The month of February may be a shorter month, but it has left a few empty places in my heart. Of course, despite a couple of heartbreaking events that occurred during February, a few great things also happened. It is, as we have always heard, that you cannot have sunshine without darkness, and you cannot experience good without the bad. These are just some of the yin and yang that are involved in life, and there is no avoiding them. If you think about everything we go through in life, would we truly know love and happiness if we did not also experience hate and pain? I might be wrong, but I do not see how it would be possible. Everyone prefers to avoid the pains in life, whether they are emotional or physical, but it is possible that the pain helps us to enjoy the happy times even more.
On February 7th, 2020, our sweet and loving cat Chloe took her final breath while resting as comfortably as possible in my lap. Even though we were aware that Chloe was going to pass away, nothing can prepare someone for a loss so tragic and painful. Unfortunately, Chloe was not the first loving cat we had lost, but it did not help prepare us or make the loss any easier. Chloe had battled with kidney issues, but was on a special diet to help slow any progression. I remember many trips to the veterinarian’s as I was completely dedicated to helping Chloe. I will never forget the day when one of the veterinarians told me Chloe would not survive the weekend, which was Friday, when I learned this terrible news. Of course, this news was devastating, but I did not want to believe or accept it, and might have lashed out at the veterinarian. I took Chloe home to keep her happy and comfortable after the appointment. The night before Chloe passed away, she slept near me throughout the night, but she did wet the bed, which was no fault of hers. Several hours later, resting peacefully, Chloe quietly passed away.
Losing Chloe had an emotional impact on me, my husband, and our other cat, Sundance. While I cried for days, it was much harder watching Sundance grieve the loss of his best friend. It is hard enough for humans to deal with a devastating loss, but it is an entirely different process for a cat to deal with loss. Most people might not see or understand the emotions an animal has when they go through a loss, but we understood too well how Sundance was feeling because his expressions said more than he was able to vocalize. Even after we got Sundance a few more friends to play with, I do not think he ever forgot or got over the loss. Of course, he loved his new furry friends, Willow and Luna, but there was no replacing his love for Chloe.
Four years later, we had to go through another painful situation with our beloved cat. Sundance was one of the most loving, happy, and amazing cats that had ever lived. Sundance knew nothing except unconditional love. This cat had the most vivid expressions, making it so you never had to guess how he was feeling. He absolutely adored Chloe and was heartbroken when she passed away, but he immediately fell in love with Willow and Luna. During the years we had him in our home, he brought us more joy than I ever expected, and we cherished every minute with him.
Shortly after Sundance came to live with us, we discovered that he had asthma, but for the most part, it was controlled by medication. Unfortunately, once again, I learned terrible news about his fate because he had an inoperable tumor on one of his lungs, and considering he had lived with asthma, his other lung was not strong enough to handle any additional pressure. After a few months of treating the symptoms, I was able to do things such as feeding him baby food with a syringe, keeping him hydrated with fluids that I had to inject into him, and keeping him as comfortable as possible. Around 7:00 PM on February 10th, 2024, Sundance gained his angel wings and could visit his best friend, Chloe.
My husband and I do not have children, well, children with two legs, but instead our children have four legs. Yes, we view our cats as if they were our children, and they are a strong and huge part of our family. For us, losing one of our cats feels like we lost a child, part of our hearts, and a family member we love dearly. The many years we spend loving and building bonds with our cats are special and priceless. Going through loss and intense grief is miserable, but it is a part of life that can’t be avoided. At this moment, we have five beautiful cats we love dearly, and I try not to imagine going through loss again. At the same time, I love every moment spent with these amazing little balls of love.
Considering this post is much longer than I had planned, and I do not want to make you read a book, I will do another post regarding the positives of February. I also know this post was a little sad, and it was difficult to write, but I always try to honor both Chloe and Sundance as they deserve to be remembered. Even though the world is chaotic currently, and I am unable to catch a break in my life, my cats are what keep me going, as they bring so much joy into my life. After every storm in life, I manage to survive and get through; our five cats are what bring sunshine and happiness into my life. It might sound crazy, but they are the life jackets I am thrown when I feel like I am drowning.
Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope what I have shared provides light to the lives of two of my amazing cats who were taken away too soon. Chloe was only fifteen, and Sundance was thirteen years old; both will be missed forever. As I mentioned earlier, I plan to write another post about the positives of February, one of these is the day my hero and rock in life was born, my late grandfather. I hope you are enjoying your weekend, and you have done something for yourself. As always, I look forward to reading any comments you may have, and I will respond as quickly as possible. Please never forget I am always sending y’all LOTS of love
, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes
!
Always, Alyssa
Source: fightmsdaily.wordpress.com