pets

[arguchik]

jester died today. it was very peaceful. this is the second time i've seen a pet out of this world (both times with the same vet), and i just have to say...oregon has the right idea. assisted suicide should be legal. terminally ill people should be able to choose a death like my cat had today, and like my dog had a couple of years ago, if it's what they want. (i don't know if it's what i would choose or not...but it should be available.) (added later: it isn't entirely true, that i've seen only 2 pets out of this world...there were also a gerbil and a rat, and family pets before that, though i wasn't personally present for any of those deaths, only after the fact, as witness, pall bearer, and grave digger.)

my apartment feels unbelievably empty now. such a small cat...yet his personality really filled this space (sometimes for better, sometimes for worse). i always say that cats *are* the forces of chaos. jester almost got named satan when he was a kitten--because he murdered every houseplant i owned. i mean really, he didn't just knock them over or chew the leaves or dig in the dirt. these were not slow deaths. no. every day he would target a new plant for destruction. i'd come home from work and find the wreckage: dirt everywhere, leaves completely shredded, root balls decimated. completly unsalvageable. and him, asleep on the couch, the little shit. what will i do now, when i set up a stack of papers and they don't get knocked down? when i leave a glass of water on a table and it doesn't get spilled so he can have a drink? when i take out a sweater to wear and it's not covered with white kitty belly fur? he was definitely a pill--mouthy and demanding--but he was also curious, playful, and extremely sociable. he would jump shoulder-high for treats. he fetched plastic bottle caps. he liked to ride on shoulders. he made friends with all of my neighbors. over the last couple of days, everyone stopped by to see him and pet him and say good-bye.

wow. this is the first time i've been petless since i was about 21. (and my parents have had pets my whole life, so...i've *never* been petless, really, until now. what will it be like?)

Comments

[marina-82.livejournal.com]

*hugs*...your journal entry makes me feel so sad...i also have a cat, she is 6 years old now...I know she will eventually pass away, but i try not to think about it...it makes me so depressed just thinking about life without her...i freak out when she has the slightest problem, like last time when i found an abscess on her head and got worried it was cancerous...it wasn't, but my reaction scared me...thank you for sharing your memories of Jester

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

you're welcome. it's the hardest thing about owning pets, saying good-bye, having to decide when it's time to let go. it's what you sign up for when you bring them home, but in the mean time they are *totally* worth it. jester and i had a difficult relationship sometimes, and still...i think it was worth it. no regrets. he was a character, that's for sure.

best to you and your cat! may she enjoy a long, healthy life. i'm sure she will, since you obviously take such good care of her.

[the-kender.livejournal.com]

At least you got to say goodbye -- it's harder when they just disappear and you have to assume the worst after a week, two weeks, a month...

Farewell Jester... you were a sweet boy when I met you.

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

yeah...that would suck. i'm glad i was there with him.

Sorry!

[(Anonymous)]

Popped in for a second decided to leave a note! Such a bummer about Jester. He was such a cool kitty! =o(

Kel