Categories: cat-comments
Date: 11 September 2009 07:06:25
Yes, it's more Cat Talk. Good news? I'm really not sure. We are now even more confused as to what to do.
After the news yesterday, we had a look at Pumpkin, and saw a cat that had given up. She was sitting, breathing heavily, wheezing and taking no interest in anything: food, drink, us. Mr D slept in the spare room overnight and she had stayed as far away from him as she could. So we decided that the best, kindest thing to do was to have her put down; if we were keeping her alive it was for us. She had no quality of life.
At about 9.00 last night I went to stroke her, to say a private Goodbye before today's euthanasia. She really wanted to be stroked, she didn't move away as she had done on previous occasions, and in fact she seemed to positively enjoy the caresses. I was there for about half an hour, and then Mr D joined us. He brought up some pussy milk and some cat food, and for the first time in days Pumpkin showed an interest. She had a few mouthfuls of food, a lap or two of the milk and quite some water. Then she purred! A real, true purr!!
"What really would make us think twice," said Mr D with a wry smile, "is if, when you slept here tonight, she jumped on the bed to sleep with you". I think you can all guess what happened next...
I went to bed in the spare room, and picked Pumpkin up and put her on the bed. I stroked her for a while, and she purred. Then she decided to get down. I read for a little, and then switched off the light; in a few minutes there was a light thud as Pumpkin arrived - as she used to do! - settled at my feet and purred. I went to sleep, as I have so many times before, with My Cat's head on my feet.
This morning she ate a little more, drank some water and then purred as loudly as ever - we could hear her through the door. She is sitting up more, she is able to lie down more easily, and today, for the first time in about a week, she started grooming herself. She is showing interest in her surroundings, and in fact wants to get out, I think. She has even looked interested when Pomme, desperate to get at those Tasty Morsels ("Look, there's 4 dishes in there. I can smell them. Why don't I get 4 dishes of lovely food? It's not fair!"), stretches her paw under the ill-fitting door.
So now. Having wept down the phone at my mother, m-in-l, and friends, saying "She's going to be put to sleep tomorrow" we find ourselves with a cat who is honestly too perky to consider killing. Suddenly she is coming back to life. I know that with Cat Leukaemia she will not be cured; I know that she will die sooner rather than later; I know that that death may not be pleasant; I know that we will have to keep her separated from Pomme for the rest of her life. But I also know that we cannot have her put down today. She has earned herself a reprieve. Perhaps the drugs are finally starting to work. Perhaps there's a cruel trick of fate and this is simply a rallying that will not last, but Pumpkin Lives To Fight Another Day.
I did ask God for a sign as to whether we were doing the right thing, considering putting her to sleep. This wasn't what I expected, but hey, there's no telling what He will do!