Beloved Baby...
She put her little head down and went to
sleep as the Vet slowly
removed the needle from her little paw.
And so ended my
12 yr. relationship with my little cat
"Baby."
Baby came into my life unexpectedly.
Up to that time I did not care much for pets
and just couldn't see how people doted
on them. But all this was about to change. One morning on my way to work
when I opened the front door, there she was. A tiny black furry animal,
sitting on the top step, shivering and soaking wet from a rainstorm that
had just passed through the area.
What to do? I was already late for work.
So I scooped her up and carried her into the kitchen where I opened a
can of tuna fish and offered it to her
in a small dish. Oh my, did she devour that fish and every few minutes
she
would lift her little head and make a singing
sound. Like saying "thank you". I left her in the kitchen and went
to work , all the time contemplating what
to do with that cat. People at work suggested that I turn her over to the
local SPCA but cautioned that , if no one
adopted her within 3 days, she would be put to sleep. As the day wore on,
I got kind of excited of having a pet and
decided to keep her.
The following day I took her to the Vet
for shots and an exam. She had an upper respiratory infection and was hospitalized
for 3 days. After her return from the hospital she chose me as her "two
legged friend" and showed her unconditional love for me daily. Soon it
became apparent that she was lonely while I was at work and
I decided to get her a companion. I adopted another cat from the SPCA whom
I named "Sadie". Sadie and Baby bonded beautifully and became the best
of friends. Mother Baby took care of little Sadie and treated her like
her offspring. The played together, slept and ate together and never fought.
Baby had her trouble with illnesses and
was hospitalized quite often during the next 12 yrs. for respiratory and
urinary infections. In her 10th. year she had to have most of her teeth
pulled after she developed a tumor on her lower gums and an accompanying
gum infection. She sure looked funny with only one front tooth left
and I started to call her Snagglepuss. She didn't seem to mind that
she had no teeth but continued to gorge herself from her food bowl. By
now she was weighing 16 lbs. and was quite overweight. Often she would
sit against the wall by her food bowl, supporting her back, belly hanging
out and reaching into the food bowl with one paw.
In April of 1997 she suddenly lost her voice.
Always very vocal she now just opened her mouth but no sound escaped her..
I took her to the Vet who gave her a homeopathic medicine but it did not
return her voice. From there on I took her back to the hospital on a monthly
basis, until one day in October when her regular vet was not available
and I saw another doctor. Listening to my complaint of the "silent meow"
he gave her a tranquilizer and pulled out her tongue. No, no, no, no........there
it was......a large tumor the size of a marble sitting atop her vocal cord.
The vet was very concerned about this and gave me three options. Perform
emergency surgery to help her breathe by performing a tracheotomy, euthanize
her, or watch her slowly choke to death. What choices? Of course I chose
emergency surgery. Little did I know what that entailed. I wish now I had
been better informed about the subsequent consequences of such surgery.
But at that time I had only one thought in mind -keep her alive at all
cost.
The following day I picked her up from the
hospital and brought her home. She was very very agitated and just walked
around the house. She was an awful sight, a big hole in her neck, a swollen
tongue hanging sidewise out of her mouth and strange looking eyes. The
other two cats avoided her and if they met they hissed at her. Poor kind
Baby was suddenly treated by her pals like an outcast. During the night
she suddenly had difficulties breathing and my husband who had heard her
wheezing rushed her to the emergency room without telling me
about it. At the hospital her throat was sucked out, her breathing improved
and she was returned home.
The next morning was a beautiful day and
I let Baby go outside on the enclosed porch where she could lay on the
lounge and enjoy the warm breeze and the sunshine. I checked on her periodically
and she seemed to be enjoying the nice weather and watching the birds in
the birdbath. Ten minutes later, or so it appeared, she was laying on the
floor , body heaving heavily, unable to breathe. I picked her up, rushed
to the car, raced to the hospital with her laying on the passenger seat
lifeless. All the time I am talking to her to please hold on. When we arrived
at the hospital the vet made heroic attempts to revive her, he then finally
looked at me and shook his head and at that point I knew I had to let her
go. I held her in my arms and kissed her good-bye while he shaved her little
paw to insert the deadly needle. And within a few seconds...................
She put her little head down
And went to sleep.
And here I am 18 months later still grieving
for my wonderful little teacher that came into my life and taught me the
lesson of "Love For All Animals".
Rainbow Bridge.
Just this side of heaven is a place
called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been
especially close to someone here,
that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for
all of our special friends so they
can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and
sunshine, and our friends
are warm and comfortable. All the
animals who had been ill and old
are restored to health and vigor.
Those who were hurt or maimed are
made whole and strong again, just
as we remember them in our dreams
of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content,
except for one small thing; they
each miss someone very special
to them, who had to be left behind. They all
run and play together, but the
day comes when one suddenly stops and looks
into the distance. Her bright eyes
are intent. Her body quivers. Suddenly she begins
to run from the group, flying over
the green grass, her legs carrying her faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when
you and your special friend finally meet,
you cling together in joyous reunion,
never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain
upon your face; your hands again
caress the beloved head, and you look once more into
the trusting eyes of your pet,
so long gone from your life, but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...
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