Oh Bobbie-Cat, your candle was blown out way too soon. My heart is broken. Last Tuesday, I came home expecting you to come flying out of the front door as is your usual habit. Instead, I heard you crying, actually yowling from the basement, as if in pain. When I saw you behind the steps, my thoughts raced about what the problem could be... injury was my first thought, but then I saw that you couldn't stand, and then you dragged yourself out from behind the steps, still crying, obviously in pain. I called "Mommie-cat" and told her to come home, that there was some kind of a Bobbie-emergency. Our regular vet was already closed so we had to take you to an emergency vet clinic in the next town. The vet, after an examination told us that you had an Aortic Embolism, and she went through the symptoms, but we both new where the conversation was going... very poor prognosis... tissue death from no circulation... intractable pain. I, your 66 year-old "Daddy-cat" signed the paper to give you the final shot to forever end your pain. Your pain ended, ours began. We took your little body home buried you by Jasper, our beloved Tabby who succumbed to Lymphoma in August 2010, and Sunshine, our beloved orange Tabby/ Maine coon mix who succumbed to a brain tumor in April 2008.
You were the youngest, probably only between 9 and 10 years old, though, and fit as a fiddle, we thought, well-muscled, in-control, and feisty, but also tender and loving, especially on the couch during "pet and purr" times, or when little snacks ("Bobbie-bits"): small pieces of cheese or small samples of "parts of dead animals" (cat-perspective) were placed in your "Bobbie-bowl". Your demise was so sudden. At least with Jasper and Sunshine, we had time, as their diseases progressed, to, as much as is humanly possible, come to terms with the inevitable. Grief is another story... We both still miss Sunshine and Jasper.... Now our home is so empty. The shock and, still, disbelief of your sudden departure is sucked the wind out of our sails.
Bobbie-Cat, I still remember when you joined our household, on December 28, 2003. We had seen you from time to time before, as a young-ish Tuxedo cat, occasionally wandering through our backyard. But this time, you had a severe eye injury, so we took matters into our own hands and fed you, caught you, and took you to our vet for treatment. You have been with us ever since until 7:30 PM Tuesday December 6, 2011, when the kind veterinarian gently released your spirit.
I've heard it said, that writing can be therapeutic. I hope that is true, because I am in tears as I write this. I remember from a song, many years ago a verse that goes something like: "The Good Lord thought you needed a little sunshine, so he lent it for a while, and those silver tears your shedding, are just interest on the loan". How true, for despite the pain of loss, I could not imagine not having had my cats.
I have never written this type of post before, anywhere. I hope it is not too long, nor too maudlin-sounding. I'm just pouring my heart out over Bobbie-cat.
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RIP sweet Bobbie-cat.
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