in memory of Billy Boy

In Memory of BillyBoy
Our Beloved Cat

Years ago my husband Steve and I decided that we would like to get some cats. We decided that we would like a couple of Persians. Steve wanted a light colored Persian and we searched our local paper and found a woman that had a few kittens for sale about an hour drive away. So on the next Saturday we hopped into our car and headed out for a drive. It was a wonderful day, sunny and warm and we were excited to see
the kittens.
We found the house, it was set back from the road surrounded by trees and so peaceful. Steve and I walked up the steps knocked on the door and when the door was opened the first thing we saw were kittens running around the living room playing and jumping of the chairs and couches. I looked at Steve and said “How are you ever going to pick one? “
He just smiled at me and said that he would know which cat would be his when he saw it. So we walked in and watched the kittens play.
Right away Steve spotted a little silver tipped boy. He was just a tiny little fluff ball of energy. He reminded me of a football player the way he kept tackling all of the other kittens. And he had these dark smudges of fur under his big round eyes. Steve looked at me and said, “ that’s the one “ So we paid the women and put our little fur ball in a small box for the trip home.
I was afraid that the kitten would be scared in the car so I held the box in my lap so I could talk to him and sooth him if he got scared. But he never got scared he just wanted to check everything out. He poked his tiny little head out of the box and watched the world go by in fascination. I asked Steve what he was going to name him. He said right away Billy Boy. And it fit.
When we got home we thought it would take a few days for Billy Boy to get adjusted but he made himself right at home. He walked around our house as if he already knew where everything was.
From that day on he never looked back. He was a funny little guy, we would turn on the ceiling fan and Billy would stand under it jumping as high as he could go as if to catch it. When the sun would stream in through the windows Billy would chase the dust in the air. He was just a happy happy little boy.
Well the years passed and one Friday I noticed that Billy’s face looked kinda funny, it was hard for me to tell with his big puffy Persian cheeks. So when Steve got home from work that night I asked him to take a look. He was not sure so we decided to keep an eye on it. By Saturday night, Billy’s face was very swollen
And he was not eating. So I gave him some aspirin for the pain and we waited for Monday to come around so we could take him to the vet. Meanwhile I was trying to get him to eat, and feeding him aspirin, I thought to help him.
By the time we got him to the vet he was a very sick kitty. The vet looked at his face and said that he had an abscess and he would need to go into surgery to drain it and have it fixed. I told the vet that I have been trying to get Billy to eat and giving him aspirin for the pain. When I said that I had been giving him aspirin the vet looked at me and right away wanted to know how much I had given him. I thought about it for a moment and said I had given him over the 48 hrs about 3 whole aspirin. Her face dropped and I started to panic and asked her what was wrong. It was then that I first found out that I might very well have killed our Billy.
The vet did a blood test on Billy and it when it came back it was very bad news. She told us that there was too much aspirin in Billy’s system to safely do the surgery. She said that his kidneys were shutting down from the aspirin and that the only thing she could do for him was open his cheek and drain it. If we could get his kidneys working again then we could go forward with the surgery. But she did not have much hope. She told us that the best bet would be to put him to sleep.
I stood there not believing what I had done, I kept thinking to myself how could I be so stupid. I never felt so bad in my life.
The vet told us that if there was going to be any chance at all there was some things that we would have to do. We told her, anything that it took we would do. We had to give Billy two shots a day to keep his face from getting any more infected. And we had to give him tons of water however we could, ever half hour to flush his kidneys and try to get things working again. I also had to take this special food and make a watery paste out of it to try to get him to start eating on his own and put on some of the weight he lost.
We brought Billy home and set up our guestroom for him. I brought in his litterbox and his food and water. For the next couple of days it was touch and go. I had a large syringe that I used to give him water every half-hour day and night. I would not let anyone help me I felt that it was my fault. I let Steve down and I let Billy down.
On day four, half of Billy’s face started to fall off. I don’t know how else to explain it
His face just started to fall of and there was nothing I could do for him except keep giving him food and water until he showed signs that he was getting better.
On day five I walked into the guestroom and Billy looked at me with some of that fun loving, life loving glint in his eyes. He had eaten all of the food I left our for him
That until now he would not touch. He meowed at me and walked over to me and started to rub up against me and purr. I couldn’t believe it. Overnight he changed
And looked better. Well almost better. His face was still a mess. I started to cry and called Steve into the room. I told him to call the vet and tell her that we would be right there. That Billy was well enough for the surgery.
We brought him in and she ran the tests again to see if his kidneys were working and it came back good. So she told us to go home and she would start right away.
We felt so good driving home, until we got there. The vet had called and wanted us to call her back right away. I called her and she told me that too much of Billy’s meat and
Skin on his face was dead and there was not enough to sew. There was nothing she could do for him. He had to be put down.
We drove back to the vets to sign the papers and say good bye.
Until then I had never seen Steve cry, but he did as he signed the papers allowing the vet to give Billy that final shot. I did not know what to say to him to make him feel better. We said goodbye and left. It was the longest drive home.
A couple of weeks later we got a card in the mail from the vet, she and everyone
in the office signed the card saying how very sorry they were. There was also a kitty angel pin attached to the card.
I put the pin over my bed on the ceiling so every night I can look up and say a little prayer and tell Billy I’m sorry and I will see him again someday.
We have new cats now, but we will never forget that special little cat with
the love of life. And the football face

