another little loss

[mckitterick]

I just heard from my ex today that she had to put her kitty to sleep over the weekend. Shoo Shoo (Jevens) was born about 21 years ago; she was a lovely and sweet long-haired tabby whom I met as a young cat, and I was lucky enough to visit her again a few weeks ago. When her mom and I split up 12 years ago, Shoosh went with her mom and Helen (aka "The Great Helen of Peerless Whose Face Could Launch a Thousand Combines") went with me. Helen only lived 8 years, outlived by her predecessor by many years. In the interim, Kij and I have also had to put down two old dogs (Sid due to failing health, Hope due to dementia and a possible brain tumor) and five mice.

I have black-and-white prints of me with Shoosh; I should scan them and post 'em.

---

Regarding Sid (German Shepherd, whom we got from the Humane Society shelter in Seattle when he was about 7 years old) and hope_dog (Collie, also about that age when we got her from the Lawrence shelter): People have asked why we keep getting old dogs, crippled kitties (sanju_devil_cat has only three legs and tatsuko_shikibu was run over by a truck at a very young age, resulting in a number of conditions), and short-lived mice. Well, good question. I think it's because other people don't want to adopt the imperfect ones: Hope was so named because the shelter hoped someone would adopt her (time was approaching for her end when we took her home with us); when we adopted him, Sid was one day from euthenasia due to lack of adoption. Sanju was a bit of a freak in addition to the three-legged thing. Tatsuko (the only one still living with me) is just the cutest ever, and bobhowe personally nursed her back to health for Kij, um, 11 years ago.

So, I don't know why. Mice are nice, if short-lived. Old dogs are grateful, as are damaged kitties. Hamsters are really cute, though, and now that my friend Chris K. has retrieved his little Key the Hamster (last night), it's high time for me to get another short-lived pet. Only one other animal in the house with me right now: Tatsuko. That's the fewest I've lived with in my life.

Hugs to y'all,
Chris

PS: If you want to see photos of some of these furry people, go here.

Comments

[jensixstones.livejournal.com]

Sanju still is a bit of a freak, but a cute one at that.

[astartes-girdle.livejournal.com]

See, that's what I need. Someone to adopt me. : ) I keep trying. I clean myself and feed myself but hmmm, my friends won't adopt me. But my kitties too were adopties. Figment was the child of a feral mom. His predecessor Mango needed a new home when Clelie and her ex broke up. And Venus, aptly named for thinking she owns it all, was an unwed teenager with three kids who moved under our stairs. The neighbor took her kids, which she denies ever having. And I took her in, much to Figment's chagrin.

But it's my landlady upstairs, cat goddess etraordinaire, who has adopted, had fixed, or fed numerous street cats. One dies and another moves in.

Thanks for the post. : )

[fireguarder.livejournal.com]

You're so right about damaged kitties being grateful! Tripod was a young feral cat who came to me for help after she lost her leg. After I picked her up from the vet and took her home, I could do no wrong, I was Her Human. Bill was always amazed at how totally she trusted me. I miss her enormously.
We have another cat now that Tripod is in Great Kitty Heaven, a sweet and pretty girl in her own right. I wish we had a dog too, but Bill is still heartbroken over my dog, who died a year after Tripod, and he doesn't want to "replace" her.