A Cat Tale...Sadness and a Beautiful Ending...Working It Out Day by Day.

 Tiger

Tiger

TIGER AND PRINCESS, A STORY OF BROTHER AND SISTER TABBIES THROWN INTO A NEW WORLD BY FATES OF TIME ON THEIR ORIGINAL CARETAKERS.

Below is a letter to dear friends who know about the cats.  We had taken Tiger into our home and an “injury” was discovered…it was not healing:

“The biopsy showed cancer.  It is an invasive type but not as apt to metastasize as some other types.  This means his leg would have to be removed and keep hoping the cancer would not return.  After assurances by the best cat cancer oncologist and surgeon in XXXXcity that Molly (2 years ago) would be ok, we watched her die at home, apparently not in pain but very weak.  We are both pretty well convinced this wonderful boy would have a recurrence of the disease even if leg is removed.  Cats are like that and many cancers return with a vengeance.  I don’t want that for this sweet kitty. 

We are feeling so  very, very, so sad for that 8 year old sweet boy.  With all he would have to go through adapting to a new home, one less leg and likely more extensive removal of tissue than normal considering the type of cancer...you know us well enough to know it is not the money even if we had it.  We will have him put to peace and sent to God.  I will hold him then.  If we believed he has a good chance over all, we would not do it. We will talk more with our vet tomorrow.

Strange twists of life.. if Tiger is put down, this means his sister Princess will go with us. She is still living outside the original home; wish us good fortune getting her in the carrier! When checked out by the vet she will come to live here.  Tiger is giving his sister a home in the hardest way of all..the most tear rending way...an emotionally trying way..a totally final way for him. If he stayed here, she would not have a home.   Is irony the word?  Was it meant for the cancer suddenly to show up like it did with such a vengeance and for us to know Tiger would go to the Creator and Princess would have a home?  Later might have been too late for both of them.  It is almost one of those ethereal animal love stories, the sort no people would recognize for the sweetly delicate thing it might be.  Should we take her to see him? I think so then think not and the possible confusion for her…my heart is too hurt to know.

Love to you all.   Tommy.”

 Tiger

Princess

My wife to me:

“I will take a picture of you holding Tiger but I want you to have a happy face in the picture.  We will have given Tiger a peaceful end to his life instead of lying outside somewhere under a shed slowly dying from cancer and very painful.  God will remember that.

And in the meantime, we will love Ms. Princess and give her the best life she can have just like we have with all of our kitties.  Yes, they will hiss and scream and bat at each other but will eventually get along.  Just look at Callie; I would never have expected her to be the way she is today when we brought her home from the farm.  My; how she has changed!!!

This is why we do what we do; to make kitties lives a little better for them!!”

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Tiger went peacefully to his creator. We cried. Had I taken a flight this morning, they would have charged for the bags under my eyes! Such is tears.   Princess is in a room right now, getting used to other cats checking her out from the other side of the door.  This is a day of sadness joined with delicate silver threads to a happy ending.  There are a few literal hissy fits to come but it should work out just fine

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For now, 18 days in, Princess the rescued female is no closer to being sociable than on day one.

We are trying a new approach starting tonight, December 30.

Are we disappointed in how this kitty has NOT adapted to living here with the other cats?

That is the least of it!  Apparently she has lived so many years incomplete control

of her area, this change is very difficult for her. 

THIS IS DEFINITELY DIFFICULT ON US AND OUR OTHER CATS.

We want her to stay here and fit in, yet are finding out it is going to take longer than first thought.

We will report back ever so often on the situation. 

For now, this blog goes back to its purpose of trying to help me generate photography business

as I get the pheromones, safety crate for her temp home ready and keep keeping on. 
THE BEAUTIFUL ENDING IS NOT QUITE VISIBLE...YET 

We are consulting with a highly qualified animal behaviorist at the University of Tennessee Small Animal Clinic.  I tend to do just as advised but am finding that difficult with several cats free in the home.  My spouse wants to modify the plan to provide Princess more opportunity to see the other cats. I am trying to gain some closeness of the home cats to Princess using treats and rewards, with more limited contact to ease stress in the new kitty. Results so far?  I need to be more patient than now to keep this up for several more weeks.  We have not tried allowing Princess to mingle with the other cats since trying the recommended approaches.  We will post updates as things get better or worse.