Nimbus and Rainbow had been with Paula for 15-years and seemed to instinctively know when she was sad. The intuitive cats would curl up next to her and give her ‘special loves’. She called them her "furry angels". However early in 2005, five years after moving to Titirangi, Nimbus began to stagger around the garden as if in great pain and slept for longer and longer periods.

Paula knew something was wrong. The vet said this was indicative of kidney failure and so she agreed to the kindest and most painless way to end the days of her faithful companion. Still this was a great loss and it took several months to get over the fact that Nimbus was no longer with her. In the meantime she formed an even closer bond with the tortoiseshell twin, Rainbow.

One evening Rainbow came into her room, gave her a special nudge and called to be let out of the house. That was the last Paula saw of her remaining cat for two months. She was extremely sad and there was no Rainbow there to comfort here. She feared the worst and after many tearful nights she decided to paint portraits of her two pets on a well chosen river stone.

She gathered up all the photos she could find and, between other commissioned artworks, began to work on a memorial. As the images took shape, the process provided cathartic. Paula researched the best kind of protective coating to ensure the stone was weatherproofed and the paint wouldn’t chip off. At least here was something attractive and permanent to commemorate her cats and represent all the good memories.

As she had with Nimbus she also went out and purchased a rose bush to mark the life of her faithful companion. Friends were impressed by the lifelike portraits of her pussies, which now took pride of place beside a pot plant in the living room of her home.

Then one day as she was painting in her studio she heard a plaintive cry and turned around to see the skin and bone but nonetheless fluffy image from the corner of her eye. Surely not? As she opened the sliding door the animal hid but was soon coaxed out by the familiar voice. Yes, indeed, it was Rainbow. She had returned, much worse for wear, missing two large sections of fur but nonetheless alive. Within weeks, through loving care and attention, Rainbow was heading back to full health.

Paula looked at the premature memorial stone and laughed. It certainly had a much broader story associated with it now Only the mystery remained; where had Rainbow been, what had happened to her; had she been chased off the property by the new cats that had moved into the neighbourhood? Had she been in a fight? Had she lost her way home in the dense Titirangi bush? It’ll never be known for certain but today Paula not only has Rainbow at home and restored to health but a lasting memorial to both her ‘furry angels’. See Western Leader article. (link)

If you have good photographs of your pet, be it a cat, dog, rabbit, turtle or bird and would like to have a personalised memorial stone painted, please contact Paula Novak and discuss your needs. Paula knows what it’s like to lose a beloved animal companion and will help you create a tasteful and lasting memory on stone. Paula has a selection of shapely river stones or if you like, you can supply your own stone.