Corny? Probably.
But I like it.
Ruing the day when I'll have to say goodbye to mine.
Posted on 09/08/2009 4:11:36 PM PDT by Zionist Conspirator
Dear Fellow FReepers:
You all know, and I freely admit, that I am not the nicest person in the world. However, I know someone who is. That someone is my mother.
Three to two years ago we experienced a spate of pet deaths. We had many pets, and they were all old, so it was just time for them to wear out and say good-bye (unfortunately, one of them was "helped along" by the adulterated pet food). Their ages were eleven, fourteen, seventeen, and fifteen.
One reason we were able to make it through those dark times was that a little stray cat came up to our house in Feb. of '07. While ordinarily my mother is a dog person (I'm the cat person), this little cat "adopted" her and she grew to love him in that way we all know about. I don't think we would have made it without him.
On 6/15 of this year we had to take him to the vet because he was having trouble urinating. Turns out he had sand and a few stones (as cats are wont to have). They cleaned him out and put him on some urinary health food, which he refused to eat. But he seemed to return to normal.
About a month and a half later, he stopped up again. The vets recommended a surgery that would "re-route" his plumbing, so his passage would be larger and he would be able to pass whatever sand or stones accumulated. The surgery was a success . . . so we thought.
He occasionally exhibited trouble urinating, but eventually he was able to get it out. Then about two to three weeks ago he blocked up again and we took him back. The vet didn't understand; usually this surgery takes care of the problem. They theorized that the scar tissue was simply trying to heal together and seal the passage. He cathaterized him and injected some fluid to try to insure that the tissue would not grow together again.
In the middle of last week he seemed to be straining again, but he got better and seemed to have a wonderful weekend. My mother even said she believed he had finally turned the corner in all this.
All was well when we retired last night. But according to my mother he jumped on her bed in the middle of the night and tried to urinate and simply could not. She said she'd never seen him try so long and so hard. This morning he was very sick indeed, simply lying on the floor. Of course she asked me to take him to the vet and of course I was happy to do so.
It seems that for whatever reason, this cat simply had bad metabolism. He simply could not break down the minerals in his food, and it had no alternative but to form a ball of sand in his bladder. They operated on him again. The doctor said he'd hardly ever seen so much sand in a cat's bladder. He had so much that the larger passage simply was of no use to him. It's not that the surgery wasn't a success; it's just that his metabolism was so poor that it wasn't going to help him.
They had cleaned out his bladder and were sewing him up to recover and return home when he simply stopped breathing. Both doctors are of course very upset. I am very upset. But the grief my mother is experiencing is indescribable.
This little cat got us through terrible times. He picked my mother to love and they absolutely doted on each other. She says she's never seen a cat like him before (I have). While she will recover, this is going to take a long, long time and there's no shortcut.
Blessed be G-d the True Judge. He loves us with a Father's love and thus gives us not what we want . . . but what we need. And sometimes what we need is very painful.
Whatever you all think of me, I ask you all to pray for my mother that G-d will help her to grieve and recover. It is one thing to lose an old animal that is on the way out anyway. But this was right out of nowhere, and he was only two years old (two and a half, more correctly).
My mother has had a hard and painful life. I wish I could bring her cat back. I would do it in a second if I could. But I cannot, and she is going to have to hurt, and I am going to have to hurt. While I am not a nice person, I assure you all that my mother is nothing like me at all. She is a wonderful, loving, gentle person who has suffered so much. Right now she is mourning a sweet little kitty whose only "crime" was to love her and wondering why she loses everything she loves.
I implore you all to please hold her up to Our Heavenly Father in prayer to help her get through this.
Thank you all so very much.
May it be His Blessed Will! But His Will be done nevertheless.
Thank you so much for sharing that. While it doesn't lessen our own grief, it helps to know that we are not alone in experiencing this pain.
Yes, perhaps G-d will send another visitor one day (she still has one eleven year old cat). But right now that wouldn't help. She doesn't want "a cat," she wants him. And unfortunately, she can't have him. I wish she could, but it was not G-d's Will.
Furthermore right now she doesn't want another animal to lose and mourn for. Please pray for her that this passes.
I lost my two faithful furry companions this summer.
I join in prayer for your mom.
Following the loss of my spouse, losing her dogs creates an emptiness that is indeed difficult to fill.
I look forward to a new golden lab puppy. It won’t be the same, but it’s a new diversion that I can get behind :o)
Prayers for you too, ZC.
Thank you so much. Right now all my passion has fled.
Thank G-d. That's because his metabolism is good.
Glad you are taking such good care of your mom and the kitty while he was alive. Some kitties are just really special. Sounds like your mom got a good one—in both you and the cat.
I'm not as special as he was. I've never seen an animal that caused anyone pain other than by dying, and we humans cause each other pain all the time.
One good thing, as you say, up until this all started some three months ago he'd never been at the vet's at all other than to be fixed. That was it. And I know that his life, short as it was, was very happy, and I thank G-d for that.
Please continue to pray. It's starting to sink in to me as well and I'm hurting pretty bad. But pray especially for my mother.
Thank you!
I am praying very hard for your mom and the little kitty and you.
Ok, that did it. Tears in full roll. It is truely hard to lose a beloved pet. I hope that when I leave here and after I greet my people I will be simply knocked over by my pets. That makes me smile.
The unqualified love they give is a wonder to behold.
You and your Mom will be in my prayers this day.
Thank you!
I am a huge dog lover (cats are nice too). I have such sympathy for your mother and what she is going through. I lost a Jack Russel when she was 1 1/2 and I grieved terribly.......... until I got another one. I know when people lose a pet they think they can never love another one and they resist getting one. But I am convinced that the only thing that will fill the hole in a persons heart is another animal. She won’t forget the one she lost but she will love the new one and eventually the hole in the heart is filled. God Bless your mother and you for caring so much about her.
Corny? Probably.
But I like it.
Ruing the day when I'll have to say goodbye to mine.
Help your mom to remember that the kitty had to go home at this time for a reason, but he’s still close to her in spirit, and wanting to make her happy just like he always did when he was with her in body. It makes the kitty sad to see your mom so sad, and he can’t be truly happy until she’s happy again. Have her ponder this, and try to make a habit of cheering up for the kitty’s sake each time she feels herself sinking into sadness again. Maybe there’s another loving kitty who desperately needs an earthly home right now, and the kitty who’s gone wants your mom to find that kitty and give it the love it needs.
Prayers for you both. We have 4 cats and a beagle named Max.
Your screen name tells me all I need to know about you. You are a good person. Prayers up for you and your mother. I lost my beloved dog (Brucey) last October. In November G-d sent me Babe (my rat terrier) and healed my heart. I will pray for the same for your Mom.
Thank you so much.
Thank you all.
I’ll definately say a prayer for your mom!
I have lost many beloved cats (I love cats), after the last one I didn’t even want another, but my daughter got me one anyway.
Of course, we love her muchly.
One day, not too far off, your mom may be ready for another pet.
A cat that comes to you is a gift from God.
That he had a little and happy time is also a gift. My best regards.
AR
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