Monday, October 19, 2009

RIP, my sweetheart

Kitty, my well-traveled and sweet cat, died this morning.  I woke up and she wasn't at the foot of the bed, but sometimes she's sleeping on a pillow on the living room floor.  She wasn't there either.  I saw her sitting on the floor in the living room and thought all was okay.  It wasn't.  She walked to my bedroom door and fell on her side.  I guess she'd gone to the living room to eat, sleep or visit one of her litter boxes: one close to the bedroom door and the other closer in the corner of the living room. She had two because 19 years for a cat is equal to 92 human years, I was making her senior years easy.

I scooped her up right away and then I started freaking out.  However, Kitty could tell when I was upset.  I pulled it together, put her on her pillow and started looking up emergency vet centers. (Remember, I just moved here in August.)  I chose the Animal Medical Center on 62nd St and York Ave.

She got a bit spirited this morning. She realized she was unable to get from point A to point B and that made her really upset. When she started getting really upset, I put her in her travel bag. She's used to it. It is soft, and she knows I'm not far away when she's in it. It's a long story but I realized when I moved to Korea in 2000 that, for her, home was where I was (by 2000 we'd be together for 10 years). I'd left her in San Francisco because I thought she'd be more comfortable there. Then got reports she was terrorizing the girl subleasing my room (ooops).  I made arrangements to get her immediately and never left her anywhere after that.

Somewhere between leaving my apartment and getting to the vet this morning she died. I checked on her a few times en route and it didn't look like she was breathing. I was just hoping that maybe her breathing was shallow and a magic shot would make her okay again. 

19 years is a long and full life for a cat.

People are telling me she was lucky to have me. However, I was incredibly lucky to have her too.

She was with me through a lot. She was there when:
  • I lost my parents 5-weeks apart from each other (she was a mere tot - around 4 years old then)
  • I moved to San Francisco for law school (just a few months later)
  • I moved to Korea and living there for 8 years with me (I moved in August 2000; I came back to get her in December 2000.)
She was:
  • a trooper of a traveler when we moved back (March 2009)
  • a trooper of a traveler from San Francisco to Philadelphia (May 2009) - sat on my lap in the airport and let me pet and feed her (what cat does that?)
  • a trooper of a traveler from Philadelphia to Manhattan (August 2009)
Between the two of us, I was the lucky one.

Hanging out with me after I fell face first on Memorial Day weekend due to low blood sugar (common for diabetics - the low blood sugar, not the head impact) and went to the ER for stitches.

RIP my sweetheart.  Thanks for putting up with me.

She ALWAYS walked on or sat on my laptop (I think I paid it way too much attention for her liking.)

More Kitty laptop hate ;-)


To my feline baby:
Barbra Streisand - Evergreen Love Theme Froma S Mp3

(of course, the code isn't fixed and there is no way I'm doing it today - the "read more" link doesn't work.)

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22 comments:

  1. Oh, baby, I am so sorry. I know how much you loved her and what a rock she was for you. Take care of you, however you need to. (I think I ate a whole bag of Ruffles the day after I had to put little Spike down.)

    -Lu

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  2. Thanks.

    It's been a hard day.

    With the Internet, friends have stepped-up to express their condolences.

    I've been bad: two cigarettes (yucky, but confirms, again, why I quit).

    I've been good: a bag of sugar-free candy from Dylan's Candy Bar is sitting here next to my laptop(the vet hospital is near Dylan's on the UES).

    I'm about to have a carb fest! (Monica brought up the topic of grits and I think a warm bowl will help right now.) A kind stranger bought me a brownie at Starbucks this morning, and I'm saving it for later.

    I even donated Kitty's body to the vet hospital. That way vets in training can practice procedures on her. The pet cemetery I arranged her cremation with will pick her up when they're done with her, cremate her and return the ashes to me. I've not decided if I can take being there when they do it. That's an option. For now, I'm thinking I'll pass.

    Remember Mr. Bunny? My little black miniature bunny with an attitude? He was cremated too. Speaking of him, I've got the touch with pets and they live forever. He lived for a long time too. It's both a blessing and a curse.

    BTW, I know your b-day is coming up soon. Have a happy one.

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  3. Sorry to hear that Regina.

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  4. That explains the return of your old avatar on the other site. And a cryptic line you wrote. My condolences. Our pets are our most loyal companions so I know that you miss him greatly. Big hug.

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  5. I wrote a cryptic comment? It's possible. Right now I've had some liquid comfort and I'm on my way home. I'm assuming I was cryptic on NP as it's one of two forums I bother with ;)

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  6. I'm sorry for your loss-20 years-that's an amazing life span for a pet, and you've gone through a lot with your pet it appears. My deepest condolences.

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  7. Wondering,

    Thanks for your comment.

    She did live a long time! :)

    I, of course, was hoping for a little more :(

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  8. Coming out of lurkdom to send my condolences. Our relationships with our pets are so special. I'm glad you were able to be there with her.

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  9. Thanks Esther. I'm glad I was there too.

    I have a thing about that. I was there when my mom died. I was there when my little miniature bunny died. I was with Kitty rushing through the NYC transit system when she died. I know she felt safe. I know she knew I was there. I hope she just closed her eyes and drifted away.

    I wasn't there when my father died. I was in the guest house and he was in the main house. I found him. I have no idea how long he'd been dead. It was only a few hours as I'd seen him that morning, but I wish I would have been there.

    Thanks for coming out of lurkdom and thanks for your condolences.

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  10. I am just stopping in, for the first time, but I am so sorry to read about your kitty. I pray you are able to continue in happiness after your loss. My sincere condolences.

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  11. So sorry to hear about your cat. I'm sure she was more than family to you.

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  12. She was definitely more than family. I think most of my family simply doesn't get the deep connection I had with my cat. However, their loss because loving a pet is truly a life changing experience.

    Thanks for you condolences.

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  13. Hey there! Thanks a lot.

    Almost two weeks out, I think I've gone through all the stages of grief and now I just miss her.

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  14. Thanks a lot.

    She was a lovely cat and a huge part of my life.

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  15. Hey regina I am so sorry about the loss of your cat but know she is with you in spirit and you are right 92 years is a long time. I know my mom has her dog Sydney and at first she didn't like dogs but now that Sydney is in her life she can't let go. She said if anything were to happen to Sydney she will be devastated.

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  16. Thanks for your condolences. It's been two weeks and a day. It is getting easier, but I still miss her a lot.

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  17. She was beautiful, faithful, happy, and most of all, your friend.

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  18. Thanks Kanani, you're right. She was all of those things. I miss her :(

    How are you?

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Hey there! Thanks for visiting my blog. It's my first blog, and I'm glad folks are still stopping by even though I'm no longer living in South Korea. Feel free to comment. If you want a personal answer, leave your email, and I won't publish the comment. Nasty comments and spam links will not be tolerated.