Dying Cat Became Dead Cat..!

[jeffthelion]

So there's been a long while since I've actually penned something about my life, so now seems as good a time as any and as finally I've got some time on the computer... but only because Toni is working in Brighton for the next 6 weeks, boooooo!

So Livejournal, time for some grief... I came back from the bank holiday more shattered than when I came into it but not (solely) due to over-drinking but rather there was a whole load of events to deal with.

I took Wednesday the off and my goodness, that day was a torrent of shit. It started with a hospital appointment, which is always a great start to any day! I managed to arrive on time but the hospital managed to be running an hour late, I bumped into Louise, which brought a brief bit of cheer, she works as a PhD student in the hospital and was cheekily trying to have her cast removed off her wrist early, so it didn't stink too much for her holiday in Spain! Ha! This interrupted tedious hospital TV and a phone call to Toni where I found out that our cat Angel was probably dying.

By the lack of interest in food, in comparison to her previously voracious appetite, I knew Angel's death was coming but really didn't want to admit it. So the delay being seen and then the pissing about with the hospital computers viewing my x-ray (which ultimately told us nothing!) meant that I was struggling to make it back in time.

In fact, I got a taxi home, by which time Angel was having a fit and I had to make the call to put my pet down. They didn't have anyone to come down so we had to take her, her progressive illness meant she was literally skin and bones at the end. Toni put this beautifully in this lovely blog (with pics, awwww!) about Angel - http://thelma-viaduct.livejournal.com/111319.html - and potentially euthanizing her in March. We didn't and I'm glad we didn't, the little blighter fought with a smile on her face till the end.

We put her on her blanket and cushion and drove down the mile to the Vets. I honestly thought I would be less bothered but I'm unashamed to say I cried. A lot. She was my first cat, I have lots of great memories of stroking her head and her purring happily. She had such a lovely friendly nature that you forgave her stealing your food and all the horrible, incessant excrement that she made because of her conditions!

Typically, she passed away on her own terms before the vet could do it for her, which was nice as me and Toni were the only people there with her. We're having her ashes stored in a sleeping cat vase.

Then, believe it or not, I drove Toni to a job interview less than an hour after that. I have no idea how Toni could compose herself for that. I wasn't crying all afternoon but I wouldn't have been up for a job interview less than sixty minutes later.

Toni's parents came in the evening and we had Angel cake (see what we did there!) and we gazed at the International Space Station going over, I'm glad that we did that night, as all the other nights visual pollution obscured it and it was incredible to see something 27 miles up so clearly!

Anyway, I wanted to chronicle some of that while it was still vaguely raw, as that's what emotions should be. RIP - Angel. It's been an absolute pleasure.

Comments

[matheius.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear about Angel. It was at that same point when I made the decision about my dog, he hadn't eaten and started fitting - it was the right time. It's kind of comforting to know that Angel went in her own time though without the vet having to intervene. And it doesn't sound like she suffered unduly either, so I hope that brings you peace of mind too.

[jeffthelion.livejournal.com]

Thank you, mate. It's only fair in that situation. I'd argue the same for humans, but that's more controversial..! Her systems were slowly shutting down, it was about the right time. As you saw from Toni's blog, I think we left it just the right amount of time before taking her to the vets, her body agreed!