firecat: the face of my cat Biscuit (biscuit)
[personal profile] firecat

I posted last week that my cat Biscuit had lost her appetite, probably because the intestinal cancer they found in February came back. I tried appetite stimulants and different kinds of smelly and tasty food, but no matter what she wouldn't eat more than a couple of tablespoons a day and she was losing weight fast.

She still followed us around, and sometimes talked to us and enjoyed attention, but she was acting uncomfortable more and more of the time (not purring or reacting when petted, not sleeping as much, but meatloafing and staring into space instead, sniffing at food as if she was hungry and then turning away).

So I asked the vet to come this afternoon and help her pass.

If you like to think about the meadow beyond the Rainbow Bridge, then imagine that Biscuit is happy to be able to cuddle with her buddy Angus again (he preceded her there in April), and there are perfect places for her to scratch her chin on, and lots of juicy noses to bite.

Hug your human and animal loved ones for me. Heck, hug your plants too.

"Kindness" -- Naomi Shihab Nye
Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.
  Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
  you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
  lies dead by the side of the road.
  You must see how this could be you,
  how he too was someone
  who journeyed through the night with plans
  and the simple breath that kept him alive.
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
  Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
  only kindness that ties your shoes
  and sends you out into the day to mail letters and
       purchase bread,
  only kindness that raises its head
  from the crowd of the world to say
  it is I you have been looking for,
  and then goes with you every where
  like a shadow or a friend.
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Date: 26 Jul 2012 03:55 am (UTC)
onyxlynx: Some trees and a fountain at a cemetery (A Fine and Private Place)
From: [personal profile] onyxlynx
My condolences to you and OH.

The poem resonates.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 05:01 am (UTC)
st_aurafina: Katara hugging her grandmother (Avatar: Katara hugs)
From: [personal profile] st_aurafina
Oh, so sad. And so many hugs to you both. And to Biscuit - hoping she's all snugged up with Angus now.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 05:03 am (UTC)
jae: (Default)
From: [personal profile] jae
So sorry to hear it, Stef. :(

-J

Date: 26 Jul 2012 05:50 am (UTC)
jazzfish: Jazz Fish: beret, sunglasses, saxophone (Default)
From: [personal profile] jazzfish
I'm very sorry for your loss. :(

Date: 26 Jul 2012 05:51 am (UTC)
nitoda: sparkly running deer, one of which has exploded into stars (Default)
From: [personal profile] nitoda
So sorry for your loss. Hugging loved ones always a priority - may you always have loved ones to hug you too.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 06:17 am (UTC)
sasha_feather: Retro-style poster of skier on pluto.   (Default)
From: [personal profile] sasha_feather
<3

Date: 26 Jul 2012 06:22 am (UTC)
jinian: (capybara)
From: [personal profile] jinian
*hugs*

Date: 26 Jul 2012 06:27 am (UTC)
submarine_bells: jellyfish from "Aquaria" game (Default)
From: [personal profile] submarine_bells
I'm so sorry. *bighugs*
(reply from suspended user)

Date: 26 Jul 2012 07:34 am (UTC)
oursin: Beatrix Potter's Mrs Tiggywinkle, wearing an apron, clasping her paws, and looking upwards (Mrs Tiggywinkle)
From: [personal profile] oursin
I'm sorry for your loss. Condolences.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 08:38 am (UTC)
fadedwings: illustration of a dark-haired little girl hugging a tree (poppy flower mug/out of tea)
From: [personal profile] fadedwings
I'm really sorry about Biscuit :(

Date: 26 Jul 2012 09:42 am (UTC)
wordweaverlynn: (Default)
From: [personal profile] wordweaverlynn
I am so sorry.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 11:23 am (UTC)
From: [personal profile] amethystfirefly
We're so sorry for your loss. -hugs-

Date: 26 Jul 2012 11:57 am (UTC)
ironed_orchid: watercolour and pen style sketch of a brown tabby cat curl up with her head looking up at the viewer and her front paw stretched out on the left (Default)
From: [personal profile] ironed_orchid
I'm so sorry.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 12:24 pm (UTC)
feuervogel: photo of the statue of Victory and her chariot on the Brandenburg Gate (Default)
From: [personal profile] feuervogel
Condolences. I lost my Isis to a brain tumor barely a month ago.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 12:30 pm (UTC)
apis_mellifera: (peaby cat)
From: [personal profile] apis_mellifera
I'm so sorry.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 12:38 pm (UTC)
zillah975: (flowers)
From: [personal profile] zillah975
Oh, no. I'm so, so sorry.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 01:05 pm (UTC)
datagoddess: (toni heart)
From: [personal profile] datagoddess
I'm so sorry.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 01:20 pm (UTC)
merielle: purple passiflora on a barbed wire fence (Default)
From: [personal profile] merielle
Oh, Stef, I'm so sorry for your loss. *hug* if it's welcome.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 02:38 pm (UTC)
metaphortunate: (Default)
From: [personal profile] metaphortunate
I'm so sorry.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 03:37 pm (UTC)
striped: (cathug)
From: [personal profile] striped
I'm sorry for your loss. *goes to hug cats*

Date: 26 Jul 2012 04:08 pm (UTC)
sauscony: (Default)
From: [personal profile] sauscony
I'm so sorry. I'm going to go hug my cats now, even though they won't like it.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 04:44 pm (UTC)
meloukhia: A neon sign reads 'the people you love become ghosts inside of you and like this you keep them alive' (Ghosts)
From: [personal profile] meloukhia
I'm so sorry. :( I know how much you loved Biscuit and losing a close friend and member of the household is always so devastating. Much love, and I will go forth and hug all the things. (I have a lot of plants, this may take a while.)

Date: 26 Jul 2012 05:14 pm (UTC)
cereta: Sunset (autumn sunset)
From: [personal profile] cereta
I'm so sorry for your loss.

Date: 26 Jul 2012 07:00 pm (UTC)
megwrites: Reading girl by Renoir.  (Default)
From: [personal profile] megwrites
My condolances, sympathies, and warmest thoughts in this difficult time. If there's anything I can do, let me know. I am so sorry.
Page 1 of 3 << [1] [2] [3] >>

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