Our Sylvester decided in his older years to allow us to hold him.... :-)
I knew this day would come. The decision has had to be made. Our cat, Sylvester, Vester for short, We will be letting our friend go Friday evening.. He has lived a wonderful and happy 16 yrs. He has developed a severe Kidney issue and has come to a place where he mostly sleeps and is in pain. He is no longer eating. He is ready to leave us. I love him to much to allow him to suffer when there is nothing we can do except prolong the inevitable.
I would like to share some about his life. Vester came to us in the summer of 1996. Aug. 7th.. A friend of mine Donna was watching one of the kids from Church. Mike came running into the apartment caring a tiny little kitten. It was the only live one he found in a wooded area just behind the complex. Mama cat had been hit by a car while moving her babies. The other kittens were dead. But this one was still moving. Donna Brought that kitten to Church that night. It was Vacation Bible School week. She called me and said she was bringing the kitten. Could I take it home. I was sure I couldn't. Husband was allergic. No one could take it. So I wrapped it up in the dish towels Donna brought him in and took him home.
That poor little thing was so cold. I got out the heating pad and turned it on low. found a little box and laid him wrapped in the dish towels on the heating pad. I sent hubby, who reminded me we couldn't have a cat, to the store to buy bottles and kitten formula. He told me years later that he just knew the kitten would die and I'd be a crying mess. He didn't die. So day 2 we named him Sylvester. By day 3 he was mewing a bit. we fed him just as the Vet directed. They had determined the kitten was just hours old when he was found. We were instructed on how to care for him. I made sure I let everyone know we would have a kitten to give away as soon as he was old enough. Since Ken had just retired and he was still on his 3rd shift schedule, he took care of Ves at night. He fed him and held him in his hands on his chest in the recliner all night. Ves still jumps up on Ken's chest and lays down to get his loving. They developed a special bond during those first long nights.
Sylvester in his typical "cat attitude" photo
Time went by and Vester was growing, litter trained and eating dry cat food. We were ready to find him a forever home. When I asked Ken if we should just take him to the humane society, his answer was no. He had is forever family. Ken's allergies were not to bad with him unless Ves got right in his face and rubbed his nose.. LOL He would touch noses with Ken in his only real gesture of affection.
Talk about Cat Attitude. Oh my.. Our Vester kitty has attitude. We never could pick him up, or hold him. He doesn't like people. He really didn't like us that much until he got much older. We are here to serve him. These last few weeks he sits in our laps a bit longer, but still only after the dogs are crated. He doesn't like the dogs. They don't like him. When Ves first came to us there were 3 dogs in the house. Annie our mama dog decided he was a baby something and protected him from the others. Ves just never cared for any of our dogs, and there were a few, except for Annie. He would play with her.
Time went on and Vester got a kitty brother, Stubby. Stubby came to us as a stray that was starving. Ves ran him off a few times, but Stubby came right back. Since Vester had never interacted with other cats he had no cat sense or cat manners. Stubby was all about playing. He would sneak up on Ves from behind doors, from under chairs. etc. After Stubby passed Vester still walked wearily around the house for weeks waiting for Stubby to spring out at him from behind a door, or from behind a corner.
1996- We hung bird feeders. Vester decided it was an all you can eat buffet put out just for him.
Vester was a well traveled cat. We took him to tractor shows while he was still nursing from the bottle. I had a basket I would take him in along with his bottles and formula. He made many trips to Ky. One of our favorite sights was the day Vester was coming back from a hunting trip in our woods. He was being followed by 2 or 3 deer. He would walk and they would walk, heads down just staring at him. Probably trying to figure out what he was. He would stop and look behind at them and they would stop dead in their tracts. We about died laughing. He finally broke and ran to the house. I don't think he appreciated how funny it was.
I could sit here and tell you story after story. He was a great mouser in his younger years. He's been crippled up with arthritis for the past few years so he doesn't hunt like he did at one time. He still goes outside, but now he sits in the sun on the porch. He walks much slower these days, But his head is still held high.
We have fixed him his bed with his favorite blanket out by my computer. He will on occasion wake up and look at me. His one eye no longer closes properly and he keeps it covered with his paw. My little Vester kitty how I will miss your good morning nudges.
We will keep him comfortable for the next couple of days. He'll get a piece of Turkey for his Thanksgiving Treat. We'll give all the family time to say say their goodbyes. We have wonderful memories of our time together I know he does too. I believe that God has a special place for our Vester. A field in Heaven full of mice and Sun. A place where he can run, and play, and where children will pet him and tell him how wonderful he is. I'll tell him again that he really has been a good friend and I will miss him. I know Hubby will have another talk with him. They will touch noses as they have for 16 yrs. and we'll take him to his forever home..
It is going to be very hard to say goodbye.....
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