Cats Tremble in My Presence...



Well, technically, they don't tremble, but I am sure they will soon if my luck doesn't flip for the better. Let me back up a bit now.

Back in September of 2006 we got a new kitty for Lydia. The story is here under dogs, cats and other things. Anyway, Jinga grew into an absolutely fabulous cat! So friendly and fun with a great personality. However, his downfall was love of crossing the street to obtain gophers from the hillside. Unfortunately, we could not disuade him of this activity and he was generally pretty good about crossing the street and such. However, in April of this year, the night before Roo's birthday he was hit by a car a killed. I was completely thrashed about the entire thing and cried over it for way too long, I am sure. I think it was the final straw to a culmination of too much death for me in one year perhaps.

Anyway, as part of Lyd's healing we went and chose a new kitty from the shelter. She picked out a Tiger stripe cat who was about 7 months old and quite playful. Named her Kelsey. Now Kelsey hid for about the first week or so but then became much more comfy and open. She loved to play and had acrobatics moves like that of circus solei folks. Pure fluid movement in the air. We decided to keep her in the house just due to the busy nature of this street. She would go out occassionally, but was in the yard and want back in within 10 minutes.

We had to have our old kitty (claudine) put down not too long ago...just in July. She was just getting too weak and feeble and when she couldn't get out of bed to go to the litter box, it was time. her bed was soaking wet. Of course it was sad to see my kitty of 19 years have to go, but she was ready and we were too. Kids did great, though I didn't specifically tell them I was taking her to the vet to have her put down. I had prefaced it for a few days with, "Claudine isn't feeling too well" etc. Then when the day came, I told them I was taking her to the vet, and that she may be too sick to come home etc. They immediately asked if she was going to die (They had been asking that question quite a bit lately anyway, just because she was looking poorly). I told them, it was quite likely and that they should spend time with her that morning. They did, and did a great job with her. Well, I took her to the vet and had the process done. I had never done that before and of course I was crying the entire drive there and in the waiting room. The vet and staff were wonderful and Claudine stayed true to form...she did not want the vet near her. Never did she like going to any vet. LOL. So she was too feisty to do it straight away, so he first gave her a sedative which was supposed to take about 10 minutes to take affect. It only took 3 minutes or so and she was pretty subdued. He prepped her leg to get a vein and I think if left alone the sedative would have been enough on its own. However, he started to give her the shot, but her 19 year old vein collapsed and before he could get a vein in the other leg to finish the shot, she was gone. It didn't take much at all and it was quick. I held her for a while and then it was time to go. I got home and the kids were gone to a party. when they came home they asked about the cat and if she died. I told them that she had...didn't tell them how precisely when they asked. I told them the vet gave her a shot to relax her and take her pain away so he could examine her and it was enough for her to relax enough to take the final steps here to leave. She was in pain here and the pain was making her stay rather than let her move on into death where she was ready to go. I don't believe any of that was far from the truth. They did really well with news and we all trucked on.

Now, it was my turn for another kitty. I had been looking and was ready for another even before she passed, but I wasn't going to traumatize her with another kitten addition while she was still here. So, I found one I liked. He actually looked similar to Jinga and with similar personality. I had to have him. Andrew named him Two-Face because his face is black and white. I simply call him Two. He and Kelsey got along famously after her first days of rejection towards him. They run and pounce, and tackle one another all over the place. Completely crazy cats. Well, unfortunately, Kelsey slipped out lightning fast a couple weeks ago, and you guessed it....she was hit and killed as well. I felt sick. I wasn't as upset over losing her, but I was sad. She was a really good cat and was such good buds with Two. Two missed her like mad for a few days and it was hard to watch him roam around the house looking for her searching all her old haunts. He was depressed. Well, we got another kitten about the same age as Two to play with him. This kitty is really nice and friendly, though not as playful as Kelsey nor as rough when he plays as Kelsey was and Two is quite rough. So, it may not be the perfect match Two and Kelsey were, but he does pretty darn good. Lydia named him Patches because he has one gray patch on his left shoulder. He is gray and white similar to Two's markings. They are a cute pair.

Well, that's it for cats now.