Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The Final Straw


"That stupid cat! He did it again!!"

Damn! I had to clean up another one of his messes, for the umpteenth time. Leaving his presence everywhere around the house, except in the litter box, like most good cats. Today would be the final time I had that honor. Leo has gone to that big litterbox in the sky. And I miss him terribly. That little buggah!

He was not like "most good cats", and had a mind of his own... and lots of"Cat-titude". Whacking his tail around to show his displeasure. Purring only for one of our daughters. Ruling the roost with his other cat brother. If scolded, he would leave his little "presence" right on the spot! Attacking my craft ribbons, one of his favorite, to my dismay.

He was beautifully appointed, with striking stripes of brown & beige. A small cat, Leo loved to be petted & brushed, but not really carried. He was quick & smart. When fighting with his brother, guess who won!

Initially, we "baby-sat" him and his brother, when my daughter could not care for them. Leo and Ajah became part of our household when our grandson arrived. Leo would do a #2 on baby's blanket out of jealousy. There was no turning back

Since then, those 2 furry friends have given us much pleasure and pain. Last Christmas, one of our daughters saw that Leo was ill and took him to the vet. Diagnosis: diabetes & cataracts! After all, he was only about 14 yrs old.

Caring for him with insulin shots and doctor visits was no small task. It took a long time to get the balance right. Shots twice a day; regular feedings etc. For the last few weeks, I thought we were doing well! He had gained weight and looked good! But all good journeys come to an end, and sadly his did last night.

After a seizure, we took tearfully him to emergency and decided to put him down. No small task indeed.

Lesson to be learned: Treasure your loved ones, human or furry. You don't know how long you have them, or when you have to clean up after them for the last time. What a pain it was to care for a sick cat. But his companionship was priceless, and can't be bought. I will treasure the memories of Leo as well as the remaining cat. And of course, my human family

Peace out, Leo: No more scoldings or shots. And you can eat all the snacks you want.

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