Well, I have discovered my blog again. I'm getting tired of other things on the internet and have decided (at least tonight) to blog more regularly. It might be how often some people go to church though (you know, regularly every Easter and Christmas). I just wanted to tell everyone our sweet weekend with an orange, raccoon tailed (orange and white naturally)cat who we named Jack.
It started out like every Friday, relaxed at home, kids watching a movie, when I decided to go for a walk with our dog Kia. Cameron had the roller blades on (they are mine though he has them on HIS feet more often that I have them on MY feet) so he wanted to come along. Fine, I said. It's going to be a long walk cause I haven't exercised today. He was willing so we took off and went our normal route of down the street, to the right and onto the trail the city has so kindly built for us. We are walking along (rolling for Cameron) and talking, when we see a cat on the other side of the road. We pause because we can't NOT pet a loud cat demanding attention, and this cat comes right up to the 60+ pound german shepherd and rubs against her legs. Wow, this cat isn't afraid of dogs, I said to Cameron. He asked if we could take him home (we had some uhm--clues--as to him being a male) and I said no way. We have two dogs and two cats and we don't need another one. But wow, feel his ribs. This poor orange kitty was beyond anorexic. Cameron and I kept walking. With a dog-like personality, "Jack" kept following us. After another half mile, I decided that I had to do something. We hurried home, asked Shawn how he felt about helping out lost souls, found some wet cat food, and dashed into the car to go do the good samaritan thing. We had to walk a little ways from where we parked the car to where we had last seen this kitty. I opened the can of food, and we just started calling, "Kitty! Kitty!" Sure enough, he smelled that food and brought his emaciated body over. He scarfed the ENTIRE can down like it was going to evaporate before he could finish it. We then loaded him in the car, and took him home. You probably see where this is going...
After each of the boys found a blanket for this newly christened "Jack" to lay on
(you know, Jack the Pumkin King, Jack'o'lantern? get it?), we put out some dry food and water for him in case he was still hungry. And he was. In looks, he was young, young, young. Jack ate and laid down on his stack of blankets (pretty much everything we had in the family room came out to the garage for him)and started to close his eyes. Cats are like babies--they sleep all day long and wake up all night long. And Jack, apparently, was due for some nappage. None of the boys would leave him alone. He was crowded around, looked at, pet every second, and given stuffed animals to sleep with in case of loneliness. Kimball fell all over himself getting water (and had to re-get the water). Cameron made sure his food dish was always full. Trent kept touching him. Sam was the one who gave him everyone else's stuffed anaimals. I was not immune to this cat's soft fur, or gentle ways either. (Shawn tried to be immune but couldn't) I sat next to him, and he immediately climbed into my lap. Sam saw me laying down out in the garage with Jack on my belly, purring. After I went in, Sam assumed the laying down position and Jack climbed onto him and fell asleep. Sam was beaming! After assuring the boys that Jack was NOT going to be wandering away when he had a perfectly good food source right here, I sent them to bed.
Early the next morning, (it wasn't even light out yet-that's how early), Sam came in and told me he wanted to check on "the kitty." I told him to wait, cause the kitty was still sleepy. It didn't take too long after the sun peeked through for Cameron, Kimball, and Trenton to hurriedly get out of bed and out into the garage. The swarmed Jack like bees to root beer. And Jack, the gentle, calm cat he is, loved every minute. All day Saturday was devoted to Jack (for the kids anyway). I drove them to the pet store to check out toys for Jack, to see if we could get a cat condo for him (that was a NO), to check for ear mite medicine. Then we drove to another animal hospital and made an appointment for Monday to get Jack checked out by the vet. Then the four boys and I made our way back to home and Jack.
Sunday was much the same way (without going to the stores). Jack got food, attention on steriods, blankets (here I was surprised they weren't pulled off MY bed), animals, water, and company. Putting the kids to bed that night, they kept asking if we could keep Jack. I said we would see what his health is like, and get him fattened up and then talk about it.
Monday morning came. School, boot camp class, and then the vet appointment. While Cameron, Kimball and Trent were at school, Sam and I got the carrier down from the top shelf in the garage. I went inside to get some cloths to clean the dust off with, and when I returned, the stinking cat had pooped some really stinking poop--RIGHT in the carrier. I went back inside and came out with 409 to fight THAT battle. Hosed it off, got Jack in, and off we went. Sam loved talking to Jack the whole 10 minutes to the vets. Sam helped me carry Jack in (inside the carrier of course). We were shown to a small room with a poster of every kind of breed of cat you can imagine on it. I think that Perch is more like a Balinese rather than Siamese. Torro wasn't on the chart. Saw a cat with a bobbed tail, one with no tail, and then the vet tech came in. She took a little history--which went like this:
"What are we seeing Jack for?"
