Farewell to Our Favorite Stray

Since January, we have been feeding a stray cat we named Lola. We fed her and played with her everyday. She has been like a third cat to us. I didn't want to take her to a shelter because I was afraid she would just be put down in a couple of weeks if no one came for her. If we didn't already have 2 cats, I am sure we would have taken her in (actually I have threatened Emma on a few occasions that I was going to trade her for Lola). Now I know this must sound like I am some kinda super cat lover, but I am not really. I love my cats because they are fun and really great with Matthew and cause they are mine (yes, I really DO love you Emma) and I just really felt sorry for Lola so I love her too, but I don't just LOVE all cats. Anyway, we did plan on bringing Lola in when we got some extra money to get her fixed and declawed (since she jumped and hung on to our window screens for minutes with her claws, I was pretty sure our slightly new furniture would not survive without a declaw). Unfortunately, our adorable little stray didn't make it in. She never came on Tuesday (instead I found a HUGE raccoon eating her food in the middle of the night) and then on Wed. I saw her on the side of the road. We really will miss her (I would say especially Matthew, but I think it might be especially me). I think even the other 2 cats miss seeing her. Emma normally charged the door when she saw Lola on the other side, she would hiss and carry on (that is a picture of her below looking out, not very nicely I might add, at Lola). I guess Bob Barker is right in telling people to spay and neuter their cats after every "The Price is Right" show because they are lots of Lolas (and boy cats too, of course) out there.