The short life and death of my kitten, Ashraf - RIP 12/11/04
Last night: 12/10/04
...Events that will leave an imprint on my heart forever.
I was headed to Philadelphia to enjoy a weekend in the company of good friends. I always take the Chinatown bus because it's only $10 each way. The rain was pelting and there was nowhere to wait - the next bus was in 30 minutes. So I wandered down the street to the Chinatown Mall on East Broadway to seek shelter.
When I got there, I witnessed a tiny kitten, barely 6 weeks old wandering around aimlessly. He was clearly a stray, with a terrible upper respiratory infection and crusty eyes. He weighed less than a pound (I later found out). He got "in the way" of a store owner, who physically kicked him out of the way, as if he was a dust ball. He waddled off, only to be kicked by a man who's path he crossed. There was disgust in these people's eyes. They would rather go out of their way to kick a defenseless baby animal than move two inches out of his path. My blood boiled with vengeance and a mother's protection. The woman who originally kicked him got out a broom to "sweep the vermin" out of the way. I yelled at her with rage and she quickly put the broom down. I screamed at these people, calling them Monsters. People around me laughed. It felt like I was the only one around with a conscious soul...well, myself and the baby kitten. I scooped him up in my arms. He instantly took to me. It was probably the first loving touch he had ever experienced. His eyes were crusted over and he sneezed repeatedly but was still purring.
I made some calls. No one would help. I called the police and they told me to head down to the 5th district. I couldn't hail a cab in the terrible weather. I put the baby in a little cardboard box and hauled him several blocks to the police station, along with all of my baggage for philly. When I get there, I was told that the police doesn't handle animal situations. One woman there looked up a 24-hour emergency animal hospital. She gave me the info. The cops wouldn't even call a cab for me. "There are plenty of cabs right down the street". YEAH RIGHT. 20 minutes - frantically trying to hail cabs in the pouring icy rain with a baby kitten in a box and baggage. Finally someone pulls over for me. I sit down and realize that I've lost the paper with the address. I burst into tears. Miraculously, the driver knows exactly where it is. He asks to hold the kitty. The little guy was an angel. He cuddled up with the cabby and purred and meowed with so much excitement. The driver turned off his meter mid-way. He said, "I will only charge you for half of the cost. I know this is going to be expensive for you, and you are really doing a wonderful thing." I thanked him profusely. He then gave me his number and told me to call when I am done and that he will drive me home. I asked him his name. "Ashraf", he said. "Ashraf Muhammed". I named the kitty Ashraf after this wonderful man.
I took him to the vet. He had conjunctivitis, but tested negative for FIV and feline leukemia. The doctor prescribed an oral antibiotic as well as a topical, and told me to separate him from the other kittens when I brought him home. He was in good spirits. Ashraf picked us up and brought us home safely. I didn’t give him the oral antibiotic until morning. I woke up at 6 am, and little Ashraf came running to see me. I gave him the tiny, carefully measured dose of medicine, along with some food and fluids, and I went back to bed.
I woke up again at 10 am. Ashraf was crying loudly. I went to the bathroom. He was limp as a rag doll and couldn’t lift his head. Within 30 minutes, he was dead. That medication killed him. He would have lived a happy, healthy life with 3 wonderful brothers and the most loving mom. Instead, his tiny life was squelched because of a bad prescription. He let me put ointment in his eyes. He let me put medication in his mouth. That little baby trusted me wholeheartedly and I gave him something that ultimately lead to his demise. I have been hysterical all morning. It is a sick, horrible feeling to know that you could have done something with the best of intentions that would go horribly wrong.
The doctor was nowhere to be found. I called a bunch of times. I finally left her a message:
“I woke up at 6 am to give the kitten medicine. He came running to me. He was doing well. I gave him the medication you prescribed. I measured it very carefully. 4 hours later, my kitten is dead. He completely 180’ed. I am certain it is from the medication. I want you to think very carefully the next time you attempt to prescribe a medication for such a tiny, fragile creature. You killed my kitten. You killed him.”
I resent her to the core. I know it was a mistake. But Ashraf would have been better off if I just brought him straight home and put ophthalmic ointment in his eyes. He would have been alive. Instead, I dragged him all over town and paid $200 to ultimately poison him.
