My Cat was Euthanized Last Night
Late last night my mother had to bring her 21-year-old cat to be euthanized. It was time, much of her body functions had shut down and in fact, she couldn't even stand and support herself any longer. In view of this, I would like to share a story I wrote 8 years ago while working as Education Director at the Providence Animal Rescue League in Providence, Rhode Island.
My cat was euthanized last night..."put to sleep," "put down," some might even say in their ignorance, "killed." After six years of sharing his life with us, it ended in four very LONG seconds. I hold no grudges. I blame no one. It had to be. Of course, the hurt isn't any less because "it had to be," but I accept it. Soon the hurt will fade to a dull throb, but for now, I mourn the loss of my good friend and first, real cat, "Koki."
I LOOK UP FROM MY DESK AND SEE A WOMAN AND HER THREE CHILDREN WALK INTO THE LOBBY. SHE'S CARRYING A LARGE BOX AND THE OCCUPANT IN IT IS MEOWING FRANTICALLY. "IS THIS YOUR CAT?" JAN, OUR RECEPTIONIST, ASKES HER. "YES," SHE REPLIES. "HIS NAME IS 'BOOTS' AND I WANT TO GET RID OF HIM."
"...I want to get rid of him." The words echo in my ears... We first acquired Koki six years ago, a month before my husband and I were married. My sister was a hairdresser and one of her clients had a cat who had just had kittens. They lived out in a rural area, Pascoag, in a wonderful, old, Victorian house. Her cat had not yet been spayed and she got out one day. As a result, she became pregnant and had a litter of four. Mom was white and so were all four of her offspring. By the time I went to look at them, they were already 6 weeks old. "We think the father is this guy," the young girl said, pointing to a big, old, orange tomcat through the bay window. He was so huge and the kittens were so tiny. Suddenly one of the kittens ran the length of the kitchen and slid into the refrigerator. "I'll take that one," I decided.
"WHY ARE YOU GIVING BOOTS UP?" JAN ASKS THE WOMAN AS SHE LIFTS THE BLACK AND WHITE CAT OUT OF THE BOX. THE WOMAN SHRUGS HER SHOULDERS. "I DUNNO. HE'S REALLY TOO MUCH OF A BOTHER. I GOT THREE KIDS AND THEY KEEP ME BUSY ENOUGH!" I COULD HEAR THE EXASPERATION IN JAN'S VOICE AS SHE BEGINS, "CATS ARE SO INDEPENDENT. THEY PRETTY MUCH TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW." "YEAH, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO FEED THEM AND EVERYTHING," THE WOMAN REPLIES. "I JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME."
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