Sunday, February 2, 2014

SHARPENING HER CLAWS ON GOD'S SOFA




A co-worker gave me a little kitten almost fourteen years ago to replace a cat of mine who had recently had to be put down.

I wanted a black short-hair, and got a tortoise-shell long-hair. They had named her Lucky since the mother had moved with the kittens and left this one behind, and the family did not find her for a couple of days (lucky to be alive).

While she was pretty reclusive most of the time, there were times her personality would shine. Like any girl, Lucky loved shoes and handbags (she would burrow into my shoes-couldn't have smelled good, and loved digging into my friend Lisa's handbag).

Lucky also had a thing for jewelry, as a chain my sister gave me often went missing, to be found in the same hiding place where Lucky hid plastic bottle caps and those plastic rings that come off of the milk bottle.

She'd started losing weight rapidly last year, and the night my mother died last August, I had made up my mind to have Lucky put down before I flew back for the service. The next day she was playing like a kitten with Rocky, the other cat.

Two weeks ago, Lucky was in a bad way again. I had a vet come to the house and she looked good when he examined her, although he confirmed with my guess that her kidneys were failing, and pointed out a growth in her stomach that he suspected was cancer (considering the weight loss), but did not recommend doing anything as it would not change the inevitable. He agreed that she did not appear to be suffering, and did not think it was yet time to consider putting her down.

A couple of days after Dr. Martin's visit, she started to lose a step again. Lucky refused food all day Friday, not coming out of the cubbyhole in the scratching post (that was never used since I have a couch).

Yesterday, I asked had Lucky put down. She was a couple of months shy of fourteen, and I think I gave her a good home.

For you cat owners, I cannot say enough about having the vet come to the house. Neither the visit nor the euthanasia was much more expensive than a vet's office, but the cat is in familiar surroundings. My cats freaked every time I took them to the vet, to the point that I stopped about three or four years ago.

So what does all this have to do with music? Not a thing. Except this blog is partly Rocky's, and now he's an only cat-but seems to like that.

13 comments:

  1. Aww, that's kind of sad, but it sounds like Lucky had a good life and a pleasant home with you.

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    1. ...except when I was yelling at her not to sharpen her claws on the couch....

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  2. Aww, man, sorry to hear that.

    LUCKY was pretty reclusive, and I only managed to pet her a couple times before she ran away, but I'm still sorry to hear that. I know how hard it is to lose the animals we love and who love us.

    But you gave her a good home for a lot of years, and she was indeed LUCKY to wind up with you.

    And still, the ROCK(Y) rolls on. A rolling ROCK(Y) gathers no moss.

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. Yeah...Rocky seems to like life as an only cat, although it's only been two days...

      Wonder if he'd take to a dog?

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  3. I'm sorry to hear this. I recently lost my childhood cat, who amazingly made it to 19 years, but it was still hard to say goodbye. I wish I had known that having the vet come to you was an option.

    Sounds like Lucky had an awesome life, and when it comes to having a pet, one can't really ask for more than that.

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    1. Bryan- was the 19 year old cat allowed outdoors?

      I have kept cats indoors as an adult, and they all seem to make it to 13 or 14, where I had similar experiences with cats growing up that went outside (lived to twenty or more).

      It makes me feel guilty that I am not sadder, but because her personality was aloof, it does not feel as much of a loss as if the other cat were gone (he's underfoot more).

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  4. My cat always sharpens her claws on the sofa too. I'm so sorry to hear about Lucky.

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    1. I do not have the heart to declaw a cat....I hear it hurts, they lose a defensive weapon if they get out...and heck, I've already neutered them!

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  5. I'm really sorry, Larry. Pets become like family members and unfortunately they don't live as long as we do. She had a good home with you though. Every time you look at your couch, you'll remember her.

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    1. Actually, Alex, I have been putting off buying a new couch while she was alive...but I swear that Saturday's action was NOT motivated by the forthcoming President's Day sales at The Room Store...

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  6. I am so sorry to read this news. We put down two dogs last year and it was HORRIBLE. Pets become members of our family.

    It's funny that you say Rocky seems to like being an only cat. We now have one dog and she seems to like it, too. How funny is that?

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    1. For 2 year I had another cat (died from some neurological problem) that took over as the alpha cat-Rocky was as reclusive as Lucky. Lucky always deferred to the male cat (Buddy before Rocky) and HATED Chickenfoot (the one who died young).

      I wonder-is the alpha cat always a male?

      Odd that Rocky does not seem to miss the companionship (so far),

      It is tough putting them down, but I do not want them to suffer-once she started hiding, I knew it was time.

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  7. I don't relate well to this not being much of a pet person, but you have my condolences nevertheless.

    Lee
    Wrote By Rote
    An A to Z Co-host blog

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HOBBY OR ADDICTION?

HOBBY OR ADDICTION?