1998
Candle Ceremony Tributes
1998
Candle Ceremony Tributes
Itty Bitty, our precious little Russian Blue cat, left her body on April 4, 1998 at age eight. Her serious kidney illness came on suddenly, and for the last week of her life she was hospitalized and underwent two major surgeries before she died with the two of us at her side. Words cannot describe the shock, pain, sadness, and sense of loss we experienced and continue to feel at the absence of our "baby girl." We have devoted ourselves to collecting and organizing our cherished photographs and other memories of Itty. The resources of the Internet and the weekly Candle Ceremony have been lifesavers. Every day we are moved to tears but also draw strength from the deeply touching accounts of people sharing their grief over their sick or deceased animal friends.
To remember Itty and to reach out to others, we have created the noncommercial Itty Bitty Web Site, with information, links, a newsletter, and interactive features. Our purpose is to make it possible for people who love cats like Itty Bitty to read about her life, to see what she looks like, and to interact with us and with one another -- to share information, resources, stories, and support, especially at times of grieving for a special animal companion who has passed on. As Itty's surgeon remarked, she was a cat "with amazing feline charisma." Today, we believe that Itty Bitty has gone to that special place of brightness and peace where all cats eventually go, and we feel blessed that she is also still very much among us via her growing presence in cyberspace -- able to touch new people using this remarkable online medium just as she brought such love and joy into our lives when she was with us in physical form.
We would be honored if everyone reading this tribute visits Itty Bitty's Web site at http://www.ittybitty.net. When you visit, please leave a note at Itty's Guest Book or interact with others at her Message Boards. We're hoping that, with your contributions and your voices, you will help to make Itty Bitty's site truly "The Place for Special Cats and the People Who Love Them." There may be no higher calling while we are here than to try to so honor our animal friends with whom we share the earth.
much love to all,
peter barry chowka
kathi head
