Many years ago we were given a kitten. We took it on a bit reluctantly but it grew to be a part of the family. It was a long haired black cat called Gremlin.
As far as cat’s go, it was a bit skittish and really only liked one or two people and, sometimes, the dog. It tolerated me, barely, most of the time, although occassionally it would come up for a pat or to ask for food.
I guess you could describe our relationship as polite indifference.
Quite awhile ago, as it aged, it started losing it’s sight and spent more and more time curled up on the couch or asleep on the window sill in the sun. It also spent more time coming up for a pat or to sit on our laps. Last week we had to take it to the vet as it came down with some sort of cold or flue.
The vet gave her a shot and gave us some anitbiotics to give her. The Vet also said she may have some other problems related to her age and asked if we wanted to get some additional tests done. We said we would see how she responded to the antibiotics first and then make a decision and we took her home.
For the first few days she seemed to come good but was still off her food, but it become increasingly difficult to give her the medication. By day four, it was clear that she was losing strength and she continually tried to go outside and hide. As she became weaker we decided to keep her in the bedroom away from the other cat and the dog, and she sat quietly, only occassionally moving around the bedroom.
And she sat, and sat, and sat. She would respond briefly to a pat or being gently held but it was clear that she just wanted to quietly sit. And so she did.
I was amazed at the graceful way she just seemd to be quietly waiting. She didn’t appear to be in pain or distress. She just quietly sat, waiting!
Late last week, when we got up, there she was, curled up on the floor in the on-suite, no longer waiting.
We had already discussed what we wanted to do when it came time and so, we headed down the street and bought a small wattle tree and took the tree and Gremlin the cat down to an empty spot on the garden.
We buried the cat and planted the wattle on top and we look forward to watching the wattle grow near the bee hives and the Circle of Life continue.
I think I’ll miss that cat!
