the cat died today
She'd stopped eating over the 4th of july weekend and never started up again. She had lost a lot of weight and started getting diarhea and not cleaning herself. She could get up and walk a few feet, and then sat down. I kept finding little cat shit smears wherever she had layed. I knew her time was almost up. I called the vet today and made an appointment for her to be euthanized tommorow, but I don't think she'll make it that long.
I came home from work and looked for her. She had been outside, but I couldn't find her. She turned out to be over by the shed, near where diesel had killed the rabbit. She looked dead, flies and bees were swarming around her. I was upset. I went and put a mask on, and went back out to check her. I saw her breathe, and she looked up at me and tried to meow. I think she could still recognise me. Her fur around her head was all out of shape, she was very thin. She had probably lost over half her weight since she stopped eating.
I went in and got a laundry basket and the blanket I had wrapped her in before. I picked her up and put into the basket and wrapped her in the blanket. She meowed and seem to been uncomfortable, but she didn't scream or make any really bad noises. I carried the old girl inside and put her down the basement where she used to like to sit and left her there, with a mug of water close to her head. I tried to get her to drink, but she seemed zoned out and didn't respond. When I checked on her a few hours later, she had stopped breathing. I petted her head and yelled into her ear and shook her to she if she was awake, but she was starting to smell like death and seemed limp.
I went back out and dug a hole for her. Afterwards, I came back in to check on her, but she hadn't moved or touched the water I put in the basket in the mug for her. I took out the water and carried the basket outside. I unwrapped the blanket from her and spread it on the ground. I sort of poured her out the basket. She didn't move at all, she was totally limp. I folded the blanket, now a shroud I guess, over her loosely and lowered her body into the ground. I put a board over it so nothing could get at her. I figure if she hasn't moved by the morning, I'll cover her up.
She was pretty independant and a real hard ass. She was mean as a young cat, and survived the fire at my folks place. I'd had her for 8 or 9 years, and mom thinks she was 14yrs, although I think shes closer to 17. She'd mellowed by the time I got her, and never was much trouble. She was kind of a piece of grandpa to me, and for that I'll miss her. I remember going to grandpas house with my mom to find him lying dead late at night. We waited for the funeral people to come and take him away. There's something relieving or satisfying about being there with them dead - those probably aren't the right words. It's definitely not fun, but it makes it easier to have closure and to say goodbye. It seems more natural than a bunch of strangers taking care of everything. Not scary or disgusting. I was really upset to find the cat in such a state when I got back from work, but after I brushed off all the flies and put her in a basket in the place she always like to sit, she looked very peacefull, like she had seen enough of the world, and not afraid or in pain. She looked like she was sleeping, her usual state the last few years. She used to love sitting the the tall grass around the pond and watch the birds come to drink. She never tried to get one, I think she knew she was too old by then, but she liked to watch them still. I wonder what she though about. She and diesel had killed a chipmunk once. I caught the two running down the basement together with it, so I'll never know who was the sucessful hunter that day. What a good cat though, she never got fleas, or got sick. She didn't tear up any furniture, and always used her box, even when I didn't clean it often enough. She'd come an meow at me and give me hell about it. I kind of feel bad telling people her name was 'kitty' but I don't think she cared what I called her, so it was good enough for us. Chris Crowell used to call her mr. bigglesworth - he died a few years ago from cancer, poor guy, the cat outlived him.
Rest in peace good kitty, you were a chain through my family from grandpa to my folks to me, and I hope you are in a better place, maybe with grandpa and his old cat, tiger. Diesel will miss his sister.
I came home from work and looked for her. She had been outside, but I couldn't find her. She turned out to be over by the shed, near where diesel had killed the rabbit. She looked dead, flies and bees were swarming around her. I was upset. I went and put a mask on, and went back out to check her. I saw her breathe, and she looked up at me and tried to meow. I think she could still recognise me. Her fur around her head was all out of shape, she was very thin. She had probably lost over half her weight since she stopped eating.
I went in and got a laundry basket and the blanket I had wrapped her in before. I picked her up and put into the basket and wrapped her in the blanket. She meowed and seem to been uncomfortable, but she didn't scream or make any really bad noises. I carried the old girl inside and put her down the basement where she used to like to sit and left her there, with a mug of water close to her head. I tried to get her to drink, but she seemed zoned out and didn't respond. When I checked on her a few hours later, she had stopped breathing. I petted her head and yelled into her ear and shook her to she if she was awake, but she was starting to smell like death and seemed limp.
I went back out and dug a hole for her. Afterwards, I came back in to check on her, but she hadn't moved or touched the water I put in the basket in the mug for her. I took out the water and carried the basket outside. I unwrapped the blanket from her and spread it on the ground. I sort of poured her out the basket. She didn't move at all, she was totally limp. I folded the blanket, now a shroud I guess, over her loosely and lowered her body into the ground. I put a board over it so nothing could get at her. I figure if she hasn't moved by the morning, I'll cover her up.
She was pretty independant and a real hard ass. She was mean as a young cat, and survived the fire at my folks place. I'd had her for 8 or 9 years, and mom thinks she was 14yrs, although I think shes closer to 17. She'd mellowed by the time I got her, and never was much trouble. She was kind of a piece of grandpa to me, and for that I'll miss her. I remember going to grandpas house with my mom to find him lying dead late at night. We waited for the funeral people to come and take him away. There's something relieving or satisfying about being there with them dead - those probably aren't the right words. It's definitely not fun, but it makes it easier to have closure and to say goodbye. It seems more natural than a bunch of strangers taking care of everything. Not scary or disgusting. I was really upset to find the cat in such a state when I got back from work, but after I brushed off all the flies and put her in a basket in the place she always like to sit, she looked very peacefull, like she had seen enough of the world, and not afraid or in pain. She looked like she was sleeping, her usual state the last few years. She used to love sitting the the tall grass around the pond and watch the birds come to drink. She never tried to get one, I think she knew she was too old by then, but she liked to watch them still. I wonder what she though about. She and diesel had killed a chipmunk once. I caught the two running down the basement together with it, so I'll never know who was the sucessful hunter that day. What a good cat though, she never got fleas, or got sick. She didn't tear up any furniture, and always used her box, even when I didn't clean it often enough. She'd come an meow at me and give me hell about it. I kind of feel bad telling people her name was 'kitty' but I don't think she cared what I called her, so it was good enough for us. Chris Crowell used to call her mr. bigglesworth - he died a few years ago from cancer, poor guy, the cat outlived him.
Rest in peace good kitty, you were a chain through my family from grandpa to my folks to me, and I hope you are in a better place, maybe with grandpa and his old cat, tiger. Diesel will miss his sister.
posted by bb_mcklarpinhammer at 8:17 PM
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