Part Three – Saying Goodbye to Angel
If you haven’t figured it out by reading my previous two
blogs about my cat. I am a softy and a bit of a sap when it comes to my cats. What
might surprise you is that originally I did not want cats. I told my wife that
I was a dog person. These three cats I rave about were the only cats I ever
had. Though I know I will have others
because of them.
Having cats is different than having dogs. In the
relationship between human and feline it is the cat the determines the rules
for affection and love. Some cats refuse to lay on your lap while others get
angry when you get up. Some cats you can pick up and cuddle others squirm the
minute you begin lifting them up. I abided by the rules for all three cats though
Angel was a little different. She demanded that you pay attention to her and
did not take no for an answer no matter how busy you were. So, I naturally
relented to her wishes. Which led to me becoming a cat caregiver.
It was not very long after Midnight’s death that Angel began
to age quickly. She seemed to go from a frisky playful cat to an old and slow
cat in months. She would walk very slowly and was not nimble at all, especially
for a cat. She also would follow us closely in the kitchen. We ran into her
often and just brushing her with our legs would knock her over.
We took her to the vet, and she had a growth in her body but
at her age there really was little that could be done. What we did do however was
get some high protein food and supplements to give her strength. She was also
much smaller now. She was only four pounds, she used to be six pounds. She
needed calories. We also had thyroid medicine to give her. The main thing was
she was not in any pain just weak.
My morning routine was now set. First, I would cuddle with her for a while. Then I would feed her regular food sprinkled with a protein supplement. A short time later give her thyroid medicine and some treats. Then give her what I called her cat Ensure. A high protein drink. If she was still hungry then feed her some more. Then go for my run.
That was just the morning routine, the same held true for
the evening. In the overnight I would check on her and she would sometimes want
to cuddle with me and other times she wanted to eat. While her appetite was
great, and she was drinking water and having good poops there was a major issue.
She would rarely pee in the litter box and the other duty we all hated was
cleaning up after her. We had closed off most of the house to her. First, we
didn’t want her peeing on the carpet and also she was often getting her claws
caught on the carpet stairs.
I was preparing for her passing but doing all I could to keep
her alive. I called our house, a feline hospice unit. When I purchased her
various foods and supplements, I only purchased a couple of weeks’ worth
because I knew she was getting close to the end. This started around the
Christmas of 2023. Yet when Christmas of 2024 came and passed my temporary
efforts to make her comfortable were working extremely well. I said she was
like former President Jimmy Carter who was in hospice for years. Even our vet was
amazed that she was still alive.
This constant care for her for over a year predictably drew
us even closer. It also made it harder for me to accept the inevitable. This
spunky little cat might live forever.
Yet forever came. As we were sitting in our living room with
me in my recliner, I had noticed the last two days that Angel was much weaker
than normal. The food perked her up but not for very long. I joked with my wife
that when she fell asleep on me that she may pee on me because she had little
strength. That night I was unfortunately proven right. First, we fell asleep together
watching television. When I woke, I noticed I was a little wet. She had peed on
me! She was very weak. I carried her with me to the recliner and she and I fell
asleep again. I figured I was safe because she had already peed. I noticed that
she felt differently on my body. Her body was completely limp. It was if all
the muscles in her body were gone. At about 5am I put my hand down on the side
of the chair and on the chair covering and it was wet. She had peed again! Luckily
missing me but getting the side of the chair covers and the floor. I quickly
got up and took the cover off. Noticing that it was mostly on the floor.
Cleaned it up and put the chair cover in the wash.
Angel slowly walked around getting a drink of water but then
started to just stand and stare. Eventually she stumbled into the litter box to
do her duty. I knew the end was near and decided that I would call the vet that
day. I was in the recliner hoping she would come to me for some cuddles even
though she had slept with me the whole night. Then she fell down and let out a
loud meow and was dead. I had never watched a natural death before but knew
what it was immediately. It was 6AM and everyone else was asleep. I kissed her
and thanked her for being our cat. I found a shoebox and placed her inside it.
I had time to reflect on my Angel because no one else was
around. She was the last reminder of my kid’s childhood. We may have all
changed but with Angel we had remained the same and treated her the same as
when we were younger.
I texted my daughter about Angel and when Patty and Evan
came down, we had a good cry. When my cell phone rang and I saw it was my
daughter, Lisa, the tears swelled up in my eyes and I could barely get out the
words “hello”. We all cried again. Being expected doesn’t make it
easier.
When I came down the stairs the next morning, the house felt
empty. There was no little white head popping up to greet me. I had plenty of
time because there was no cat to take care of. I was lost without my cat duties
going through the morning without joy.
That night we started a fire in our fireplace. Which the
cats always enjoyed. We were now catless. We were still in shock. My wife said
“Angel won the cat lottery when she met you.” Insinuating that her life
was much better because of that.
I thought of that fateful day when I switched my lunch plans
and Angel ended up in my arms. Of how much we all enjoyed her. I couldn’t
imagine the last eighteen years without her. “No” I said, “We won the
cat lottery not her.”
