Friday, May 21, 2010

Kitty Babies

I got my first baby girl in 1993 when I rescued her from the ceiling of the hardware store I was working in.  I got my baby boy 5 years later.  When Maggie passed, Zaphod was there to keep me company.  I never realized that after I lost him unexpectedly a couple years later <sniff sniff> I'd feel so empty.

Mr Blondie and I were living in my mom's basement.  My step-father had recently passed away, and we moved in to help her with bills and help us save money.  I knew Zaphod was a chunky cat, but I never thought much of it.  Since he was always indoors, I didn't take him to the vet as often as I should.  When I finally had the funds to take him, I made the appointment.  Two days before the appointment he stopped eating and drinking, his eyes started to sink in, and I got this sinking feeling in my gut.  At the vet appointment, the xray showed that he had a tumor that was so big in his tummy area, that if you looked straight down from his spine, his organs were on one side, and a tumor the size of a softball was on the other.  The next few days were just horrible.  I beat myself up, at the same time tried to get as much life and enjoyment from him as I could.  Then I put him down.


I never realized how empty a house could feel when you've had at least one cat in your life for 15 years.  I'm in a house with my mother, my husband, and my mother's three dogs and it still felt empty.  About two months later, Mr Blondie talked me into going to the pet store when the local foster group was having an adoption event.

That's where we found the twins.  They were about 11 weeks old, playful orange babies.  Tristan and Fiona are their names, and they were so cute!  Guess what day they were born?  On my birthday!  As I'm in tears over Zaphod, Mr Blondie pushed me to open the carrier.  Fiona crawled into my arms and into my heart.  Tristan followed right behind.  I couldn't put them down.  With their birthday the same as mine, I knew it was meant to be.

A month or so later it finally hit me how depressed I had been.  People say they're just animals.  In my world, they're my kids.  It's been almost a year and a half since we adopted them.  Having them around has been a joy.  While there is still a painful happiness that I experience when I think of Maggie and Zaphod, I know they're on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge playing and being happy.  And I'm happy too, with the addition of Tristan & Fiona. 

Please please please....  Spay and neuter your pets.  I'd be the crazy cat lady if Mr Blondie would let me.  At the same time I don't want to have to be the crazy cat lady.  Thanks.

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