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A Calico's Sojourn through the Litter Box of Life...

It's time...

Shady's mama here... After a month of grieving, and a few more weeks of consideration, Fred and I have decided to head over to the local Humane Society and see if we can be adopted again.

I think it's a good time - I am no longer weepy, but instead remember all the good times with Shady, and the funny little quirks she had. Also, it's a few months before we have another new addition, our new baby girl, Elizabeth, due on February 1st. Time enough for a furry friend to get used to the house, the noises and the people, and then being able to introduce him or her to the new baby in stages.

So, wish us luck in being found by another wonderful fuzzy baby - I'm a firm believer that we will not adopt them, but they will, instead, insist on adopting us.

~M

Reprieve

So, the vet says that if we give Shady the Lactulose (a major stool softener), as well as continue on with her normal food regimine, Shady should be fine. It apparently isn't a prolapse, or if it is, the vet doesn't feel that it's overly concerning at this point because it's so small... And the Lactulose should help with everything, as long as we keep her on a daily routine of giving it to her twice a day.

She hates it, but she quickly forgives me for giving her the nasty, sticky crap. I tried talking to her last night, and telling her if she really *did* need to leave, then we understood and it was ok... Don't ever tell me that pets can't understand waht you're saying. She got up, glared at me, and went to a corner to sulk, back turned toward me for a good two hours. Every so often she'd look over her shoulder as if to say "See? This is what I think of THAT suggestion!". She forgave me an hour after she came out of the corner, and has been quietly talking to me ("mrrrp - murple-murp") ever since.

I do know that it's only a matter of time, and I am (mostly) ok with letting her go. However, if the vet feels that she's going to do fine with something as unintrusive as Lactulose and the occasional sub-q, then I will do that - obviously, SHE feels fairly strongly currently about NOT leaving quite yet.

~M

Sadness...

Shady's mama here. It's been a while since we last updated here. Things got really hectic, and we had been hoping Shady was getting slowly better.

Unfortunately, it seems as though the impacted and distended bowel she had been diagnosed with and suffering from for some time now has caught up with her. She now has the beginnings of a prolapsed colon, and there is no way to fix it without major surgery - which she is too old to endure.

Monday morning we will be calling the local vet to get a prognosis and possibly to send her to sleep. She is in such pain and is so uncomfortable - neither my dh or I can stand seeing her like this any further. Her quality of life has gone to a point of almost nonexistance.

I feel so blessed to have had her in my life for 21 years, and my dh fell in love with her when he first met her 2 years ago, and has continued his adoration throughout her trials and troubles. Yet, at the same time, I feel an immense emptiness in my heart at thinking of her not being there when I get home at night, of not having my head stepped on in the morning during her demand for food...

I know that it will be for the best, as she does not deserve to live in pain, but instead have dignity and love, remembering both my dh and myself as loving creatures who cared for her to the very end. It does not, however, lessen the grief we both feel at having to say goodbye. We were both hoping to have her for a few months longer, at least until the baby arrived.

I will be holding her to me for as long as I can, cuddling her to me and making sure she knows I love her. And we shall see...

Images..

Silken fur
Green-gold eyes
Pretty poses all for mama

Head bumps
purrs of love
Paws patting on face

Scolding when late
Inspecting paintjobs
Climbing ladders for high perches

Jack-rabbit long legs
big, big ears
long tail wrapped around you

Toilet-paddler
midnight butter-eater
finicky kibble-muncher

Brat-Catt
Rumple-furr
Pantaloon-butt

My kitten
My sweet-face
My dearest sweet babu

21 years young
Venerable ancient one
Shades of Bell - my loving sorrow

~M