An ailing cat never quits; never feels sorry for himself;
never runs from the end. ~ S.J. Francis
Princess 2015, age 21.
On Friday night,
the 18th of March, 2016 I lost my best friend. She was 21 years, and 7
months old. We adopted her when she was just three months old from a kill shelter in Colorado. On Saturday,
Feb. 27th, she awoke throwing up and we immediately rushed her to the animal clinic. The veterinarian said it was a
liver infection and prescribed antibiotics. She barely ate while on it. The
veterinarian said she had to eat and prescribed an appetite stimulant, which really
didn’t work for her. One day short of three weeks to the day she first threw
up, she died at home with her pet parents around her. She held steadfast to the
end. She didn’t want to give up. She didn’t want to leave us. We didn’t want
her to go either, but we knew she was tired from fighting. Her will for living
was impressive. While ailing she still drank water. She still used the litter
box. She still yowled. We’ll never know what she actually died from. We couldn’t cut her up to
find out. We just couldn’t.
S.J. Francis ~A person that parents a pet knows true, unconditional,
unwavering love.
Princess and doggie brother, 2015
During the last few hours she no longer rose from
her bed we made for her. She couldn’t. She was so weak. Her right eye dilated
and fixed. Her right paw didn’t move. A stroke? Perhaps. A cerebral hemorrhage?
Perhaps. She could barely breathe. Her heart sped up. She gasped for air in
intervals and then we heard her final breath. We watched her take her final
breathe. It was a rattle, the death rattle they call it. We talked to her after
her heart stopped. We never left her side during those last few hours. We
talked to her all the time. We petted her. I sang to her two of her favorite
songs: "You Are my sunshine", and "Tea for two". She was my sunshine. I’ve been a
pet parent for many years. I’ve lost many pet children. Some we had to put to
sleep at the end when cancer “killed” them and they could no longer function,
eat, drink or want to live. Some died at home. I’ve never gotten over any of
their deaths. I will never get over losing Princess either. As with the others, she left a hole in
my heart that will never heal. There is a distinct silence in the house now
since she’s gone. She used to like to talk. We used to carry on conversations
with her.
Princess in her favorite spot 2014.
A pet gives love wholly, freely, entirely, unconditionally
& unreservedly. ~ S. J. Francis.
Our two remaining cats, two kitten sisters that were abandoned over a year ago, tossed
away at a garbage dumpster aren’t conversationalists, though we love them, too.
There isn’t anything, any pain in the world quite similar to losing a pet baby.
Anyone who says that someone that doesn’t have children doesn’t know the loss
of a child has never loved a pet. We buried Princess in our backyard next to
Charlie, our other cat that died of cancer just a few years before. She had hated
Charlie because he teased her, or so we thought. But once he was put to sleep from cancer, she
yowled for him every day. She missed him dearly.
Princess Dec 28, 2014.
I love you Princess. I’ll love
you forever. I’ll miss you forever, too. Anyone that hasn’t love a pet hasn’t
experienced true love. That unyielding, unrelenting, unconditional love that a
pet give freely, completely to their pet parent. She was a housecat because we
want to keep our pet children safe. We took her to the vet twice a year for lab
work and checkups to keep her safe and catch things in time. She was on
hyperthyroid medicine and her kidneys were going, eventually, but were held in
check with special prescription diet. Of course, we were astounded when she was
diagnosed with a liver infection. We never saw that one coming. How could we?
She was always inside the house. Only occasionally went outside on the patio
and back in again. We have no harmful plants or chemicals in the house. Supposedly,
liver infections are quite common in cats, yet they don’t know what causes
them. Because of her advanced age, it would be a long haul to full recovery.
Obviously, her body had been hit hard from the infection. Not to mention the
antibiotic that made her ill and weakened her. We assist fed her for the
final week to ensure she ate. Neither we nor the vet knew what was going
on. Had the infection taken a great deal out of her and she was ailing? Was her
body giving out on her? Was she just experiencing a bad patch due to the
infection? We’ll never know now, but we’ll always love her dearly. Fully.
