Sunday 15 November 2009

She's gone.

Our poor cat wasn't looking too good this morning. She still wasn't eating, she didn't seem to be able to get comfortable and her breathing was a bit odd. To cut a long story short, we decided I should take her to the emergency veterinary hospital, where the vet was able to confirm the presence of a large growth. Probably a pancreatic tumour.

The fact that the decision had pretty much been made for us did not make it any easier. I stayed with her throughout and whilst I am glad that I did, I sort of wish I hadn't as I don't think it is a memory that will disappear quickly.

First Born has taken the news remarkably well. Second Born is pretty upset. Husband and I are finding it a bit odd that we are now living in a cat-free household for the first time in about 21 years. The kitchen looks a bit bare without a cat bed and bowls of food. (And of course, all that hair blowing about. The vet asked me if I wanted some clippings of her hair to remember her by. I told her there were pounds of it blowing around in my kitchen.) There was no cat standing by today, waiting for me to finish dismembering the cooked chicken and hand over the little plateful of prize slimy bits that the humans in the family don't seem to appreciate.

We acquired Schieffer as a kitten in 1992, just after we returned from our honeymoon. She was feral - a rescue cat, born in a cardboard box factory in Broxburn. At the time we already had a grown cat, called Catface. Catface was slightly bemused by the new addition: it was small, grey, very scratchy and spitty and had a habit of running up the curtains and hanging there, swaying and plotting her next move. You can kind of see Catface's point. That said, Catface decided to treat her like any other stroppy youngster. She was taught how to behave and given a very thorough and not always gentle face washing several times a day.

Catface died years ago and Schieffer carried on, politely declining to be interested in the boys when they arrived, other than as a source of interesting goodies dropped on the floor. Later, she enjoyed their company more and Second Born in particular was very fond of her. He was often to be found stretched out on the kitchen floor, communing with his furry buddy.

Seventeen and a half is a good age for a cat to reach and I think she had a good life. We miss her already.

17 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry. Sending my sympathies and big hugs!

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  2. So, so sorry for you all. She reached such a good age. It's so sad losing a pet. xxxxx

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  3. Gosh, it ALWAYS heartbreaking to lose a pet. Schieffer was a member of your family. My thoughts go out to you xo

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  4. Oh dear, poor you all. Our furries are just going to have to be immortal, I've decided.

    And yes, I was just thinking we should patronise the Nat. Trust coffee shop before it was no more... Now we've stopped spending every free moment doing up Daughter 2's flat, I could start having a life again.

    So we've both got empty nests; yours of cat, ours of children. Sigh.

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  5. Oh, L, I'm so sorry. Your house will be poorer tonight, I think.

    Hugs to you all.

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  6. Oh, I am sorry to hear this, Loth. It's heartbreaking to say goodbye, isn't it? Two years ago last Feb we said goodbye to our beloved Elvis, and it was very hard. I am glad you stayed with her through the end, I'm sure it made things easier on her, if not on you.

    Hugs.

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  7. We lost a dog when our kids were about the age of yours and they were disconsolate. And so was I.
    Loads of sympathy flapping east across the pond this moment.

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  8. Ohhhh so sad... it's always utterly heartbreaking to lose a pet. I've mourned harder for pets that some humans! Hope you're all hanging in there.

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  9. Oh, I am sorry to hear this. It does sound as though she had a good life, though.

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  10. Oh no, so sorry to hear this. Pets are only little, but they leave a really big hole when they go.

    [hugs]

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  11. I'm so sorry! Our cat is 17 and I know I should be preparing myself but I just can't.

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  12. Oh Loth

    I know exactly how it feels. I had Sugar (half of Sugar and Spice) for 13 years and I still miss him terribly. I was 24 when he died and it hit me harder as an adult.

    Thinking of you all.

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  13. Oh geeze. How heartbreaking. I'm sure with you crazy lot he had a wonderful, long life. I can imagine there's going to be a big hole in all your lives for a while. RIP Schieffer

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  14. How terribly sad... sending sympathy and hugs x

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  15. I'm so sorry for the loss of your kitty. She had a good, long life, but that doesn't make it any easier for you & your family.

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  16. So very sorry for your loss. :'o(

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