Number of images: 126
Created on: Friday 17 August 2007
She was a truely incredible creature. Yes, I know, she looked like a million other alley cats, but her personality was something you had to experience to understand just what an incredible creature she was and to understand just how deeply she touched my heart and very soul.
I still can not put together the last pictures I took of her alive nor the pictures of her funeral, perhaps someday when the distance of time dulls the hurt.
She lives in my heart and I will forever miss her.
My heart hurts.
Sometime around 9 am today, Thursday May 17, 2007 Our beloved friend and companion passed away from cancer of the spine / kidneys. She has been a valued and loved member of the family since 2000.
She was a most unusual creature from the time we met. When living in the U district our car was parked in an unsecured parking area that was regularly vandalized and vehicles stolen so I made regular “patrols” to keep an eye on the car.
This was sometime around 2000 in late winter. A small grayish cat would greet me from up in the basement / parking area pipes and hop down and follow me around while I made my patrol. This went on for some time and I eventually started bringing a small dish of food and water for her. She seemed to appreciate it and that I would stand guard so she could eat and drink without fear of the feral cats and other animals as well as just malicious people in the area.
It was cold so one day I sat down on a curb in one of the parking spaces and she hopped up in my lap and laid down and snuggled into my stomach. Every day, several times a day she would greet me from up in the pipes and go with me on my rounds.
She captured my heart, but I was unwilling to admit it. I was the worlds greatest cat hater and other than just being nice I couldn't go further. Sometime later I decided to bring her in and take a chance on incorporating her into the family of our other 3 cats. She panicked and ran so I figured that she didn't want to come in and I let her go.
Next time I went for my rounds she wasn't there. One of the maintenance people told me that someone had taken her in, I was glad but I did miss her.
Several days later she was back and her tail had been bobbed and the relationship resumed. Several days later I decided that she was coming home with me unless she just really seriously rejected the “offer”. I scooped her up in my arms and brought her back to our postage stamp apartment. She was terrified of the other cats and upon waking the next morning she was camped out on the top of the bedroom door.
The next night I brought her to bed with us and she stayed most of the night nestled in my arm. Over time she got comfortable with the other cats and they got comfortable with her. She slept with us for at least part of the night for the rest of her life.
Over the years she became family. She was a highly intelligent creature with grace and decorum exceeding any creature I have ever known. Sweet, companionable, friendly and loving. All the things I “knew” cats couldn't be.
She won my heart, my respect and my love. She is gone now and I go on without her, painfully and there are no words to be able to convey how much I will miss her.
About three weeks before she passed away she started limping on her left back paw. I took her to the vet who was unable to find anything. Suspected sprain and it would take waiting and seeing.
A week later both her back legs quit working and her balance was shakey. It never slowed her down. She would still try to climb into bed with up at night and I was glad to assist. She was all over the apartment and seemingly fine other than that. I took her to another vet since the first one was on a two week vacation – they couldn't find anything and recommended a wait and see also.
Another week with no improvement and she seemed to be still active and alert but sleeping more. When the vet got back from vacation I took her for another visit. The vets first 5 guesses were cancer of the spine / kidneys and he gave her a month at most. Needless to mention I was devastated, the first cat to be a real companion, friend (yes, friend) and just overall joy to be with. His suggestion was not to put her to sleep immediately since she seemed to be generally happy and active even with the back legs and balance problems. He told me I would know when to bring her back to end her suffering and told me what to look out for.
On the way home from the vets I was crying my eyes out (Seattle traffic is so congested what driving was not an issue as, according to my GPS, we have an average moving speed of about 15 MPH on a good day) and she dragged herself over to the container door (sitting sideways with the gate toward me on the passenger seat) and reached out and tapped me on the arm and looked up at me in a very concerned manner. Her comforting me. I have the rather distinct impression that when her back legs went that she knew her time was limited. There was a lot of communications through her eyes, always was.
So we decided to enjoy these last days together as a gift. I helped her where I could, cleaned her up when she was incontinent and dried her off. Helped her onto the window ledge she loved so to look out from and into bed with us when she would ask (yes, she did) when we went to bed. As always she would stay for a while and then want down, which I would do for her (she'd dive off the bed anyway if I didn't). It wasn't the happiest of times, but the time we had left was greatfully accepted and enjoyed as much as possible. Toward the end I would bring her her favorited foods (salmon and tuna) and water and she always said thanks. She wanted to spend as much time in my lap as she could and if not she wanted to be on the bed behind my chair.
About a day ago now, she became more listless and was eating less. She still wanted to be close and asked to be taken to bed with us and would stay a bit longer than she usually did. She worked at getting as close to me as she could.
Last night when we went to bed she asked to join us as usual. She snuggled up and got tummy skitched and purred some. About 0430 this morning she was trying to get down so I sat up to wake up enough to function and she dragged herself over toward the edge of the bed, I petted on her for a bit and she layed there apparently enjoying it. She lifted a paw and put it on my arm and tapped a few times and looked at me, she let me know the time was close. I put her down on her little bed on the floor and petted on her until I finally fell asleep, more from exhaustion than desire. I awoke about 9am and immediately went to check on her. Found her under my side of the bed and stiff but not cold, she had passed very recently, long enough that rigor had set in.
I find some solace in that she seemed to have passed peacefully in her sleep.
I retrieved the body and wrapped her in a towel and took her into the shop. I was able to close her eyes for the most part.
As soon as she could be manipulated I wrapped her in a towel along with a special necklace around her neck, her favorite toy and her favorite cord she so loved to chase. I trimmed off a little of her fur and put it into a plastic bag. Kissed her one last time and told her we would meet again at the rainbow bridge.
Brought Jean in to see her one last time and together we let those warriors in Sto-Vo-Kor she was coming and gave her a Klingon death howl worthy of any warrior, but those on the other side will know her as the supreme hunter she is and one of theirs. Her work here is done and was always done in an excellent manner.
Taped that around her and slid her into a cotton pillowcase.
Found a peaceful place in the sunshine neat a big tree and dug her grave. Placed her into it with her head to the east and feet to the north and filled it in. I planted 3 colors of flowers, white for the purity of her soul, golden for all the sunshine she brought into our lives on a daily basis and blue just because I like blue and it is my final gift to her.
She was never “just a pet”, she was far more than that from the start and she grew. People say animals are stupid and only instinctive. These people never met Daint. She had a soul and she was able to communicate, if one would only listen. Telepathy or something similar – I don't know, but she did indeed communicate.
She was wise and caring and a friend, I shall miss her deeply.
For what comfort I find in it, a wise woman told me “Don't be sad because she is gone but honor her memory and all the joy she brought us, we were so very very blessed.”
The good times were wonderful and her grace, aplomb and shining spirit were constant inspirations, I don't think she ever knew she was a cat.
Goodbye Daint my friend and my loving companion. I will miss you and look forward to meeting you again at the rainbow bridge:
Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow
Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play
together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...
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