When I moved in with my mom after Jeanne died last October, I had to find homes for my cats. My friend Don took in Bebekat and another friend, Shelley, took in Fudge. Rocky, our resident psycho-kitty, went to the pound along with fifty dollars to help him find a new home.

This morning I got a call from Shelley, Fudge was sick. I went over to help with any vet bills. Fudge was tired, listless and shaky and her breath smelled rotten. At twenty years old, the old girl had been pretty lively as little as a week ago. We took her to the vet. Her kidneys were apparently failing. Shelley and I said goodbye and the vet did what was necessary as we held Fudge and told her we loved her.

The tiny fluff ball had been a gift to me from Jeanne, our first Christmas together. Jeanne's cat at the time, Phred, had been a little uncertain about the little kitten with the loud purr but we all came to love her. Phred died in 1997 and is buried under a bed of marigolds at our old house.   Fudge will be buried this evening under a banana plant in Shelley's garden.

<>Hazelnut Fudge Melton
November 1985 - April 2005

Give my love to Jeanne and Phred, Fudgie. Goodbye, Ffuzzzi.

<>- Joyce Melton
<>