Never lose your heart to an animal.  These sagely words of advice were imparted to me a very long time ago and I chose to ignore them over the years.  I’ve lost my Heart and had it broken countless times by the horses, dogs, and cats who have shared my life.

Life for me would feel incomplete without a comforting four-legged furry friend by my side

This innate need has always been there. I grew up with animals and experienced the boundless, unconditional love they give you in their lifetimes before you are battered by the heartbreak of losing them.

So you would have thought, as I had learned lessons the hard way, common sense would prevail as an adult and I would say no more animals in my life because it hurts too much when you lose them.

I know what the outcome will be every time I let an animal into my heart, but I can’t help myself. They only have bat their eyelashes at me once and I’m drawn into the limpid pools of their soulful eyes. I know they’ll break my heart, because of the ridiculous disproportional lifespan between animals and human.  Why can’t we all live for the same amount of time?  It seems so unfair that such loving individuals, with their own unique personalities, should get to spend such a short time on earth.

Yesterday we lost Misha, our beautiful Bengal girl. It wasn’t her time. She was hit by a car sometime during the early hours. The person who knocked her over did the right thing by calling our local Animal Shelter and stayed with her until the animal ambulance arrived. I am thankful for that, but my heart is broken nonetheless.

The house feels strangely quiet without you, Misha.  No more ear-splitting Bengal meows to announce your arrival when you pop through the cat flap. No more muddy paws in the water bowl. No more decapitated rodents left in the kitchen for me to stand in first thing in the morning.  We will miss you so much, our little tigress.

Misha was nearly thirteen and recently, she had become more affectionate and loving than she’d ever been before; because it takes time to tame a Bengal’s heart.

One small animal soul has left another gaping hole in a human heart.