Bringing a pet into a home is a long-term commitment that often spans a decade or more, depending on the species. It requires a consistent investment of time, finances, and emotional energy. A sidenote by Gemini, who – which? – identifies itself as a family of multimodal large language models developed by Google DeepMind, and ended its self-identification with the following creepy question: I noticed you’re currently working on a post for your blog about Precious Mae. I am truly sorry for your loss; sixteen years is a remarkable journey to share with a companion. Would you like some help refining that tribute or perhaps selecting some photos of her to include?
Precious Mae, our beloved cat, died yesterday, leaving a big hole in our family. She first came into our lives on September 10, 2010, and left us on May 10, 2026. Her quiet presence filled our home, which now seems empty without her.
After she had lived with us for a year, I wrote: She is never nasty, often sweet, usually interesting, and always marches to her own drum. Almost any time of the day or night, if we are inside and walk towards a door, she will streak over to get out. And then, bam! she is gone. Often for the rest of the day or night. As she got older, Precous Mae became more of an indoor cat, but she never became nasty, staying sweet and interesting. Still, she always marched to her own drum.
We miss her terribly.
Condolences for the loss of a beloved family member. Our new car, inherited from our neighbor sounds like Mae. Such a friendly, interesting individual.
Thanks, Susan. I’ve had several cars like that, especially a beloved Renault R5T2.
That Renault WAS quite a car as I recall…had never seen anything [remotely] like it.
Of all the cars I’ve had, it was the one I most remember and the one I wish I still had.
I’ll let you know if one turns up on the Hagerty online auction site…we can see what they go for now.
I notice that gemini failed to bring up the emotional energy that companion animals [well almost all of them anyway] bring to us. It’s always mutual, and sad when they go. I’ve loved hearing about Precious Mae all these years and she had a good good life…
“Emotional energy” and “companion” are great ways to put it. That is what I miss the most. It is what I most miss. At the end of the day, when I get up from the computer to turn the lights off and go to bed, I’m still sort of shocked she isn’t there on the carpet behind my chair or waiting for me on the bed.
It seems like I’ve heard of Precious Mae forever, always with such fondness. I turn to look at my own cat and she chirps hello.
Linda, Precious is the animal I’ve lived with the longest. Please give your cat a chirp from me.
Sorry for your loss
Thanks, Howard.
She was such a sweet cat. I’m sorry for your loss.
Michele says that girl cats are sweeter than males, Karen, and that certainly may be true, but she was very loving in her own way.
I didn’t say “sweeter,” I said “different” from male cats.
But maybe both are true.
Spike was certainly more friendly, more easy going, he allowed me to cuddle him any time I wanted, as much as I wanted. Precious was sweet in a different way. I think the PTSD from her early life prevented her from allowing herself to be picked up most of the time, and made her feel standoffish. But she wan’t always like that. When she cuddled up to me in bed, on her own terms, I would reach over and acknowledge her presence, she would roll over on her back so I could scratch her belly. Then she purred and purred and purred. And when I got down on the floor so I could scratch her behind the ears without picking her up, I swear she smiled as she purred. I think underneath all the fear, she was the sweetest little being I have ever known. She was also the most polite cat I have ever know, I often called her Patient Precious. I miss her so much.