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My beloved cat Harry, brother of Tommie, died this morning at 12:45 a.m. Something woke me. I heard what was probably Harry's dying breath. He was on the floor on the opposite side of the bed from me. I jumped up, put on my glasses, ran to his side, and cradled his head in my hands. I do not know if he was alive when I reached him. I held his head and stroked him. Finally, I realized that he was gone.
He had been coughing recently, so I took him to the vet. He'd likely contracted a fungal infection of the lungs from spores in the soil outside. He'd always been an outdoor cat until I came to Jackson, TN, when I put him inside. The prognosis for treating such an infection is poor to begin with, and Harry's infection was extensive by the time it was diagnosed.
Harry died fourteen weeks to the day after Tommie was killed on June 25. I posted concerning Tommie's death earlier.
Harry was a big, gentle, shy, loving cat. Several times in Oakland City, IN, he went missing for weeks at a time, only to reappear unharmed. Tommie, Harry, and Fluffy (another brother from a second litter by the same mother) started out as pals. They ate from the same bowls, played together, slept together on the deck. Then Harry and Fluffy became rivals, then enemies. I suspect that it was rivalry over their sister, Tommie. Fluffy and Harry both adored Tommie. (We three adored Tommie. She was our love.) After Tommie died, they became friends again. They ate and drank from the same bowls again. Fluffy would nuzzle Harry to show his affection.
Harry lost considerable weight in his fight for life. In the past week, he ate and drank less and less. I had to put baby food on my finger to get him to eat. Last night he would not eat or drink. I knew then that I could not save him. He suffered from strained breathing since his lungs were heavily damaged. I probably kept him alive for a week or two longer than I should have. I wanted him to live. I only made him suffer by keeping him alive. I realize now -- too late -- that I did the wrong thing.
I've never believed in Heaven for an instant. However, I hope there's a Rainbow Bridge where Tommie and Harry and I will one day be together again. Until then, Harry will remain in my memory and in my heart until the day I die.
Kenneth
He had been coughing recently, so I took him to the vet. He'd likely contracted a fungal infection of the lungs from spores in the soil outside. He'd always been an outdoor cat until I came to Jackson, TN, when I put him inside. The prognosis for treating such an infection is poor to begin with, and Harry's infection was extensive by the time it was diagnosed.
Harry died fourteen weeks to the day after Tommie was killed on June 25. I posted concerning Tommie's death earlier.
Harry was a big, gentle, shy, loving cat. Several times in Oakland City, IN, he went missing for weeks at a time, only to reappear unharmed. Tommie, Harry, and Fluffy (another brother from a second litter by the same mother) started out as pals. They ate from the same bowls, played together, slept together on the deck. Then Harry and Fluffy became rivals, then enemies. I suspect that it was rivalry over their sister, Tommie. Fluffy and Harry both adored Tommie. (We three adored Tommie. She was our love.) After Tommie died, they became friends again. They ate and drank from the same bowls again. Fluffy would nuzzle Harry to show his affection.
Harry lost considerable weight in his fight for life. In the past week, he ate and drank less and less. I had to put baby food on my finger to get him to eat. Last night he would not eat or drink. I knew then that I could not save him. He suffered from strained breathing since his lungs were heavily damaged. I probably kept him alive for a week or two longer than I should have. I wanted him to live. I only made him suffer by keeping him alive. I realize now -- too late -- that I did the wrong thing.
I've never believed in Heaven for an instant. However, I hope there's a Rainbow Bridge where Tommie and Harry and I will one day be together again. Until then, Harry will remain in my memory and in my heart until the day I die.
Kenneth
