sultana

Sultana died this morning. She was a quiet, serious cat, and as is often the case with retiring souls, she savored any attention more intensely than those on which it is lavished. To the few humans (no other animals allowed) in her intimate circle she showed dog-like devotion.

It was Sultana whom I included in the Acknowledgements of a book because during two years of after- hours and weekend work it took to complete it, she sat by my computer, reaching toward me as in the attached photo, whenever she felt I was despondent or falling asleep. I have better portraits, but this one is "classic Sultana."

Sultana was a Friends of Felines rescue, about 6-7 years old when I adopted her on 16 March 2001. She joins the expanding pantheon of cats, dogs, and creatures immortalized in my mind, as long as I have one.

William Wordsworth's sentiment about his Lucy, comes to mind about my Sultana, and also my even more retiring Violeta who died last June:

"She lived unknown, and few could know
When Lucy ceased to be;
But she is in her grave, and, oh,
The difference to me!"

--Dolores