Zei Zei
In May, 2005 - Matt decided to get me a cat, the last cat that Jamie and I had adopted together had died and I was really missing feline companionship. So we went to the Humane Society, where we met a sweet lilac point siamese cat named Chang.
He was 1.5 years old, and I was really looking for a kitten. But when I looked away from him to the kittens in he next cage, he reached out and wrapped both front paws around my arm. He was the one for us. We took him home and decided that Chang really wasn't a good name for him, and decided to find the right name. While we were going through chinese words, he had managed to steal our hearts and a sock. So we named him Xiao Zei - little thief.
He was a wild kitty - loved pouncing on legs, and jumping up out of boxes to scare our roommate. He mellowed out some as he got older, he got along great with his little sister Gypsy, he tolerated his little brother Nyx. He comforted me while Matt was gone in Iraq, he snuggled with me while I slept. He was a good kitty.
About a year after we got him, he developed a kidney problem. He was considered to be in chronic renal failuere, but all it took to combat the problem was potassiom pills. We kept those going for 2 years. And then he didn't need them anymore, he was doing great. Aside from the one side effect, throwing up. Alot. He ate too fast, he drank too soon after he ate. All the time. But we kinda got used to it.
Sometime around when Matt deployed, his demeanor changed. He became a little aggressive and angry when people came over - whether it was people he knew or now. He even once tried (and failed) to push Angela down the stairs. He would very loudly announce that it was time for people to go. He very muchly did not like children.
I worried about how he would do when we had Llaine. I worried most of the pregnancy. He did pretty well when brought the baby home - he fussed a little, but he was never aggressive towards him.
Not everyone saw how sweet he was, but he was the best. He became a little distant with me during the pregnancy - but he snuggled with Matt more then.
Last thursday, we noticed that he wasn't eating, he even rested him head on Llaine's tummy briefly. Friday his normal throwups were all water, and he was throwing up after he drank anything. We gave him a little water with a medicine dropper, he did ok with that. We tried giving him a little of the tuna juice when we made sandwiches that day. He took that, and we didn't notice him throw that up. Saturday his vomit turned foamy, and we noticed that he had stopped grooming himself. His mouth had a foul odor, and he didn't smell very good. Sunday, we took him to the emergency service at our vet's office.
He was in renal failure, and she thought that even if they kept him in the hospital the best they could do would be give him a little more time - but it would be uncomfortable for him, and too expensive for us. We all agreed the best option was to say our goodbyes and help him along.
He barely had the strength to move, but we snuggled him and said goodbye, and he managed to help us know that he was ready to move on.
He died in my arms at 1145am on January 9, 2010.
I miss my Zei Zei. My buddy, my cuddler.
He was 1.5 years old, and I was really looking for a kitten. But when I looked away from him to the kittens in he next cage, he reached out and wrapped both front paws around my arm. He was the one for us. We took him home and decided that Chang really wasn't a good name for him, and decided to find the right name. While we were going through chinese words, he had managed to steal our hearts and a sock. So we named him Xiao Zei - little thief.
He was a wild kitty - loved pouncing on legs, and jumping up out of boxes to scare our roommate. He mellowed out some as he got older, he got along great with his little sister Gypsy, he tolerated his little brother Nyx. He comforted me while Matt was gone in Iraq, he snuggled with me while I slept. He was a good kitty.
About a year after we got him, he developed a kidney problem. He was considered to be in chronic renal failuere, but all it took to combat the problem was potassiom pills. We kept those going for 2 years. And then he didn't need them anymore, he was doing great. Aside from the one side effect, throwing up. Alot. He ate too fast, he drank too soon after he ate. All the time. But we kinda got used to it.
Sometime around when Matt deployed, his demeanor changed. He became a little aggressive and angry when people came over - whether it was people he knew or now. He even once tried (and failed) to push Angela down the stairs. He would very loudly announce that it was time for people to go. He very muchly did not like children.
I worried about how he would do when we had Llaine. I worried most of the pregnancy. He did pretty well when brought the baby home - he fussed a little, but he was never aggressive towards him.
Not everyone saw how sweet he was, but he was the best. He became a little distant with me during the pregnancy - but he snuggled with Matt more then.
Last thursday, we noticed that he wasn't eating, he even rested him head on Llaine's tummy briefly. Friday his normal throwups were all water, and he was throwing up after he drank anything. We gave him a little water with a medicine dropper, he did ok with that. We tried giving him a little of the tuna juice when we made sandwiches that day. He took that, and we didn't notice him throw that up. Saturday his vomit turned foamy, and we noticed that he had stopped grooming himself. His mouth had a foul odor, and he didn't smell very good. Sunday, we took him to the emergency service at our vet's office.
He was in renal failure, and she thought that even if they kept him in the hospital the best they could do would be give him a little more time - but it would be uncomfortable for him, and too expensive for us. We all agreed the best option was to say our goodbyes and help him along.
He barely had the strength to move, but we snuggled him and said goodbye, and he managed to help us know that he was ready to move on.
He died in my arms at 1145am on January 9, 2010.
I miss my Zei Zei. My buddy, my cuddler.