‘Avalon’: The Memoir of Life and Love with an Extraordinary Cat
If you’re going through the loss of a cat, finding stories that resonate with your experiences can be profoundly comforting.
‘Avalon,’ a memoir by Vanessa Morgan, may not be a book centered on pet loss, but it explores the bonds we share with our cats through the lens of the author’s life with a special cat, Avalon.
The book is perfect for cat lovers and anyone who’s ever felt the depth of losing a cat, offering a special charm. By immersing yourself in a story that mirrors the intensity of love and loss, you’ll find solace and understanding within the pages of someone else’s journey.
My Review of ‘Avalon’
“We were sandwiched so close together it was hard to believe we were two separate beings.”
If you have ever loved a pet so much that these words resonate with you, Avalon, a captivating memoir by Vanessa Morgan about her life with her cat, will touch your heart.
Avalon is a story that plunges us into a deep dive into the nature of symbiotic love, transcending the boundaries of traditional human-animal interaction.
Avalon, a captivating Turkish Van, is not just any cat. He has a very peculiar personality, and the author manages to capture his essence with such richness of detail that it makes us fall in love with him too.
Avalon is a very intelligent cat; he does whatever he wants whenever he pleases. If he gets hungry, he opens the refrigerator to see what’s on the menu and eats whatever he fancies.
He can also be a highly energetic cat in very peculiar ways: every time he exits his litter box, he runs and jumps around the house.
From a human perspective, he can be an extremely funny cat too. What better place to vomit than on the head of the pet guinea pig every time he has to expel his hairballs?
Yet, the heart of this cat memoir lies in the deep love he has for Vanessa.
Humans develop what is called object permanence in psychoanalysis during our infancy. That is, the certainty that things or people that exist do not cease to exist because we are not seeing them at that moment. This means that there comes an age when babies do not die of anguish if their mothers are out of sight for a few moments.
Evidently, animals also develop object permanence in their own way.
Or in theory. Because in the case of Avalon, he must see, be with, and touch Vanessa every second of the day to be able to breathe and live calmly. Every minute that his human is away, Avalon lives it as if his beloved has disappeared from the planet.
And every being that approaches her is seen as the enemy, and his jealousy and possessiveness overwhelm him. It seems, at times, that Avalon could be the reincarnation of some past life partner of the author, who by some spell was turned into a cat and cannot stand to see her with anyone else.
In fact, from the first moment he sees her, it’s as if he “recognizes” her, and from there, he never leaves her side.
For the author, Avalon is also her entire life. She lives to give her cat the best possible life, to make him the happiest cat in the world. The love they share fills her with energy. It gives her security, inspiration, and opens her heart to the world.
And although she can’t be at home with him all day, even if she wanted to, she finds ways to include him in her works, bring him to work, and even manages to make him into a movie star.
True animal lovers will surely see themselves reflected in the author’s unconditional love towards Avalon. To live to love and protect them above all things, and to continue loving them even though they are no longer physically with us.
As a heartfelt and entertaining read, this book is highly recommended for anyone seeking cat memoirs that explore the depths of the infinite love we can have for each other, even after they have crossed the animal Rainbow Bridge.
Interview With Vanessa Morgan, the Author of Avalon
Writing about personal experiences can be therapeutic but also challenging. How was the process of documenting your life with Avalon and putting it into words?
This book was incredibly challenging to write. I embarked on the writing journey shortly after Avalon’s passing, driven by a desire to commemorate him and an unwillingness to let go. It inadvertently prolonged my grieving process, as it kept me immersed in memories of him, preventing me from fully processing my loss. It wasn’t until I completed both the writing and promotion of the book, about a year and a half after his departure, that I could finally begin to confront my grief.
Nevertheless, the writing process had a therapeutic effect on me in other ways. My relationship with Avalon had been co-dependent, and I wanted to explore why he held such significance in my life.
This exploration led me to confront childhood wounds, particularly stemming from feelings of inadequacy in my relationship with my father and a sense of neglect from my mother. Putting these traumas into words marked the initial step toward healing them.
Since publishing the book, have you received any reactions or stories from readers that surprised or particularly moved you?
What surprised me was the number of readers who reached out after being moved by Avalon’s story. I hadn’t anticipated this response, as I wrote the book solely with my cat in mind, not considering the reader.
However, the book was a sincere portrayal of my love for this cat and my feelings of insecurity, and that raw honesty resonated deeply with others. Prior to publication, I faced criticism for my affection towards Avalon and my vulnerabilities, which left me feeling isolated.
Even upon publishing, I felt a sense of shame, fearing further scrutiny as it revealed my true self, which I had concealed. However, it turned out that many others shared similar sentiments, and my book provided solace by showing them they weren’t alone. I never imagined it would connect with so many people through this book, even celebrities, prompting them to reach out to a stranger and share their innermost thoughts.
After sharing such a profound bond with your cat, do you currently have or have had any other pets?
It took me a loooooong time because getting another cat felt like betrayal to me. However, I eventually found love again with a ginger shelter cat named Romero, who was quite different from Avalon.
Romero was a gentle and affectionate cat, who never displayed jealousy or destructive behavior. Sadly, our time together was brief due to Romero’s feline AIDS diagnosis upon adoption and later cancer, which spread rapidly. About a year after Romero’s passing, I adopted two more cats: a 19-year-old zombie cat abandoned by my aunt and uncle, and another shelter cat soon after.
My experience of grief has evolved over time. Avalon’s loss was my first major encounter with grief, and it utterly devastated me. However, with subsequent losses, including Romero and other close family members, I learned to approach grief differently. Instead of dwelling in pain for prolonged periods, I acknowledged that I couldn’t change what happened and chose to make the best of my life despite the losses. Acceptance has been a challenging but crucial aspect of my healing journey.
Looking back on your journey with Avalon, what is the most important lesson or insight you’ve gained from your relationship with him?
Avalon taught me that it was possible to feel loved by someone and accepted for who I was, even if that ‘someone’ was a cat. He taught me to open my heart and to love with full abandon.
How has your life changed since Avalon’s passing? What advice would you give to those who are grieving the loss of a pet?
I’ve grown so much since I wrote that book. I’m stronger and more confident than ever before. The love that I was seeking in Avalon, I can finally give to myself.
When it comes to offering advice, I’d like to emphasize the importance of acceptance and the willingness to move forward. Acceptance and moving forward don’t diminish our love for our pets. Our unwillingness to move forward is more about our feelings of guilt than about forgetting the cherished animal we’ve lost. I used to believe that loving another cat would mean betraying Avalon, but I’ve since realized I was mistaken.
They keep exactly the same place in our hearts. It’s just that with each new pet, our hearts grow bigger. And considering the countless homeless and shelter cats awaiting loving homes. the more we allow ourselves to heal, the more furry lives we can save, or, at least, give a happier existence.
Connect with Vanessa Morgan on her Traveling Cats Facebook group.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a cat lover or someone who finds solace in the company of any pet, there’s a universal truth in the pages of “Avalon” that resonates with all who have loved and lost.
