I know, I'm a big guy, sixty, veteran, etc. Friday night to Saturday morning was tough on me. My friend and companion, Casper, would have been here fourteen years this Valentine's. My wife, whom I was dating at the time, bought him for me as a gift, not knowing that I am allergic to them and was not that upset when my ex-wife kept our six cats earlier. Casper and I became inseperable, I lessened my allergic reaction to him by bathing him regularly. As my wife and I grew closer - more cats ended up in our home - I discovered antihistamines. For much of our near ten years of marriage we have had six indoor cats, then her older cat succumbed to heart disease 1.5 yr back. Still, no prep for Friday.
Casper had a regular day, aggravating me, helping himself to my tuna at lunch, and racing me down the hall to bed. He was spry for his age. He got up from his spot next to my face and I heard him hacking on the floor - a hairball, I thought. I reached for my flashlight, and my wife followed him into the bathroom to find him limp, with a blown pupil, and barely breathing. He passed away laying on the bed, his head on my shoulder, paw on my chest - like he slept his first night here. The vet said probably a stroke. I buried him and his favorite toys by 8 AM that morning. It was over so quickly.
I've lost friends and relatives to accidents and disease, including long illnesses and even being with both of my parents when they passed. Nothing hit me like this. I was really attached to that silly little cat - he followed me everywhere. He was always here when I was on the computer, sharpened knives, paid bills, you name it. He has left me with a message, perhaps from my sudden appreciation of his time here, perhaps a wakeup call to my mortality. Pets, like friends, are a Blessing from God. Call that friend you haven't seen or talked with in a while. Grab that pet and hug it. We don't get 'do-overs'.
Casper, 5/94 - 12/13/08:
He loved Christmas. Last Christmas - he found a bag of bows while we were wrapping presents under the tree:
Thanks for looking at my friend.
A very sad John.
PS I did use my Buck 192 Vanguard to cut some of the roots out of the way when I buried him... a Buck knife tie-in after all.
Casper had a regular day, aggravating me, helping himself to my tuna at lunch, and racing me down the hall to bed. He was spry for his age. He got up from his spot next to my face and I heard him hacking on the floor - a hairball, I thought. I reached for my flashlight, and my wife followed him into the bathroom to find him limp, with a blown pupil, and barely breathing. He passed away laying on the bed, his head on my shoulder, paw on my chest - like he slept his first night here. The vet said probably a stroke. I buried him and his favorite toys by 8 AM that morning. It was over so quickly.
I've lost friends and relatives to accidents and disease, including long illnesses and even being with both of my parents when they passed. Nothing hit me like this. I was really attached to that silly little cat - he followed me everywhere. He was always here when I was on the computer, sharpened knives, paid bills, you name it. He has left me with a message, perhaps from my sudden appreciation of his time here, perhaps a wakeup call to my mortality. Pets, like friends, are a Blessing from God. Call that friend you haven't seen or talked with in a while. Grab that pet and hug it. We don't get 'do-overs'.
Casper, 5/94 - 12/13/08:
He loved Christmas. Last Christmas - he found a bag of bows while we were wrapping presents under the tree:
Thanks for looking at my friend.
A very sad John.
PS I did use my Buck 192 Vanguard to cut some of the roots out of the way when I buried him... a Buck knife tie-in after all.
