A Special Kind of Love

Tortoise Shell Cat Painting by BZTAT
“Slick” Painting by BZTAT

People who share their lives with pets are blessed with knowing a special kind of love. The love that we share with our pets is both deep and tender, and in some ways, it is unmatched by the kind of love we share with those of our own species.

The hardest part of the human animal relationship is that we usually outlive our pets.

The winding down time of a pet’s life is not something we look forward to – that time when you know she is ill, and there is not much time left, and you want to make the best of the time you have left. As hard as it is, though, we would not give up that last bit of time for anything in the world.

My cat Slick, whose illness I wrote about in April (The Greatest Cat in the World), is now in that winding down time. A trip to the vet yesterday and the blood work results today confirmed that her kidneys are shutting down. She is losing weight and stamina, although she is still eating and drinking. She’s hanging in there, but we know it is not forever now.

It could be days, or weeks or even months. She could bounce back a bit. But it is time to face reality.

Slick won’t be with me for too much longer.

I am very grateful to her and our Creator for giving us the eighteen years that we have had together, and I will cherish each and every remaining day.

Slick, you are my very special girl, and I will always hold you dear in my heart.

 

14 comments

  1. Heidi P says:

    I’m so sorry to hear about Slick. Even though I’ve never met any of the cats at Casa BZ Tat, I feel like i know them through pictures and stories. Logically, I know 18 years is a long time for a cat, but I don’t think it’s ever really enough. 🙁

  2. Wanda Kruse says:

    The world mourns pets, but most of all torties their unique personality creeps into every fiber, and we are so much the better. I will help you mourn your loss. May your higher power also be part of your strength.

  3. Christy Brown says:

    Oh, I know this bittersweet time very well. We lost four beloved furbabies in a two year span. My heart aches for you. HUGS

  4. Laurie says:

    I’m so sorry to hear this.

    I expect to be facing something similar eventually. My Kitten Girl was diagnosed with kidney disease 20 months ago; on lots of medicine and daily sub-Q fluids she’s doing OK but it can’t last forever.

    Enjoy your beloved cat every day. Maybe a little extra for the rest of us.

  5. Bernadette says:

    BzTat, I’ll be thinking of you. These last days are unimaginably sweet. I had always thought I had a deep relationship with each of my cats, but the depth we developed as we walked the last distance together was beyond imagination, and I think it can only happen at that time in a living being’s existence, because they are winding down. We are purring for you.

  6. We just saw that Slick went to the RB…I’m so very, very sorry. I think Bernadette’s words are insightful and true – yet nothing lessens the pain of passing and the loss we feel as those left behind.

    Hugs to you…

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