"Ear mites, and general health check up. Probably shots too."
"How long have you had Jack?"
"Found him Friday night, looked like he hadn't eaten in several months."
"Ok,let me take a look. [pause-she is handling Jack] Wow. Ok, I'm a little worried about his stomach bulging but I'll get the doctor. Be right back."
Really quick she comes back. Doctor is now handling Jack and she states,
"His teeth are great. No ear mites. Oooh, his stomach. It's ok. [Jack is howling with pain and trying to get away from his stomach being touched] Oh. Uhm. I think there is something wrong with his stomach and I would like to do some x-rays. Is that ok with you?"
I ok'd it and she took 2 x-rays. What she showed me looked nothing like the insides of a cat. I could see his stomach, and then it looked like that round stomach had exploded or had a hole in it--because there was food everywhere. There were no clear views of kidneys, intestines, or ANYTHING...you could see where the end of the intestines were but everything else was splotchy and well, weird. I asked to see a standard x-ray of a "normal" cat--and comparing the two was like covering your eyes and looking in the mirror (can't see much), then opening them and seeing everything. Jack was apparently closing his eyes or abdomen or something. The doctor explained that she wasn't sure what had happened to Jack or how he was still functioning, but it looked like something tramatic had occurred to his stomach and that without surgery, it was not looking good. There was also a barium thing they could do-they put the metal in his stomach (in liquid form) and see where it goes. I opted not to do that. So I was also told that putting him down could possibly be the best for him--if he was indeed in that much pain when his stomach was looked at, talked about or breathed on. Sam and I loaded him back in the carrier, and took him home.
That night, instead of family home evening, we had a family home discussion. I explained to the kids (had already given Shawn the heads up) what had happened at the vet and told them everything. At this point, we had kids crying. The consensus was to say good-bye and thank him for coming into our family for a short time. Quietly, we filed into the garage and pet him, and held him one last time. I told each of the boys that Jack would be eternally grateful for giving him a few days of love, kindness, and food. He was going to heaven to live and would be free of pain and would finally chase some string around. The next day, Sam and I went back with Jack and stayed with him until his final breath.
We miss our Jack-kitty, and we sure wish he could have been a permanent part of our family on earth. It's funny how one small experience can shape a life. I will be forever grateful I had the opportunity to help Jack, for I think he helped our family much much more.
It started out like every Friday, relaxed at home, kids watching a movie, when I decided to go for a walk with our dog Kia. Cameron had the roller blades on (they are mine though he has them on HIS feet more often that I have them on MY feet) so he wanted to come along. Fine, I said. It's going to be a long walk cause I haven't exercised today. He was willing so we took off and went our normal route of down the street, to the right and onto the trail the city has so kindly built for us. We are walking along (rolling for Cameron) and talking, when we see a cat on the other side of the road. We pause because we can't NOT pet a loud cat demanding attention, and this cat comes right up to the 60+ pound german shepherd and rubs against her legs. Wow, this cat isn't afraid of dogs, I said to Cameron. He asked if we could take him home (we had some uhm--clues--as to him being a male) and I said no way. We have two dogs and two cats and we don't need another one. But wow, feel his ribs. This poor orange kitty was beyond anorexic. Cameron and I kept walking. With a dog-like personality, "Jack" kept following us. After another half mile, I decided that I had to do something. We hurried home, asked Shawn how he felt about helping out lost souls, found some wet cat food, and dashed into the car to go do the good samaritan thing. We had to walk a little ways from where we parked the car to where we had last seen this kitty. I opened the can of food, and we just started calling, "Kitty! Kitty!" Sure enough, he smelled that food and brought his emaciated body over. He scarfed the ENTIRE can down like it was going to evaporate before he could finish it. We then loaded him in the car, and took him home. You probably see where this is going...
After each of the boys found a blanket for this newly christened "Jack" to lay on
(you know, Jack the Pumkin King, Jack'o'lantern? get it?), we put out some dry food and water for him in case he was still hungry. And he was. In looks, he was young, young, young. Jack ate and laid down on his stack of blankets (pretty much everything we had in the family room came out to the garage for him)and started to close his eyes. Cats are like babies--they sleep all day long and wake up all night long. And Jack, apparently, was due for some nappage. None of the boys would leave him alone. He was crowded around, looked at, pet every second, and given stuffed animals to sleep with in case of loneliness. Kimball fell all over himself getting water (and had to re-get the water). Cameron made sure his food dish was always full. Trent kept touching him. Sam was the one who gave him everyone else's stuffed anaimals. I was not immune to this cat's soft fur, or gentle ways either. (Shawn tried to be immune but couldn't) I sat next to him, and he immediately climbed into my lap. Sam saw me laying down out in the garage with Jack on my belly, purring. After I went in, Sam assumed the laying down position and Jack climbed onto him and fell asleep. Sam was beaming! After assuring the boys that Jack was NOT going to be wandering away when he had a perfectly good food source right here, I sent them to bed.