Unconditionally. She was our baby. She always was even though she was the
eldest of our five animals.
S. J. Francis ~A person that never had a pet has never experienced true
love.
Princess and doggie sister, 2014.
Now there are just four. She was the matriarch. She
ran the house. She has us all well trained and we didn’t mind serving her. She
was a beautiful cat, inside and out. She was shy and meek. She never fussed.
She never picked on other cats, which made her a target to two boy cats we had,
and the two kittens. She weighed six pounds all her life except for a few years
when she went up to nine. In the end, at the last, she weighed just three.
Princess put up a fight to live. She is my idol. She didn’t want to give up. I
think she hung on because she knew we needed her. Knew we needed her more than
she ever needed us. A pet child is a special being. How will I ever get over
losing her? For the last three days, I’ve wandered aimlessly about my home not
really knowing what I’m doing or where I’m going. I can’t focus. I can’t
function. I lost my best friend. I lost my baby. I lost a beautiful little soul
that can never be replaced. I miss you terribly, my dear beautiful baby, Princess.
I will miss you forever.
Princess final photo February 27, 2016.
Senior cats show how to live patiently, gracefully, and to
the fullest. ~ S.J. Francis.
Thanks for visiting my blog for the animals. It's always great to connect with another animal lover. If you and I don't speak up for them, who will?
Coins That Count:
Until next time….hug your animals. Tell them you love them. If you don’t have a pet, adopt one. Make adoption your first option when seeking a pet. Adopt. Don’t shop. Can’t adopt. Please consider fostering one. The animal will have the taste of home and the shelter will cover the expenses. Can’t foster? Make a donation or volunteer at your local shelter. Please, don’t hunt. Unless you’re starving down in a ditch somewhere, there is no logical reason to do so. Whatever you do, however you do it, please be a voice for the animals large and small. All it takes is one to make a difference, good or bad.
Together, you and I can make a difference in an animal's life. I’m one for the animals. Are you? Thanks for visiting. Stay safe. Be strong. Be happy. Smile. Show compassion. Be nice to one another. Pass it onward. If you like what you see here, please consider signing up to become a follower. Please feel free to share this post with others.
Regards,
“Some secrets should remain that way.”
Thanks for visiting my blog for the animals. It's always great to connect with another animal lover. If you and I don't speak up for them, who will?
Coins That Count:
Is your coin jar overflowing? Turn that loose change into cash that helps animals by donating to The HSUS at participating Coinstar machines nationwide. Where to go» Find a Kiosk near you...
https://www.coinstar.com/kioskfinder?element=Charity&parmName=HumaneSocietyofUS
https://www.coinstar.com/kioskfinder?element=Charity&parmName=HumaneSocietyofUS
Until next time….hug your animals. Tell them you love them. If you don’t have a pet, adopt one. Make adoption your first option when seeking a pet. Adopt. Don’t shop. Can’t adopt. Please consider fostering one. The animal will have the taste of home and the shelter will cover the expenses. Can’t foster? Make a donation or volunteer at your local shelter. Please, don’t hunt. Unless you’re starving down in a ditch somewhere, there is no logical reason to do so. Whatever you do, however you do it, please be a voice for the animals large and small. All it takes is one to make a difference, good or bad.
Together, you and I can make a difference in an animal's life. I’m one for the animals. Are you? Thanks for visiting. Stay safe. Be strong. Be happy. Smile. Show compassion. Be nice to one another. Pass it onward. If you like what you see here, please consider signing up to become a follower. Please feel free to share this post with others.
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "Good and bad, it's All About Family." Available now from Black Opal Books and for sale at on-line retailers and independent booksellers.
“Some secrets should remain that way.”
My Black Opal Books Author Page:
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And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2015 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.