I have a swollen face, a brutal headache, and an enormous hole in my heart. RIP, my little one. I will never forget you. <3
...Events that will leave an imprint on my heart forever.
I was headed to Philadelphia to enjoy a weekend in the company of good friends. I always take the Chinatown bus because it's only $10 each way. The rain was pelting and there was nowhere to wait - the next bus was in 30 minutes. So I wandered down the street to the Chinatown Mall on East Broadway to seek shelter.
When I got there, I witnessed a tiny kitten, barely 6 weeks old wandering around aimlessly. He was clearly a stray, with a terrible upper respiratory infection and crusty eyes. He weighed less than a pound (I later found out). He got "in the way" of a store owner, who physically kicked him out of the way, as if he was a dust ball. He waddled off, only to be kicked by a man who's path he crossed. There was disgust in these people's eyes. They would rather go out of their way to kick a defenseless baby animal than move two inches out of his path. My blood boiled with vengeance and a mother's protection. The woman who originally kicked him got out a broom to "sweep the vermin" out of the way. I yelled at her with rage and she quickly put the broom down. I screamed at these people, calling them Monsters. People around me laughed. It felt like I was the only one around with a conscious soul...well, myself and the baby kitten. I scooped him up in my arms. He instantly took to me. It was probably the first loving touch he had ever experienced. His eyes were crusted over and he sneezed repeatedly but was still purring.
I made some calls. No one would help. I called the police and they told me to head down to the 5th district. I couldn't hail a cab in the terrible weather. I put the baby in a little cardboard box and hauled him several blocks to the police station, along with all of my baggage for philly. When I get there, I was told that the police doesn't handle animal situations. One woman there looked up a 24-hour emergency animal hospital. She gave me the info. The cops wouldn't even call a cab for me. "There are plenty of cabs right down the street". YEAH RIGHT. 20 minutes - frantically trying to hail cabs in the pouring icy rain with a baby kitten in a box and baggage. Finally someone pulls over for me. I sit down and realize that I've lost the paper with the address. I burst into tears. Miraculously, the driver knows exactly where it is. He asks to hold the kitty. The little guy was an angel. He cuddled up with the cabby and purred and meowed with so much excitement. The driver turned off his meter mid-way. He said, "I will only charge you for half of the cost. I know this is going to be expensive for you, and you are really doing a wonderful thing." I thanked him profusely. He then gave me his number and told me to call when I am done and that he will drive me home. I asked him his name. "Ashraf", he said. "Ashraf Muhammed". I named the kitty Ashraf after this wonderful man.
I took him to the vet. He had conjunctivitis, but tested negative for FIV and feline leukemia. The doctor prescribed an oral antibiotic as well as a topical, and told me to separate him from the other kittens when I brought him home. He was in good spirits. Ashraf picked us up and brought us home safely. I didn’t give him the oral antibiotic until morning. I woke up at 6 am, and little Ashraf came running to see me. I gave him the tiny, carefully measured dose of medicine, along with some food and fluids, and I went back to bed.
I woke up again at 10 am. Ashraf was crying loudly. I went to the bathroom. He was limp as a rag doll and couldn’t lift his head. Within 30 minutes, he was dead. That medication killed him. He would have lived a happy, healthy life with 3 wonderful brothers and the most loving mom. Instead, his tiny life was squelched because of a bad prescription. He let me put ointment in his eyes. He let me put medication in his mouth. That little baby trusted me wholeheartedly and I gave him something that ultimately lead to his demise. I have been hysterical all morning. It is a sick, horrible feeling to know that you could have done something with the best of intentions that would go horribly wrong.
The doctor was nowhere to be found. I called a bunch of times. I finally left her a message:
“I woke up at 6 am to give the kitten medicine. He came running to me. He was doing well. I gave him the medication you prescribed. I measured it very carefully. 4 hours later, my kitten is dead. He completely 180’ed. I am certain it is from the medication. I want you to think very carefully the next time you attempt to prescribe a medication for such a tiny, fragile creature. You killed my kitten. You killed him.”
I resent her to the core. I know it was a mistake. But Ashraf would have been better off if I just brought him straight home and put ophthalmic ointment in his eyes. He would have been alive. Instead, I dragged him all over town and paid $200 to ultimately poison him.
I have a swollen face, a brutal headache, and an enormous hole in my heart. RIP, my little one. I will never forget you. <3