Early the next morning, (it wasn't even light out yet-that's how early), Sam came in and told me he wanted to check on "the kitty." I told him to wait, cause the kitty was still sleepy. It didn't take too long after the sun peeked through for Cameron, Kimball, and Trenton to hurriedly get out of bed and out into the garage. The swarmed Jack like bees to root beer. And Jack, the gentle, calm cat he is, loved every minute. All day Saturday was devoted to Jack (for the kids anyway). I drove them to the pet store to check out toys for Jack, to see if we could get a cat condo for him (that was a NO), to check for ear mite medicine. Then we drove to another animal hospital and made an appointment for Monday to get Jack checked out by the vet. Then the four boys and I made our way back to home and Jack.
Sunday was much the same way (without going to the stores). Jack got food, attention on steriods, blankets (here I was surprised they weren't pulled off MY bed), animals, water, and company. Putting the kids to bed that night, they kept asking if we could keep Jack. I said we would see what his health is like, and get him fattened up and then talk about it.
Monday morning came. School, boot camp class, and then the vet appointment. While Cameron, Kimball and Trent were at school, Sam and I got the carrier down from the top shelf in the garage. I went inside to get some cloths to clean the dust off with, and when I returned, the stinking cat had pooped some really stinking poop--RIGHT in the carrier. I went back inside and came out with 409 to fight THAT battle. Hosed it off, got Jack in, and off we went. Sam loved talking to Jack the whole 10 minutes to the vets. Sam helped me carry Jack in (inside the carrier of course). We were shown to a small room with a poster of every kind of breed of cat you can imagine on it. I think that Perch is more like a Balinese rather than Siamese. Torro wasn't on the chart. Saw a cat with a bobbed tail, one with no tail, and then the vet tech came in. She took a little history--which went like this:
"What are we seeing Jack for?"
"Ear mites, and general health check up. Probably shots too."
"How long have you had Jack?"
"Found him Friday night, looked like he hadn't eaten in several months."
"Ok,let me take a look. [pause-she is handling Jack] Wow. Ok, I'm a little worried about his stomach bulging but I'll get the doctor. Be right back."
Really quick she comes back. Doctor is now handling Jack and she states,
"His teeth are great. No ear mites. Oooh, his stomach. It's ok. [Jack is howling with pain and trying to get away from his stomach being touched] Oh. Uhm. I think there is something wrong with his stomach and I would like to do some x-rays. Is that ok with you?"
I ok'd it and she took 2 x-rays. What she showed me looked nothing like the insides of a cat. I could see his stomach, and then it looked like that round stomach had exploded or had a hole in it--because there was food everywhere. There were no clear views of kidneys, intestines, or ANYTHING...you could see where the end of the intestines were but everything else was splotchy and well, weird. I asked to see a standard x-ray of a "normal" cat--and comparing the two was like covering your eyes and looking in the mirror (can't see much), then opening them and seeing everything. Jack was apparently closing his eyes or abdomen or something. The doctor explained that she wasn't sure what had happened to Jack or how he was still functioning, but it looked like something tramatic had occurred to his stomach and that without surgery, it was not looking good. There was also a barium thing they could do-they put the metal in his stomach (in liquid form) and see where it goes. I opted not to do that. So I was also told that putting him down could possibly be the best for him--if he was indeed in that much pain when his stomach was looked at, talked about or breathed on. Sam and I loaded him back in the carrier, and took him home.
That night, instead of family home evening, we had a family home discussion. I explained to the kids (had already given Shawn the heads up) what had happened at the vet and told them everything. At this point, we had kids crying. The consensus was to say good-bye and thank him for coming into our family for a short time. Quietly, we filed into the garage and pet him, and held him one last time. I told each of the boys that Jack would be eternally grateful for giving him a few days of love, kindness, and food. He was going to heaven to live and would be free of pain and would finally chase some string around. The next day, Sam and I went back with Jack and stayed with him until his final breath.
We miss our Jack-kitty, and we sure wish he could have been a permanent part of our family on earth. It's funny how one small experience can shape a life. I will be forever grateful I had the opportunity to help Jack, for I think he helped our family much much more.
2 comments:
So glad you're back to blogging!! I'm so sorry to hear about Jack. What a learning experience for the boys though. I'm sure Jack is forever grateful!
I am so sorry! He sounded like a wonderful cat that was sent to you for the benefit of both parties. Give the boys big hugs from me (unless that's not cool anymore!) :)
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