They Loved as Cat and Dogs

 

Dusty wooing Chance in Dec of 2014, two months following Tina's passing.

Forming bond.

Chance was a little slow to accept Dusty's overtures.

But, eventually Chance came around and the two became inseparable.

The past couple of weeks have been like an impenetrable fog that is hard to see through.

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Last week, I had to have my 16-year-old male cat, Dusty, euthanized due to acute renal failure. (The vet was very kind and ensured me I was doing the humane thing.)

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But it wasn't his kidneys or advanced age that ultimately killed Dusty. I believe it was a broken heart.

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Dusty had always loved dogs and for years, was extremely attached to my Corgi-mix, Tina. When Tina passed two years ago at the age of 21, Dusty took the loss much harder than my other dog, Chance. But over the months that followed, Dusty eventually cozied up to my reluctant Pomeranian and won over his heart. Eventually the cat and dog became inseparable love bugs.

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But, this past August, I had to have Chance put down due to incurable Lymphoma. The one worry I had at the time was how Dusty would take to the additional loss. Though I had four other cats and attempted to give Dusty extra attention, he seemed to retreat into himself. The love of his life suddenly gone, Dusty spent most of his time sleeping on Chance's old doggie bed as it presumably still contained of the dog's scent.

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Unfortunately, over the past several weeks, Dusty (who had always been a healthy cat), suddenly spiraled down. Loss of weight, dehydration and sudden consumption of water were signs of the obvious. Cataracts suddenly appearing over his eyes, made my 16-year-old cat appear ancient.

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For some days I debated with myself on whether to take Dusty to my vet in hope there were miracle treatments that could magically reverse the signs of rapid aging and seriously declining health. But, it was also his behavior that gave me pause. Put simply, I didn't have the sense that Dusty wanted extreme measures to prolong his life. Though Dusty still responded to me when called, he did not seek petting or comforting. It was almost as if he had made conscious decision to let go. Truth was, there were no "miracle treatments" that could bring back the two lost loves of Dusty's life.

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So, is was with extreme heavy heart and dread that I finally took Dusty to the Animal Medical Center at the crack of dawn last week for the inevitable. (Thankfully at that time in the morning, there are no crowds or having to wait.)

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The AMC staff and vets were very kind. I was able to stay with and gently hold Dusty through the administering of (first) anesthesia to put him to sleep and then the lethal solution to peacefully end his life. I am quite sure he did not feel anything other than perhaps a strange relief to be released from any pain or emotional suffering he had been experiencing.

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As I gave Dusty a last kiss good-bye, I prayed for the fog to lift and the sun to shine through to some special spiritual world where he can again be young and whole and reunite with the two great loves of his life, Tina and Chance. I pictured the two dogs and one cat romping happily together on some grassy field where the pains and limitations of earth are a million miles away.

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As I walked home that morning embracing and reflecting upon the loss I had just experienced, I thought to myself, Don't ever let anyone tell you that an animal doesn't grieve or cannot die from a broken heart. For sure, they can and do.

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Peace be with you, Dusty as your friends await; their only question being, "What took you so long?"  -- PCA

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