Loyal and Faithful Friend
This is a change of pace from my normal ranting and raving. It is a tribute to a loyal and faithful friend -- Walter Mitty, the Great Big Kitty, who suddenly and unexpectedly was taken from the family....
My wife got Walter Mitty (little Tiny Kitty) when he was only a few months old. He was so small that he could fit on your hand. And he was a faithful friend and companion. Soon thereafter I arrived on the scene. Walter graciously shared his "Mommy" with me, allowing me to join into his family. Walter was there when the first child was born (and wondering what that was). Walter wondered about the second cat to join the family, sticking his hands under the door to try to welcome her. Walter was there when we moved from a high rise apartment to the first floor of a house. Once in the house, he suddenly learned the wonder of birds. Walter was 7 years old.
On Saturday morning he went to the vet for a check up accompanied by his favorite 4 year old and his 11 year old cat friend. He was as good as gold, not making a sound when he got two vaccinations. He only struggled when he got the oral distemper vaccine... and earned the comment of the vet that he was a strong and powerful cat. The Vet said that Walter was in good shape (although a little heavy) with the exception of a little rash on his tummy. And to clear this up, the vet gave him a shot of Cortisone.
On Sunday night (about 7 pm), Walter suddenly collapsed in obvious distress. He had been mopping about the house on Sunday, but we had thought that this was just a side effect of getting the shots. He was having trouble breathing and his tounge was sticking out. My wife took gentle care of him reassuring him and comforting him until I was able to bundle him up and take him to the Vet ER. All along the way I kept talking to Walter and he kept reassuring me with his little mews and cries that, while he hurt, he knew that I was there and that I was taking him somewhere to make him feel better. I just knew that once I got him to the ER they would be able to make him better and a profound sense of relief hit me when I got there. Relief which quickly turned back to disquiet. I went into the Vet's office and they immediately saw me and when they saw Walter, the immediately paged a Vet from the back. I said good bye to Walter as they took him back for X-rays and for Oxygen. After a few minutes they came out and told me that he was suffering from congestive heart failure, that he was filling up with fluid, that they would try to do something, and that the next few hours were important. They said that he was a young cat in good shape and that they had seen Cats in worse shape. But they did say that the question was whether his Kidneys could handle the Lasix and whether they could get in front of it. I stayed with Walter looking in at him and reassuring him while he sat looking forlorn in the Oxygen Tent. I realized that it did not look good and that I needed to get home. I went home. My wife went, after hearing the report and reading between the lines, went off the to Vet to see Walter and say, what she sadly expected, was Goodbye. It was soon apparent that Walter was in great distress and the Lasix was not working fast enough. Then his kidneys shut down. There was nothing more that they could do. My wife had him removed from the Oxygen and she held him in her arms, stroked him and told him he was a very good cat. At about 10:30 pm, with my wife gently holding him in her arms, he closed his eyes for the last time and slowly drifted away. Free from the pain. Into the sleep of the just and loved. In the arms of the person who loved him the best of all.
My wife brought him home and we stayed up for many hours crying over this sudden and unexpected loss, trying to remember all of the good times. Talking about how he first came home. Remembering how he reacted to new bags of Kitty Food. Remembering how he reacted to my daughter and then my son as they joined the family. But through it all, was profound, overwhelming grief and sadness.
The hardest part was early the next morning when, at 5:30 am, my 4 year old daughter woke us up to find out about Walter (she had seen him be taken to the vet and knew he was sick). She had written a letter to him last night telling him to get better quickly and come home and see her soon. (My wife read the letter to Walter while he was still in the Oxygen tent... in his own way he seemed to know who it was from....) It was difficult explaining death to her. She knows that Walter is happy in Heaven, but she wants him to come back and be with her. She hasn't seen the body yet.... and I am not sure she should see the body.
Tomorrow we are going to bury Walter and plant some bulbs over his grave.
Walter was a sweet tempered cat. He never scratched or hissed or nipped. He understood that small people might be a little rougher than he would like, but never took it the wrong way and was always willing to play with my daughter (and my one year old son) in an appropriate manner. He also knew the right times to climb in the bed and snuggle up close to my wife or me or my daughter. He was also a sociable cat, taking a shine to everyone who would come and see him. He was far too young to die, and we had no chance to prepare for this death.
