1987 —– Dec. 16 1999
Mau Cat
Some of my friends look at me funny when I try to explain my unending sadness over my cat’s death they say aren’t you over
that yet….it was just a cat.
Excuse me but he was way more than just a cat…he was my best friend.
When I was about 3 years old & living in FL we were at my
neighbors house when they found a kitten in the woods.
I called home and asked my daddy if I could have a kitty.
He said sure sweetie. But when I brought home Oliver 5 minutes later
he was surprised at my speed! Oliver and I grew up together.
We went through so much together. We moved to PA when I was 7.
Almost every night of my life my cat Oliver slept curled up in the
nook of my neck or in my arms. He was always a healthy,
(if a bit fat)wonderful cat. Then in October of 99 I went to go clean
the cat box and found Oliver lying in it. I picked him up and put him
on the floor and thought nothing of it.
Over the next few days I noticed he was very sluggish and didn’t
move around much. I held him in my arms on the way to the vet.
They said they had to keep him and do tests. I was so worried.
Every morning I went to the school’s office at 8:30 to call
and see if he survived the night. 4 days later he came home.
His neck and wrists were shaved from IV’s. He was very weak.
He had had a blocked bladder and was given a 50/5o chances of living.
He could barely walk. We kept him in a separate room and 4-5 times a day
I heated up his specially prescribed food opened his mouth
and hand fed him since he wouldn’t eat on his own.
My once chubby boy had become bony and lifeless.
Slowly he recuperated. He would sit in the window to that room
and meow out the window at me. I was sometimes busy fixing dinner
or doing homework and had to ignore him.
When I think back on those days I feel so guilty about not putting
down my work every time he meowed. He got better.
I let him go back our other cats. Soon he got sick again.
The vet said we had 3 choices- an expensive surgery that would
turn him into a female if he survived and might help just letting him go
and see what happens or putting him to sleep.
I waiting for my sis to come home from college that weekend to decide.
When I came home from school that Thursday I could tell by the look
in my dad’s eyes.
Oliver died wrapped up in a warm sweater on my bed where I had last
left him after I kissed him good-bye that morning.
He was 12 years old when he died and it was 5 days before my 15th Birthday.
I buried him in a wooden casket my dad made but I made his cross.
Every night for 2 months I bawled myself to sleep for my furry
heating pad was not in my bed with me.
I sleep now with a stuffed animal cat I had when I was little
that I had named Oliver long ago.
Its helps a little but the tears still flow. Sometimes late at night when
I’m half asleep when my 2 yr old cat jumps on the bed I think it’s him.
And I pretend! he’s really there purring and snuggling with me.
When the whole world seemed to be against me Oliver was still my
best friend and always there for me.
Those big green eyes would look straight into mine and I knew
everything would be all right.
Oh what I wouldn’t give just to look into his big green eyes again…
I love you Oliver and I will never ever forget you
for as long as I live.
Holly
| Oliver |