, and also with this from Andrew Linzey's 'Animal Rites':

Christ the healer

Liberate you from pain.

Christ the redeemer

Restore you to health

Christ the new creature

Make you whole.

Sophie's healing won't be physical cure, but healing as wholeness is a better prayer anyway.  Long or short, may the rest of her life be one of feline happiness and love.