Swan has a beautiful cat. Cleo is all black with white boots and blaze and whiskers. She is a scaredy cat. She is a butter-begger. She loves to have cat races thru' the condo. She loves sunshine. But most of all, she loves Swan.
Seems things with the Clan have been rough lately. Tom's having alot of job stress. Swan is having health issues. I am fussing over the fact that this year I just wish that Christmas was already over. And last night Cleo, the wonder-cat didn't get up off the floor. And all of our crap flew out the window. It is amazing how quickly all the worries in the world fade away when a ball of fur gets deathly ill. Tom had come home from work and Cleo, who is Swan's 17 year-young cat was laying in the bedroom by the closet. She didn't trot out to greet him as usual, but sometimes she doesn't, so he didn't think anything of it. When Swan got home from her appointment, I had dinner ready and she came straight over and didn't really get eyes on Cleo right away, but when they went back to other side of the condos later, Tom came hoofing back to get me because he thought that Cleo was dying. I went back and spent some time with Swan and Cleo before going to bed. Cleo was not well. Appeared to be impaired mentally, somehow and was unable to walk or stand on her rear legs. I thought for sure that I would be awaken this morning to the news of her passing, but she was alive and in the same state. Swan decided to take her to be put to sleep. I made arrangements to come home from work early. Tom came home early. We went to the Vets as a family. Swan had planned to go alone. She told me that with a previous pet she had taken them alone. (There are times that I could really really REALLY smack HE-WHO-SHALL-REMAIN-NAMELESS for his insensitivity!!!) I told her that we are a family and this is what families do....TOGETHER. And the Vet gave us a glimmer of hope. And we brought Cleo, the Wonder-Cat home. We are going to wait out blood tests. We might be doing kitty IVs for awhile. But dammit, we will do them as a family. And one way or another either on this side of the Bridge or the other, there will be Granny Cat Races again!
"A harmless, necessary cat."
ReplyDelete- William Shakespeare
I was looking for this quote, because I couldn't remember if there was more to it. I found a page of cat quotes I thought you may all appreciate now.
This one especially seemed fitting:
"I love my cats because I love my home, and little by little they become its visible soul."
- Jean Cocteau
T, thank you for sharing this. It is nice to hear from you, and I am sure it would have been very hard for Swan to write this one.
All my best wishes to the entire clan, especially Cleo.
-Avid
please tell swan my heart goes out to her and Cleo........ my squirt is no where close to Cleo's age .. but when he was sick this summer i thought my world would never see sunshine again....
ReplyDeletei am sending many many hugs..
morningstar (owned by Warren)
Thank you, all for your kind wishes. Cleo left us last night. We believe she likely had a brain tumor -- there was nothing to be done. We were with her until the very last and she was calm and peaceful, and I believe, ready to be done with it. It is very quiet here without her. Amazing how one small ten pound ball of fur can fill up the world -- how big the gap is that ten pounds leaves.
ReplyDeleteLast night, after dinner, I sat down on the couch to watch some TV while running a load of laundry. Just another sexy poly night at the Heron Clan. We had gone out to eat, since neither Swan nor I felt like cooking and when I got settled on the couch my cat, Pranzer, crawled onto my chest. Normally when I sit, he lays on my lap for some attention. But last night he was up high on my chest... all 16 pounds of him. As I was petting him, I was telling him that Cleo was gone. He turned his head and looked at the sliding glass patio door. That was where he would head out to trot over to HER door so her could cause her grief. He looked back at my face, made a little "puff" sound and laid his head on my shoulder, as if he were trying to comfort both of us. I sat there and cried like a baby. After I was done, he climbed down and layed down beside me.
ReplyDeleteCats....BAH! Who needs 'em?
Yeah...count me in.
T
My deepest sympathy to all of you for your loss. I can't even imagine. I left my two cats with my ex when I moved here, and that pain is bad enough, but nothing, I'm sure, compared to your grief. I'm so very sorry.
ReplyDeleteOh no...I do hope that Cleo is doing better! My thoughts are with you!
ReplyDeleteI did not read all the other comments when I left my comment. I am sorry to read the loss of Cleo. Sending you good thoughts as losing a beloved pet is so hard. They are part of the family too. *hugs*
ReplyDelete