Goodbye, old friend

[crowwitch]

Stephanie was the second cat I ever had. I was 12 when I got her, and I adored her. She's seen the arrival of all my other cats, and the departure of two of her fellows. She was almost 19.

If you'd have asked me how she was yesterday, I'd had said she was fine. I'd had said fine right up until about 4:00 this afternoon, and she was. She was just fine. Round about four she started dragging her hind legs and couldn't walk very well. She was so weak she couldn't support herself. She was limp in my arms as I held her and carried her into the pet emergency clinic. They basically said that for a cat that was almost 19, there wasn't a lot they could do. They put her on some fluids and some antibiotics to hold her for the weekend so we could take her to the regular vet on Monday. She even perked up as the fluids eased her dehydration.

Then, on the way out, she crashed. She started throwing up in my arms and she went limp and went weak on side and curled into a c curve on that side that she wasn't coming out of. The vet thinks she had a stroke. She was dying in my arms even before the vets came in to put her to sleep.

It all just came at once. She was old, yes. She was slow moving and a little feeble, yes. But she was active. She seemed OK. I knew she didn't have that much time left, but this was just... wow... just blindsided us.

I love you, Stephanie. We'll miss you so much. You were a part of our family for so long, and we were blessed. I'll miss your big blue Siamese eyes and your funny singing meow and your finnier double-meow and that garden window will always be yours, no other cats.

When we called the place where you were born they said that they had three kittens left. One had gray ears, one had orange ears, and one had one of each. We knew we wanted the miss-matched ears right then.

Goodbye, sweet lady cat.

Comments

[thepheenixeyri.livejournal.com]

::hugs::

Losing a beloved pet is never easy.

Phoenix

[komikbookgeek.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I'm sorry hon, I know what it's like.

[dreitropfenblut.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear that. *hugs*

[hazeltea.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry. I know she knew how much you loved her. What a special lady.

[writingvixen.livejournal.com]

*huge hugs* I'm so incredibly sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is like losing a family member. If you need to talk or reminisce. I'm here.

[karlthulhu]

I'm so sorry to hear that- My thoughts are with you. It's never easy when a beloved pet dies, I know.

[tradarcher.livejournal.com]

(((((((((((((GREAT BIG HUGE HUGS))))))))))))))

It is never easy to lost a pet, especially one as special as Stephanie.
I am so sorry to hear this.

For what small comfort this is, she passed on with you holding her and by her side.

[darlingfreak.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't have had it any other way. I had to be there.

[stinglikeabee.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I'm so sorry to read about your loss. This was a lovely, heartfelt piece about Stephanie.

[betterthansushi.livejournal.com]

:( that made me cry! I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine what its like to lose a kitty, since onyx is my first. I hope he lives as long and fruitful of a life! Sorry you had to go through that, but glad you were with her, im sure she loved and appreciated you very much til the end!

[darlingfreak.livejournal.com]

It's funny. In total I've had five. Stephanie is the third one I've lost. It doesn't get easier, but I will say that Stephanie IS different because the others were younger and died in accidents or of illness. Steph was 18, almost 19 and died of old age.