I found Kenwood and her sister, Icom in a plastic trash can in 1998. It was a hot summer day and I was working in my yard I heard a strange noise coming from the can. I opened it up and there were two kittens tied together with shoe strings around their chests. They were panting and I knew they needed help. I cut the string off and took a cloth, doused it in water and wiped their fur with it, gave them water and some food and they quickly recovered. I can only speculate they were minutes away from death.
We shared our lives together for 15 years.

Kenwood passed late this morning.

She had been on medications and suffering with thyroid problems for the past six months, and more recently; devolved kidney and heart problems had surfaced. She was slowly deteriorating and becoming very emaciated. Her forward motion was erratic and her head was stooped and she couldn’t raise her head up and she couldn’t control herself. The vet told me any medications given to her now, in combination; all of them would be fighting each other.

So I made a very difficult decision, and the vet concluded, it was time to put her down, she weighed only 3.5 lbs when she passed.

I asked if I could have a stethoscope to listed to her heart beat while she passed. The vet told me I was the first person ever to ask of this request since she began her practice.

I was granted this request.

I don’t think is morbid in any way, I think it’s an act of love and respect to member of a family that has been a part of one’s life and to be with her in her last moments of her life.

They found a vein in her right leg and I watched a small amount of her blood flow in to the syringe. The vet looked at me and I nodded, she slowly administrated the euthanasia fluid.

I leaned over and kiss her good buy as she entered in to eternity.

Her heart beat was very rapidly at first, then slowed down, then slower yet, then down to one or two beats, then nothing. I could hear her purring in her last few breaths of life. This all took about 10 seconds. It was all done very professionally and respectfully of me, and Kenwood.

So now life goes on. Now it’s me and Icom, Kenwood sister. Icom has no idea what has happened to her sister, I doubt if animals miss each other when one is gone from the pack.

Kenwood pain is gone, mine will endure for a while. This will diminish in time.

Reno