This Cat Has Gone To Heaven
It was time for Bu to depart this world. Her cancer had spread down her throat. The main tumor had gotten so large it had broken the skin and continuously oozed Blood and pus. The pressure it was putting on her eye and jaw made eating painful. As a result, she lost so much weight, her legs atrophied to the point where she struggled to balance herself. When the onset of her failing health was apparent, it was difficult to make the decision, she was still so lively, but now the right decision was so obvious.
She knew it was her time as well. The night before she curled up on the pillow next to me, purring against my ear. I awoke around 6am with her still sleeping next to me, warming the side of my head. When the carrier was in sight, there was no hiding under the bed, no struggling or meowing as she had always done. She simply allowed me to place her in, where she curled up in a nice warm ball of fur and purred quietly. She stayed in her comfortable warm ball the entire drive, not bothered by the unfamiliar world around her.We arrived at Compassionate Veterinary Care, where Bu's Vet Dr. Shanan, [1] who had seen Bu a few months ago and who advised me "it wasn't her time, yet",agreed now "It was her time".
I decided to stay in the room during the procedure. Dr. Shanan thought it best to leave her in the carrier where Bu was quite comfortable and quietly purring.Dr. Shanan gave her a small dose of ketamine/Valium. Bu's purring went from a quiet and consistent hum to a low murmur-like snore to quiet regular breaths. He then pulled her out of the carrier into a comfortable position as she lay fast asleep.
One injection of a pink translucent solution in the leg; Bu took about 8 regular breaths and stopped. 30 seconds later, her life force dissipated and she entered into the ages of ages.
I was glad I was there to see how absolutely painless the procedure was. I didn't think I would cry, but I did. It's been such a long time since something truly sad has happened to me. I was wondering if I had somehow forgot how to cry.
When I returned home, the apt was filled with memories dissolved into the walls. Little Wanton was crying for her lost friend. She slept beside me all night. She knew Bu was gone. She had been licking Bu's wound trying to clean it off. I'm sure she knew Bu was dying.
Here's to you Bu, thanks for making my life a little bigger, a little brighter. I hope I made your life the same.
jv
[1] I could not ask for a better vet than Dr. Shenan. Scaryladysarah recommended him to me. Many years ago she had been looking all over Chicago for a vet for her cats. She called dozens of places asking "Do you declaw?" All them replied "yes, we do." to which she screamed into the phone: "I'M NEVER TAKING MY CATS TO YOU, YOU SADISTIC FUCKS!!!".Dr. Shanan was the only vet she came across that said "We don't believe in that." He truly cares for animals as if they were children, as they are to the people who care for them.
She knew it was her time as well. The night before she curled up on the pillow next to me, purring against my ear. I awoke around 6am with her still sleeping next to me, warming the side of my head. When the carrier was in sight, there was no hiding under the bed, no struggling or meowing as she had always done. She simply allowed me to place her in, where she curled up in a nice warm ball of fur and purred quietly. She stayed in her comfortable warm ball the entire drive, not bothered by the unfamiliar world around her.We arrived at Compassionate Veterinary Care, where Bu's Vet Dr. Shanan, [1] who had seen Bu a few months ago and who advised me "it wasn't her time, yet",agreed now "It was her time".
I decided to stay in the room during the procedure. Dr. Shanan thought it best to leave her in the carrier where Bu was quite comfortable and quietly purring.Dr. Shanan gave her a small dose of ketamine/Valium. Bu's purring went from a quiet and consistent hum to a low murmur-like snore to quiet regular breaths. He then pulled her out of the carrier into a comfortable position as she lay fast asleep.
One injection of a pink translucent solution in the leg; Bu took about 8 regular breaths and stopped. 30 seconds later, her life force dissipated and she entered into the ages of ages.
I was glad I was there to see how absolutely painless the procedure was. I didn't think I would cry, but I did. It's been such a long time since something truly sad has happened to me. I was wondering if I had somehow forgot how to cry.
When I returned home, the apt was filled with memories dissolved into the walls. Little Wanton was crying for her lost friend. She slept beside me all night. She knew Bu was gone. She had been licking Bu's wound trying to clean it off. I'm sure she knew Bu was dying.
Here's to you Bu, thanks for making my life a little bigger, a little brighter. I hope I made your life the same.
jv
[1] I could not ask for a better vet than Dr. Shenan. Scaryladysarah recommended him to me. Many years ago she had been looking all over Chicago for a vet for her cats. She called dozens of places asking "Do you declaw?" All them replied "yes, we do." to which she screamed into the phone: "I'M NEVER TAKING MY CATS TO YOU, YOU SADISTIC FUCKS!!!".Dr. Shanan was the only vet she came across that said "We don't believe in that." He truly cares for animals as if they were children, as they are to the people who care for them.