A short, sad morning

 

Part of the world of responsible pet ownership is knowing, or trying to be compassionate enough to know, when it is enough for a being in your care. Ursula was diagnosed in September of last year with cancer and we’ve had fits and starts getting her comfortable and eating and into routines. The past week or two we’ve been actively watching her day to day and she has deteriorated, she eats somedays and not others, most of the day is involved in laying low and sleeping. This past week she’s gotten shaky and disoriented. So, we decided let’s spoil her over the weekend, let’s give her as much loving and kisses as one cat can stand and let her go. Tough but necessary. My biggest concern was Zora, she’s Ursula’s biggest fan. They’ve been together since kittenhood, apparently bottle-fed by their first person. That’s why this morning, after our initial “how are you doing kitties?”, everyone getting a head rub and a back scritch and they were offered food and Zora ate a bite, I was surprised to find Zora shortly afterwards, hiding out, obviously distressed; in distress. It’s extremely sad to say, that we had to let Zora go this morning. The vet(s) were kind, as usual, and when we looked at the X-ray, they had no idea how or why her body had deceived her. All I knew (know) is I couldn’t let her suffer. Poor little one.

I feel sad for her and for me, as I told Jerry when I got home, I didn’t even sing her song today or bend down low and touch noses as happened most days. And now we go forward with one, again, for a few more days.

A few of my favorite shots of Zora. If you’d like to sing her song it goes “Zora-roona, Zora-rue” to whatever tune you like and operatically if possible.