#ReenaTheCat

Reena was our cat, a black cat that came to live with us some five years ago from the Sheffield Cats Shelter.   Sadly she passed away last week, following some days of not being herself.  We don't know what she did before, but since living with us (and particularly since lockdown and working from home), she made a new career being the assistant to the medical and health librarian and an attendee at various work and union meetings.  She was also the reason why meetings had to be briefly interrupted when she wanted to go out, or possibly come back in.

At the moment I am noticing the things that are not the same.    She does not need to be put out at night.  There is no need to work out where she has gone, and then work out how to get her out from under a bed, to put her out.  She is not waiting on the window sill first thing in the morning.    She doesn't go to sit on the landing or on the back of the armchair in front of the window when she comes in first thing.   She doesn't spend quite a lot of time in the morning bothering me for more food, or for milk when I put the kettle on, carry a bottle (even floor cleaner, on one occasion), or open the fridge.  She doesn't sit on the kitchen table when I am working, near or in front of the laptop, or sit on the laptop, or stand there and tap me on the face to get attention (or hint that her food bowl is empty or does not contain what she was expecting).

We can leave our food or empty plates unattended, with no cat to steal the food or lick the plate.

She has also been a foil for my opinions on Twitter, hopefully in agreement with her own views about justice, fairness and evidence based behaviour in the workplace.

Life is not the same, but it has not been the same for the last few years with her here, either.   And for that we will miss her.