Lori




I wrote this yrs ago
My Main reason was to help me deal with his loss and how he passed,
But also as a learning tool....If I can stop just 1 person from making
the same mistake then it makes it just a lil bit better.
We have 3 cats now

CIRRUS NIMBUS and GRACIE and Gracie as a
Kitten
and our fatty she bacame :D Chunky Girl
they keep our hands full as well as our hearts!

BILLY BOY,KNOWS THAT,IN NO WAY,DID YOU MEAN,TO HURT HIM,HE KNOWS BY THE MEASURES,THAT YOU TOOK,TO SAVE HIM.HE IS WITH THE PET TALKER ANGELS,NOW,AND HE LOVES YOU,AS MUCH AS HE DID,THAT DAY,ALL THOSE YEARS AGO,WHEN YOU PICKED HIM,TO BE YOUR FRIEND.
HE SAYS,DONT FEEL GUILTY,MEEOWMIE,YOU MADE A MISTAKE,AND I KNOW,IT WAS OUT OF LOVE.
I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN,ONE FINE DAY,ASND WE WILL HAVE SO MUCH,TO CATCH UP ON,YOU AND I.
BILLY BOY,STILL YOUR FOOTBALL PLAYER!!!!

Oh, my heart aches for you! Many people are unaware that aspirin is a dangerous drug for cats [and humans, too].

Billy Boy knew you were doing your very best to take care of him. He loved you and would never want you to feel you let him down.

Pardon my tears, but I do know how painful it is to lose our darling cats.

Your tribute to Billy Boy touched my heart and I am sure the hearts of everyone who reads your story.

Susan aka KatMa

First of all, welcome to Pet Talk. I'm so sorry that your first post is a sad one.

What a lovely tribute to dear Billy Boy. Whatever you do, don't blame yourself. You didn't know about the hazards of aspirin. Know what? Neither did I until I read this thread and I thank you for educating me. So your job is done.

I just love all of your kitties....I have a soft spot for Persians as I'm owned by a Flame Point named Max.

{{{hugs}}} to you and thank you for posting.

Please accept my condolances on Billy. Life is too short for you to be shadowed by guilt. RIP, Billy. Gentle hugs to your mommy.

I too am so sorry that your first post was a memorial to your beloved Billy Boy. That was a beautiful story of how he picked your husband though. Yes, there are many who do not understand that aspirin is dangerous to cats, but you did not know. You were trying to help him through his pain. I am so sorry that you lost him, but it sounds as though you have beautiful memories to remember him by.

RIP Billy Boy.

Our little Persian, Raven, was sitting on my lap as I read your note. Billy Boy knew you were trying to help him, please do not beat yourself up, remember the good times you had with him. He sounded like a sweet and handsome fellow!! Billy Boy will always be with you, and loving you until you meet again at the Bridge!
Sleep softly, dear Billy Boy....
Sandra

awww rip Billy