To Walter... the best cat that anyone could have.... you will always be in our thoughts.
My wife got Walter Mitty (little Tiny Kitty) when he was only a few months old. He was so small that he could fit on your hand. And he was a faithful friend and companion. Soon thereafter I arrived on the scene. Walter graciously shared his "Mommy" with me, allowing me to join into his family. Walter was there when the first child was born (and wondering what that was). Walter wondered about the second cat to join the family, sticking his hands under the door to try to welcome her. Walter was there when we moved from a high rise apartment to the first floor of a house. Once in the house, he suddenly learned the wonder of birds. Walter was 7 years old.
On Saturday morning he went to the vet for a check up accompanied by his favorite 4 year old and his 11 year old cat friend. He was as good as gold, not making a sound when he got two vaccinations. He only struggled when he got the oral distemper vaccine... and earned the comment of the vet that he was a strong and powerful cat. The Vet said that Walter was in good shape (although a little heavy) with the exception of a little rash on his tummy. And to clear this up, the vet gave him a shot of Cortisone.
On Sunday night (about 7 pm), Walter suddenly collapsed in obvious distress. He had been mopping about the house on Sunday, but we had thought that this was just a side effect of getting the shots. He was having trouble breathing and his tounge was sticking out. My wife took gentle care of him reassuring him and comforting him until I was able to bundle him up and take him to the Vet ER. All along the way I kept talking to Walter and he kept reassuring me with his little mews and cries that, while he hurt, he knew that I was there and that I was taking him somewhere to make him feel better. I just knew that once I got him to the ER they would be able to make him better and a profound sense of relief hit me when I got there. Relief which quickly turned back to disquiet. I went into the Vet's office and they immediately saw me and when they saw Walter, the immediately paged a Vet from the back. I said good bye to Walter as they took him back for X-rays and for Oxygen. After a few minutes they came out and told me that he was suffering from congestive heart failure, that he was filling up with fluid, that they would try to do something, and that the next few hours were important. They said that he was a young cat in good shape and that they had seen Cats in worse shape. But they did say that the question was whether his Kidneys could handle the Lasix and whether they could get in front of it. I stayed with Walter looking in at him and reassuring him while he sat looking forlorn in the Oxygen Tent. I realized that it did not look good and that I needed to get home. I went home. My wife went, after hearing the report and reading between the lines, went off the to Vet to see Walter and say, what she sadly expected, was Goodbye. It was soon apparent that Walter was in great distress and the Lasix was not working fast enough. Then his kidneys shut down. There was nothing more that they could do. My wife had him removed from the Oxygen and she held him in her arms, stroked him and told him he was a very good cat. At about 10:30 pm, with my wife gently holding him in her arms, he closed his eyes for the last time and slowly drifted away. Free from the pain. Into the sleep of the just and loved. In the arms of the person who loved him the best of all.
My wife brought him home and we stayed up for many hours crying over this sudden and unexpected loss, trying to remember all of the good times. Talking about how he first came home. Remembering how he reacted to new bags of Kitty Food. Remembering how he reacted to my daughter and then my son as they joined the family. But through it all, was profound, overwhelming grief and sadness.
The hardest part was early the next morning when, at 5:30 am, my 4 year old daughter woke us up to find out about Walter (she had seen him be taken to the vet and knew he was sick). She had written a letter to him last night telling him to get better quickly and come home and see her soon. (My wife read the letter to Walter while he was still in the Oxygen tent... in his own way he seemed to know who it was from....) It was difficult explaining death to her. She knows that Walter is happy in Heaven, but she wants him to come back and be with her. She hasn't seen the body yet.... and I am not sure she should see the body.
Tomorrow we are going to bury Walter and plant some bulbs over his grave.
Walter was a sweet tempered cat. He never scratched or hissed or nipped. He understood that small people might be a little rougher than he would like, but never took it the wrong way and was always willing to play with my daughter (and my one year old son) in an appropriate manner. He also knew the right times to climb in the bed and snuggle up close to my wife or me or my daughter. He was also a sociable cat, taking a shine to everyone who would come and see him. He was far too young to die, and we had no chance to prepare for this death.
To Walter... the best cat that anyone could have.... you will always be in our thoughts.
posted by prophet of doom | 9:28 AM
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