Madeline dies

Our cat Madeline, who has been with us since we adopted her from a shelter back in Boston in 1993, died this afternoon. She’d been increasingly frail, and her breathing had gotten more wheezy, but she had remained an intensely affectionate and friendly cat, curling up in anyone’s lap and purring deeply. I really didn’t think she would die so soon, and I find myself stunned by how much I miss her already.