#FDDA

https://fivedotoh.com/category/dog-days-of-august/

Today’s theme is “Lost Love.” Share a story, a poem, a photo, a drawing, some music, or whatever you wish to about a love you lost. Is it a person? A pet? An object? It’s up to you.

Some of you know from reading my blog my grandson, Johnny was killed a year ago by a fluke dirt bike accident on July 1st, 2019. Johnny was 13 years old. He was my eldest son’s only son. I wasn’t sure our family was going to recover from the loss, it was touch and go for a while with my son. He was consumed with guilt for he had let Johnny buy the bigger dirt bike the day before. No one expected it to be an issue because Johnny had been riding dirt bikes for years. Hold your children or grandchildren tightly because you never know.

I’m going to redirect this conversation to a less painful loss. Since Vic and I’ve been together we’ve had to take two of our feline fur babies to the vets to end their suffering.  I’ll share a little about each with you.

Quasimoto was our Maine coon cat and in his prime weighed thirty six pounds. People often commented on his footprints in the driveway in Maine because they thought a bobcat was hanging around. Yes, he had huge feet. I rescued him at Agway where I used to live so he spent his youth with me until I began dating Vic. We lived 8 hours apart at the time so when I went to visit I took Quasi, Purryl, and Yeatsie with me for the weekends. Quasi was never keen about the car rides so once Vic and I decided we were taking our relationship to the next level, Quasi was the first one to relocate. He enjoyed spending time in the new house with Vic alone.

Purryl I rescued here in New Jersey on one of my early visits Quasi was at home in Maine with one of my friends checking on him. She was on the back deck and it was really cold. I initially thought she couldn’t get over the five foot fence but when I picked her up I realized there was a lot more to the story. Vic at the time didn’t have cats but he did have tunafish. She devoured it and then a bowl of water. Cats don’t consume food or water in one setting. I asked Vic to go to the pet store and get a litter box and food for her. We posted signs at the development office but no one replied. I took Purryl back to Maine with me. I didn’t bring her directly home, I had called my vet and he waited up for me. Yeah, in Maine we still have vets who will do that. Purryl was malnourished, dehydrated still and had an infection. He put her on antibiotics, neutered her for me and three days later she joined our family. The vet estimated her age at two.

Quasi developed later in life thyroid issues and that became a constant juggling act of medicine doses but unfortunately they couldn’t do anything for his renal failure. We had to put him to sleep in May of 2012. He no longer could control his body functions. Quasi was just shy of his 20th birthday in August.

Purryl also had urinary issues but the vet determined hers was from the malnutrition days before us. It was a lifetime of special food and constant urinary infections for her. In April of 2019, Purryl stopped eating, she wouldn’t take food. I took her to the vet, she had been losing weight that winter but I hadn’t realized it was that much. She was a furry cat that hid her actual body. The blood work determined she was dying of renal failure as well. Her kidneys were backing up into body and poisoning her. Purryl had just turned 20 if the vet’s estimation was correct. I know she lived with us 18 wonderful years.

We still have Yeats and Macavity but when it comes their time I will not be replacing them. I’m a firm believer that when we reach a certain age we need to consider our life expectancy in addition to our pets. I’m a cat fan , both of my sons have dogs and my cat’s aren’t used to being around dogs. My daughter has a cat but cat’s are fickle creatures you can’t force them to co-habitat. I will out live Yeats who’s 16 and Macavity who’s 6. Unfortunately we will most likely be taking Macavity next if the doctor’s diagnosis is correct he has a heart condition. He’s taking the same medication for congestive heart failure as my ex-husband did before he passed. How strange is that? I see everyday as a blessing with our boys.

I look at life in a very practical manner. Our pets are part of our family and shouldn’t be bounced around from home. It’s not fair to them. We’ve made a commitment to be their parents for the duration of their lives but as much as I love cats I cannot make that same promise to another cat. I’ll volunteer at shelters and contribute that way.