After his dinner he was walking across the floor, froze in midstep, growled quietly and collapsed. His breathing was slow, shallow and labored. I carried him upstairs and made him comfortable on my sewing table, his hang out of late. I feared the worst as his breathing slowed and even stopped once or twice.
Colin and I sat with him for several hours. I made it clear that there would be no rushing off to any emergency clinic - he did not seem to be in pain or distress and, if these were his last moments they would be in quiet comfortable surroundings with people he knew. Sweetie even jumped up on the table to investigate.
As darkness fell, I moved him to my bed where he has been sleeping at my feet all week. In fact, he has been uncharacteristically under feet and hands for a week or more, insistently demanding attention and biting once it's given. Something has been coming.
While I watched he fell into a deep sleep. Jim and I discussed where we would be digging a grave for him. I fully expected that when I woke up, he would be gone. Colin and Jake both got home sometime after midnight and came in to see how he was, waking me.
As I awoke, Voodoo got up, gave a big Halloween cat stretch and looked around as if to say "What the Hell are y'all looking at?" He was a little unsteady at first but took himself downstairs, and wanted out. I went with him, worried that he would take himself off to commune with Nature in his last hours, as cats will. Instead, he did his business in the weeds, marched up the driveway to consult with Karma and Juicy who were doing guard duty, and then set off purposefully around the back of the house for the rest of his patrol. I let him go.
A few hours later (it's 2-ish now) Voodoo came back in and announced himself to Jim who was up doing paperwork and led him back upstairs and where he hopped back up by my feet to spend an uneventful night. When the time actually does come, and it will for all, I hope it goes this smoothly.
7 comments:
OH ye gawdz when i saw that last photo---he is magic, and i hope the magic stays around a little longer for you--and when it's time to go there'll still be voodoo magic, ay?
Well, as they say, a cat has seven lives - maybe he's still countig some :)
Oh, I know of which you speak. We have been dealing with the same situation here. There are days when I think Mr. Nelson will not see the next dawn and then I see him chasing a grasshopper in the weeds. Magic is magical, as the last photo illustrates.
interesting how we know our pets habits, without even thinking about it, until they do something different. i hope his journey is uneventful, when he does travel on.
I'm going through something similar. Chess had an encounter with raccoons again and I didn't know until the abcess grew. It burst on the way to the vet. Now he's clingy, doesn't want to leave the house to my surprise whereas last week or two I also thought he was communing with nature on his last night. He's 20 now, no telling what's next. I'm letting him stay in his new place--the bathmat in John's shower. Quiet and dark in there so I think we're approaching a new journey. Happy to hear Voodoo has made to this day! BTW I liked both possibilities for the competition. Either one is a winner!
Oh my, I am glad that he is still with you but yes, if the time comes, let it be that peaceful for us all - surrounded by love.
Deb, The last photo is a hoot - took me totally by surprise. I love it. Your frame of mind with respect to aging pets is so wonderful, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I hope I will remain as calm and confident as you as you are. We have several aging pets - a dog 16.5 years old, cat 15+, goat 10, and our dog Jack went to the rainbow bridge in January. Sometimes it feels like I'm running a geriatric home for pets! When the time comes, I hope that I can help them transition with love and grace.
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