Losing Luna
I already know what kind of a day tomorrow will be. Hell.
Our surviving cat Luna has an intestinal tumor. She's too elderly and frail to be a candidate for surgery. Since she was still able to eat and drink a little and didn't appear to be in pain, the vet gave us two days grace to make the most of the time that was left. I've been playing her Beethoven piano sonatas (she's always liked classical music) and there's been lots of cuddling her by both of us. But the time has run out, even for lying to ourselves when she has a moment or two of seeming like her old self.
She's been an indoor cat her whole life, but this afternoon we took her out into the late afternoon sun in the back yard and heard her make the first vocalizations we've heard in a couple days. She has a distinctive querulous meow that can make her sound peeved even when she's contented and chatty and it was so good to hear that cranky meow one more time.
It took her about 4 or 5 years to warm up to me, but she eventually did, settling herself above my head on the pillow during times when my brain felt on fire from the endless ruminations of my depression and oddest of all, suddenly taking to kneading my neck at the exact spot where my own tumor was soon to be diagnosed.
Tomorrow she will be exactly 18 years and 6 months old. That is a good long run for a kitty and there are all the lovely, funny, quirky, grumpy things she did during those years. I'm torn between wondering if we've waited too long and feeling like a criminal because of what has to be done.
If you have any furkids, please give them an extra cuddle for Luna's sake.
Our surviving cat Luna has an intestinal tumor. She's too elderly and frail to be a candidate for surgery. Since she was still able to eat and drink a little and didn't appear to be in pain, the vet gave us two days grace to make the most of the time that was left. I've been playing her Beethoven piano sonatas (she's always liked classical music) and there's been lots of cuddling her by both of us. But the time has run out, even for lying to ourselves when she has a moment or two of seeming like her old self.
She's been an indoor cat her whole life, but this afternoon we took her out into the late afternoon sun in the back yard and heard her make the first vocalizations we've heard in a couple days. She has a distinctive querulous meow that can make her sound peeved even when she's contented and chatty and it was so good to hear that cranky meow one more time.
It took her about 4 or 5 years to warm up to me, but she eventually did, settling herself above my head on the pillow during times when my brain felt on fire from the endless ruminations of my depression and oddest of all, suddenly taking to kneading my neck at the exact spot where my own tumor was soon to be diagnosed.
Tomorrow she will be exactly 18 years and 6 months old. That is a good long run for a kitty and there are all the lovely, funny, quirky, grumpy things she did during those years. I'm torn between wondering if we've waited too long and feeling like a criminal because of what has to be done.
If you have any furkids, please give them an extra cuddle for Luna's sake.