Originally she was supposed to a cat to keep my grammy company. When I moved, she went with me - and since then she's been by my side. Earlier this year she had survived an eye removal due to a lens issue. We all had hope she would last another 5-10 years.
One month ago she woke me up, throwing up and looking lethargic. It was my normal day to work from home, and for that I will ever be grateful.
She continued to decline all day. I had to clock off work early and came to the realizaton that this was her last day. I talked to my mom, sister, and B - we all had tears as this cat meant a lot to everyone. Our dog knew something was wrong. Usually they tormented each other and that day he nuzzled her, laid by her side and was the most gentle I had seen of him. Not knowing if I could drive, my friend said she had some calming medicine if kitty needed it. She wasn't able to lift her head and I knew it only hours before she'd end up having major problems. She was already shutting down. With a goodby to puppy, Missy took a last ride downriver, where her wonderful vet waited past their normal closing time.
After loooking at her, hearing about the day and some of the prior weeks (eye started to become more dialated than usual), Dr. J thinks she had a vascular stroke. The eye lens shifted, she couldn't see the last few hours, and she was in obvious pain. this wasn't something we could have prevented, it was only a matter of time due to her eye. It was the right thing to do. She went night night amid tears and laughter and lots of love with me, her vet, and the vet assistant. I took her home with me and since B wasn't home, I had to move the green beans to make room for her in our chest freezer.
In the days that followed, I was super glad for our puppy. He barely left my side and we grieved together. I was so heartbroken. When B got home days later, he made a beautiful box where we laid her to rest with her favorite blankie, toys, collar and all of our love. Her final resting place is in our rose garden, in between two rose buses, where we can see her spot out our dining room. My plan is to make a wood sign for her as her memorial garden. One day we do want a bigger place, and while I won't move her, i will always take her sign with me.
Some may think I grieve too hard for just a cat. She was more. I am aproaching my 40's. We have failed to concieve the last 6 years, so that darn cat was my kid. And she's gone. I know it doesn't fully equate to the loss of a human child - it never can. But the loss and grief is the same. There was an empty part of me that just ached for days. The only solace I took is that she didn't have a long and slow painful death. She was super healthy one day, and failing the next. She always trusted me, and in those final moments, she was at peace.
The night we laid her to rest, I decided to make roast chicken - her favorite - for dinner. An hour into cooking, the chicken wasn't cooking very well. The lower element went out. Man did we have some laughs! You can bet she was chuckling or smirking up there in kitty heaven, just thinking, no roast chicken without me hunans! Two Amazon orders later, we got the the right replacement element - and I haven't make roast chicken since. The next time we do, we will dedicate it to our Missy. Our first taste tester here at Books n Brew, but not our last.
Our pets are more than just nusiances, they are family and we love them just as much - even sometimes more so!
I don't have a recipe to post today, nor a book, It's just my post about my sweet Missy Kitty. Hug them tight and give lots of love - for their lives are not as long as ours, but they are such packed with lots of love.
No comments:
Post a Comment