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Life long friends, Sam and Lilli.
A week ago this past Monday I had an appointment to take both Sam and crazy cat, Lilli, to the vet for their geriatric exams. Since the vet’s office is out in the country and it takes almost twenty-five minutes to get there, I often try to schedule appointments for at least two of the pets at once. Lilli is eleven years old and as scrappy as ever. Last Saturday, I found her gnawing on the body of a dead chipmunk. I’ve vowed no more cats when she’s gone because they like to control the population of birds and small mammals in the neighborhood. I’m no longer willing to put up with that. But I still love her and I’ll take good care of her to the end. Fortunately her hunting prowess isn’t what it used to be, but she still manages a catch once in a while.
Sam is in his 14th year. He’s mostly deaf, though when I jingle the car keys he’s up from his day long nap and ready to go for a ride in the car in an instant. He has a heart murmur and his energy is on the low side, although on cold mornings when he comes back in from our morning walk around the block, he runs around in circles, acting as though he’s only one or two years old. He’s been a regular visitor at the vet’s for months now having his heart and vitamin B12 levels checked. At times he’s very hard to wake up and Bill and I are praying that when Sam is ready to cross the rainbow bridge, it won’t be too painful for him. It most definitely will be for us and also for six year old Max, who also came along with us on the trip to the vet. He doesn’t like to be away from Sam or Lilli for long. Bill also came with us as the one-armed dog and cat wrangler and helped get Lilli’s crate into the building while I took Sam for a quick pee before his exam. That left Max in the car by himself, screeching and whining because he’d been left behind. When I hollered over to him to stop being a baby, his consternation grew even louder.
But even before that, within the first five minutes of the trip, yowling Lilli had vomited and pooped all over the inside of her crate. She does it every time we take her to the vet. And because we need to do the rest of the trip with window wide open so that we can breathe and not get sick ourselves, it’s not a good idea to do these trips during the winter months. I need to remember these times the next time I see an adorable kitten that needs a good home. I’m such a sucker and it’s difficult to say “NO” when it comes to creatures who need love, despite my promise to myself, “No More!”
Once at the vet, we all crammed into the tiny examination room. There was little room 
for the vet or her assistant so both Sam and Lilli were taken to another room where their exams were done. I’m sure the staff wonders why we need to make our visits a family event with two adults instead of one and a dog that doesn’t need to be there at all, but we hate to leave Max home alone and I needed Bill, even with only one working arm to help me manage the other two. I imagine we looked like the harried parents of two year-old, out of control triplets, taking them to the pediatrician for their yearly shots. I must admit it kinda felt that way. None of us really wanted to be there, especially Sam, Lillie, and Max.
Happily, when we left, everyone had been declared healthy, at least for the moment. Sam has an appointment with a heart specialist later today to check that heart murmur and let us know if he can undergo anesthesia so that his teeth can be cleaned and a few rotten ones pulled.
These creatures that we’ve brought into our lives are precious to us. We feel the same way about them as we do our children and grandchildren. They are also my therapists! Unfortunately their lives are shorter than our own and we deeply mourn their loss when they’re gone. When their exams are called geriatric exams instead of yearly checkups, I begin getting a bit sad about the future and try to make their remaining time with us even more special than it was before.
Do you have a pet or pets? What role do they play in your life?
Oh, Joan, yes and I can relate. Our furry friends have such a special place in our homes and hearts and their loss is deeply felt. You have the right idea, to enjoy what remaining time you have left with them. Your story is precious.
Thanks so much, Kathy. I know you have a very special furry friend, too!
Joan — Or should I say, Dr. Doolittle! Your jaunt to the Vet and back sounds like a fun-to-watch circus act.
When we had Willa’s teeth cleaned last year (and she’s only 10), she almost didn’t survive the anesthesia. Hence, we got her floss-type chews (that we dip in chicken broth to entice and encourage chewing) and that’s been effective.
Yes, it was similar to a circus act. All I needed was a trapeze or high wire and it really would have been funny. Just got news that Sam’s heart is in excellent shape and that yes, he can have his teeth cleaned!!
We have always traveled to much to have pets — except when our children were little.
We had a cat named Pronoun and another named Corduroy. I liked them. Our daughter’s cat is elderly like your Lilli. It’s painful to see the suffering of both the animals and their “owners.”
Shirley, I love the names of your cats. We had a rooster at one point that the kids called rooster-rooster. He was not a pet. And there was chicken named what else but chicken. I think your pet names were much more imaginative. I’m imagining what Corduroy must have looked like!
Lovely, Joan, although I’m not sure I could handle the cat’s response to the vet. My dog Willow is my grief therapist. She kept me busy the year after my husband died with knee surgery–keeping an 8 month old pup quiet was a needed distraction. She goes with me to Hospice. She hangs out with my 100 year-old mother-in-law and keeps her company when the health aids are busy. She’s snoozing on her dog bed near my desk right now. She even likes going to the vet. Apparently the cookie at the end of the shots is good enough payment for her. Good girl! I’m concerned about how hard it will be for me to live on after Willow who is 7 1/2 now, but I’ll weep and get through it. My dogs teach me to love, let go, and love again.
Oh, Elaine, I can identify with everything you have written here, especially the loss of such wonderful companions. It is hard but I always manage get through it by finding another homeless critter who needs me as much as I need them. Willow sounds like a wonderful dog and is a lucky one too, to have you. I also have learned so much from my dogs and cats about how to get through the hard times. Here’s to the best companions in the world!
Joan, I have a 16-year-old cat who loathes car rides, so I definitely relate to the chaos of getting to and from the vet. In fact, I’ve had the vet do some house calls this year to avoid that. Sullivan needs his teeth cleaned, but I don’t know if I’ll do that again. Last time he struggled a bit with bouncing back after the procedure. Love hearing about your menagerie, and I’m glad all are in good health at the moment! Animals have always been a part of my life — in fact, I’ve only spent a year and a half of my life (back in college) without any pets, so I can’t even imagine life without them. 🙂
Animals have always been a part of my life too, Jill. I can’t imagine life without them either. They are my best friends, ask little of me except to be kind and take good care of them, and put up with all of my human moods.
Although Sam has been okayed to have a dental cleaning I hate to do anything invasive to cause him misery. When animals get older they don’t bounce back as easily as the younger ones … just like us people. But his playfulness over the last few days has me believing that he’ll be fine. I’m giving myself a week to think on it before I set an appointment.
I love my little boy cats. One follows me all around the house and sleeps against me at night. The other one prefers my husband–so it works out. 🙂
We’ve been through the whole thing we with sick pets, old pets, and pets that died. It is awful. They are family members, and I’ve grieved.
Merril, Isn’t it amazing how these furry creatures take over our hearts? My daughter is going through a difficult time right now with one of her cats, trying to decide what to do that’s right for everyone. Let’s enjoy our pets while we can!