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Not On My Watch: Holding Breath

Sometimes I feel as though there really is some sort of interrelationship between all things. It's difficult to describe exactly what I mean other than by simply stating “it was meant to be”-when random events stitch themselves together to create a larger meaning-is something real. Or is that that I “stitch” those things together to make meaning for myself? Just because you can't “scientifically” prove something doesn't mean it doesn't occur. Science is flawed in that way because if they can't create a test to measure or study something then it cannot be true.

After yesterday's post about what cats would say if they could speak, I found out that my friend's husband accidentally struck and killed a pregnant cat with his car. He is devastated beyond description to not only have lost the mama, but the unborn kittens inside her, as well. As he and his wife mourned the loss, they mutually agreed that they need to rescue another cat and give it a home, in honor of the one who was lost.

This morning, Sam and I drove Gracie to Dr. Larry's so she could finally get her dental cleaning and extraction and have the growth on her abdomen removed and tested to find out if she has cancer. Jessica, who works the front desk, was only one person in the Clinic when we arrived. Since the clinic wasn't full of other clients needing attention, I asked if it would be ok if we put Gracie into her cage and got her set up. I often go into the back of the Clinic so it wasn't unusual. Gracie is so scared of everything, it was the least I could do to see her off properly.

Gracie.jpg
Gracie on the way to Dr. Larry's this morning.

As I set down her carrier, I noticed another cat carrier. It was old, odd, two-tone green plastic crate and far too small for the cat inside it. Crammed into the tiny space was what appeared to be a very big cat. I asked who the cat was and found out that his name is Jasper and he's 20 years old. He's in renal failure. His owner dropped him off to be euthanized. She didn't even have the decency to be with him, instead left him there to end his life at the hands of the good people who work with my Vet. My heart sank.

I asked if it was his time or did he need better supportive care? Was he getting sub Q fluids? Was he on a good diet? She told me that he was brought in last week because he had stopped eating, but they got him to eat and he perked up and ended up going back home, but now this owner said it's time. She won't give him sub Q fluids, perhaps his is too tough to handle. She's done what she can, but clearly has given up.

I couldn't even see the cat's face. All I could see was that he was white and brown tabby. He couldn't stand or even turn around he was in such a small space. I told Jessica that I thought I might have another option and that to please have Dr. Larry consider that I could re-home the cat and possibly give him the extra time he may have left.

She said she would pass along the information, but since none of us knew how seriously ill he was, there was no way to know if he was going to survive the day.

I called my friend and told her about the cat. She said, of course, they would take him, but couldn't take him until Thursday. I made some calls and worked everything out. If Dr. Larry felt the cat wasn't ready to go and the owner would surrender him, that my rescue group, Kitten Associates would take him and pay for his boarding and medical care until he could go to his new home.

It's almost 11am and I'm waiting for news. I'm worried that the longer it takes for me to hear anything, the worse the news will be. I can't change the flow of this cat's life any more than I already have, but it seems curious to me that Gracie was supposed to have her Vet visit two months ago and is having it today. That last night my friend's husband should suffer a tragic event that caused him to want to adopt a senior cat and that today perhaps those decisions and tragedies should come together to create something wonderful…but it's too soon to know that.

All I know is that another cat got treated like trash, but I had his back this time and maybe his life is not meant to be over today. If he is gone, I will honor him with my tears and try again. There are so many out there who need help. I'm just waiting for a sign to know which one is next.

Comments

Crossing my fingers for you guys. I'll be thinking of you.

Robin,

 

My sixteen year old baby girl TigerBabyKitty needs vet care, she won't eat and seems to be twitching. The vet says she is in early stages of renal failure and we put her on a special diet but this started today.  I need to put a ChipIn on my Facebook page but can't get the link to ChipIn to load. I am currently on disability with chemo and need help. How can I get the ChipIn link to get onto my page, please? I need to take her in ASAP and am scared to death.

Hi Mychal, I'm not sure how to advise you, but you should be able to generate a "widget" by going onto chipin and using the my widget tab that will create code you can cut and paste into your facebook page. It's hard to describe it without knowing your computer set up and all that, but all you need is a code to paste into a status box on your fb page. I haven't run a chipin on facebook so not sure it is allowed there..maybe that's why it does not work. Do you know about www.imom.org ? They help with covering costs for folks who have animals that need vetting. Contact them right away to get started and find out if you can get some help. Talk to you Vet..ask for help there, too. They won't do the work for free but they may reduce the number of tests, give you a small break, let you make payments... Also, I would suggest NOT to feed renal diet to a cat ESPECIALLY if it's DRY FOOD..it's low protein and that's NOT proven to help cats. Are you giving sub q fluids? It's not expensive to do it and it's easy once you get the hang of it and if your cat is good natured. You can read more about renal disease and good diet here: http://feline-nutrition.org/health/diet-kidney-disease-and-the-urinary-tract There are tons of tricks to get a cat to eat. You may need to syringe feed Tiger if she doesn't eat soon. I hope you can get her some help asap!! let us know how it's going!!

Robin-


 


I ponder these sorts of things all the time and truly believe in signs and connections, it’s just that often we don’t always have the answer right in front of us, but it will be unveiled at some random point in time and make sense.


 


Last weekend Dan and I were watching the news and heard a local story about a car that drove off the road and hit a pregnant woman in the bathroom cabana of a very nice hotel on the beach. The next day, we found out this woman was my step-daughter’s co-worker (they are both teachers) who was vacationing in Florida with her husband. Prior to that, Dan and I had made plans to go up to visit Boston to visit his daughter, and I was going to be talking to her class about being an author and writing a book.


 


Right now, this is simply tragic and none of it makes any sense. But, the classroom is still very excited to have me come and we are going to learn about writing, by having the kids (they are 3rd graders) write a special memory about their beloved teacher that they lost. It seems I was supposed to be part of this healing process without me even realizing it. Often children don’t know how to express themselves verbally, so I think giving them an opportunity to write will be very good for them.


 


I know this is long winded and not directly about cats, but it is about the random connections in life and the message that life is fleeting – we always have to keep trying, and what you are doing for that cat is wonderful. I hope it works out.

Hi Robin, 

 

I really enjoy your blog and commend you on all the fabulous work you do to help cats in need. I was heartbroken to read your last entry about the senior kitty left at your vets. Did the vet allow you to have your neighbor's take the cat in? Or was it deemed too sick and put down? I only hope that the people at the vet gave the poor soul more love and respect at the end than the bastards who left it there! I think you were so compassionate at least to try. 

And yes, I think you were meant to be there for Jasper. 

It's my single biggest fear (since I tend to drive fast and am usually late) that some day I may strika an animal - any animal. I hurt for your friends and their tragedy, but am so glad they're willign to open their hearts to Jasper - if he has time left. What I wouldn't have given to have just a few more months with Ryker....

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