RIP Scrunch the Cat 2000-2006
It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Scrunch the Cat early this morning. He was my darling baby boy, and I miss him more than words can say.
His passing had nothing to do with his FIV status. Instead, he had a stroke at the young age of about 5 years. I came home around 8pm, we snuggled until about 9:30pm, at which point we started to play. In the middle of jumping after the ribbon, Scrunch stopped, started to meow plaintively, started to pant. He hid under the couch. I tried to lure him out, he came out briefly, but it soon became apparent that he could not control his hind legs. I called the Penn Animal Hospital (University of Pennsylvania), and they said that it sounded like he had a urinary tract blockage, and to bring him in. I stuffed him into his carrier, and off we went.
The people at Penn were very good - they took him as soon as we walked in the door. After about half an hour, the doctor called me back to talk to me, and told me the news. He did not have a urinary tract blockage, he had a saddle thrombosis - a blood clot that had paralyzed both legs and his tail. He was in terrific pain, and the treatment that was available was effective in only 20 percent of the cases, and of the 20 percent all of the cats died within a month. He would never be able to go home. I could not believe it. Less than an hour before, he was chasing his ribbon around - it was that fast, that sudden.
Fortunately, Scrunch and I have a lot of friends nearby. I called them, and they came. People who knew him when he was a street cat. kylecassidy, who took him in and fixed him up before I adopted him; khrystabelle, who also helped foster him; i_l_u, who took care of him when I went away; and Karen of the many cats. They all came and said goodbye to him - he was in a special cage where they were giving him oxygen, and keeping him on painkillers to keep him comfortable. When the time came, we moved into a larger room wehre we could all gather around the table and tell him how much we loved him and pet him. The vet was very good, she explained everything that she was going to do, and gave us some time between the procedures. When she administered the sedative - the one before the sedative that stops his heart - he closed his eyes and his little nose tipped forward. He looked so peaceful. We all petted and kissed him. Then the vet delivered the final dose, and it was over almost immediately. Everyone left the room so I could be alone with my baby.
The vet put him in a box, and we took him to Kyle's. Kyle dug a hole for him in the garden, next to where 1ear was buried. 1ear and Scrunch used to hang out together on the street. You can see them here. The box was still warm with his body. I placed him in the earth, and Kyle placed the earth over it. There were candles.
We went inside for a while to reminisce about Scrunch the Cat. Around 2:30am I went back outside to grieve by my baby's grave.I returned home around 4am. I cannot express the love I felt for my kitty, or the sorrow I feel by his absence. I can tell you that I feel we did the right thing and that I was really touched by the friends who came to be with him - and me - in his last moments.
So schnoogle your kitties and other loved ones good today in honor of Scrunch the Cat.
