Kitty fell suddenly ill with kidney failure early on the morning of Monday, February 14, 2022. We tried some medical interventions given by our veterinarian who came to our home.
The morning of Tuesday, February 15, she looked into my eyes and let me know she was ready. She was telling me, “Papa, it is time, I’m ready to go. There’s nothing more to be done.”
She dragged herself from our small living room into the bathroom onto the rug. There she remained until Wednesday morning when our veterinarian came to administer MAID – Medical Aid In Dying drugs.
The night before I lit candles in the bathroom so she would not be in the dark knowing that the decision would have to be made in the morning. I did not fuss with her much. I offered her some tuna fish and water, which she did not drink or eat of each.
Wednesday morning was one of the most difficult mornings I’ve ever experienced knowing that I had to make the decision at this point to have our veterinarian come. It was a sucker punch in my gut. I couldn’t catch my breath and I sobbed uncontrollably.
My husband had to leave on Tuesday for a business trip and we discussed before he left that the decision would be made if she did not improve. She did not improve, and in fact, she showed signs that she was beginning to actively die.
The veterinarian arrived at around 9am. Kitty was dead at 9.30am. We both sat with her in the bathroom as he administered the drugs and I petted her, telling her how much we loved her, what an amazing and beautiful joy she was and will always be in our lives. And how much we will miss her. She was and will always be our number one Queen.
I must add that a month before she died, I had a premonition a knowing that something was going to happen. I sat with her one evening on the couch and petted her gently, telling her how much we love her, how we were so blessed to have her as our beautiful black cat, and thanking her for going along for the ride with us, all while I sat there crying like a baby.
One month later she would be dead.
I always planned to have a home funeral for her. This is exactly what I did. I kept her home for 24 hours after she died. I had it planned and some of it was serendipitous. The crate from the grocery store fit her little body perfectly. I had her special blankets that were bought by her grandmother, and we happened to have a vase of fresh roses that I laid across her.
I went to the grocery store and bought bags of frozen peas and corn and turned our air conditioning down to 60 F.
I gently wiped her body with a washcloth, taking my time while talking with her through my tears.
Then, I gently picked her up and placed her in her special box surrounded by candles and I burned incense. I sat with her and talked to her sharing memories, and always thanking her for being such an important part of our family and our lives.
Our other sweet baby cat Minnie went up to smell her and sit next to her. Then she would leave and come back occasionally to look at me and at Kitty.
Kitty remained home for 24 hours. Time for us all to adjust to her death and prepare for her cremation.
The following day around 9am, a dear friend picked us up and we took Kitty for cremation.
No one prepares you for making such difficult decisions around MAID for our beloved fur babies. I felt as if I had been punched in my gut and couldn’t catch my breath. In my heart, with Kitty looking into my eyes and letting me know it was time, and with the support of our dear veterinarian, I knew this was best decision I could make for Kitty.
There is not a day that does by that I do not think of her and our 16 years together with her and with us.
We were and are so lucky and blessed to have had the opportunity to be a family and the guardians of such a special unique black cat, Kitty.
Kitty in life enjoying the sun on her favorite resting place, the couch.
Kitty Christmas 2021. This was the last Christmas with her. Little did we know this would be her last Christmas with us.
Preparing her for us to spend time with her. She fit perfectly into her special crate that was from the grocery store. As you can see, I used her blanket and fabric I had at home creating a comfy place for her.
As I was preparing her day and evening to be with us. I covered
her in a soft blanket.
The morning after Kitty’s death and before she was taken for cremation.
During the evening I lit candles as we sat vigil with her.
She was placed in front of our home altar with candles and incense burning as we honored her life, her spirit, and our memories with her.