|
I must
start by telling you about China. She was a delight. The most beautiful
calico cat that you have ever met. She was smart, very smart, and she had
the most beautiful and intense green eyes Back in 1986 I was living in
Washington. Some friends of mine were moving and they asked me to take
care of their adopted cat while they were house hunting out of state over
Christmas. Hating cats, I of course said yes. While I was at work they
put China in my garage on their way out of town. The fact that my
roommate had a very unfriendly and non-social cat didn’t really faze me.
I just decided that everyone would have to get along.
About an
hour after I came home from work I heard a strange scratching sound and
could neither identify it or its source. I finally realized that the
scratching was coming from the garage door. Remembering that the cat was
in the garage I opened the door. Out waltzed this gorgeous creature. She
did the rounds and decided that the house passed inspection. After a good
meal and a refreshing litter box use it was time for bed.
I love
sleeping with the windows open, even in winter. The next morning I woke
up with a cat on my back – more for warmth, I’m sure. From that point on
I knew that we would be fast friends. I remember telling my friend,
Juanita, that I didn’t know how I was going to tell Heather and Dominic
that they couldn’t have their cat back. I literally spent the next two
weeks planning my speech and gaining moral support from my great group of
friends. As for China, she spent the two weeks making sure everyone knew
that she was the Queen of the castle, including the roommate cat.
When
Heather and Dominic returned after Christmas break we had a welcome home
party for them. Being the social butterfly I was at the time, the house
was decorated to the nines. The twelve foot tree was joyfully decorated
with all the ornaments that I had collected throughout my life. The
windows were bordered with lights. Bing Crosby serenaded us with the
celebration of a White Christmas. The whole gang was there to welcome
them back. Everyone was excited to hear if their house hunt was
successful, and of course to offer me support. Before I could break the
news, they told me they had good and bad news. My heart was racing. They
had been able to find a great place to live, with enough room for them and
their baby-on-the-way. So perfect in fact that they had signed the lease
on the spot. Unfortunately the landlord didn’t allow pets and they were
so hoping I could help them find China a new home, or at least keep her
until they did so.
How
fabulous for me that I didn’t need the speech! They were delighted to
hear that I literally had decided not to give them their cat back.
Everyone was happy. Heather and Dom didn’t have to worry about China and
I had the cat of my dreams.
Over
the next several years China grew deeper and deeper into my heart. She
understood. She got it. She could be sitting across the room and if I
said “China, can I have a kiss” she would run over, hop onto my lap and
rub my nose with hers. When I moved from Washington to California I
prepared her for the trip by taking her on small jaunts to the post
office, or the drive thru. She didn’t love it but she did fine. The
drive to California was miserable to both of us. She hid under the seat
and I worried constantly about how she was dealing with all of this.
After
that first trip, the rest were a piece of cake. She quickly learned the
joys of window hopping and when driving in the dark she would chase all
the headlights from side to side in the back seat of the car. (Don't
chastise me for not keeping her in a carrier ~ it was a different time and
she was miserable in the cat-cage!)
In 1996,
a year after I moved to Oregon, China got sick. After many unsuccessful
visits to the friendly vet it was just a matter of time. I spent weeks
making sure she was well taking care of and well loved. It was one of the
few times in my life when hiding was for the best. I just wanted to
spend all the time I had with her.
The final
day was heart breaking. I had to go to work and just couldn’t get out of
it. My biggest fear was that China would be gone by the time I got home.
I just couldn’t bear the thought of her going alone. Not being able to
get anyone to cover my shift I went to work with a heavy heart and a
broken soul.
The one
mile drive home was the longest of my life. All I remember was hitting a
curb or two at the corners. I still thank God to this day that she was
alive when I got there. Unable to walk that day, she was exactly where I
had left her, on a cushion on her favorite blanket. I held her in my arms
but it soon became evident that it was harder for her to breathe when she
wasn’t lying on a flat surface. All I could do was hope and pray that she
would go as peacefully as possible. The vet would be waiting for us in the
morning but I knew in my heart that we wouldn’t be needing him. I lay
down on the floor, my arms circling her. I tried so hard not to cry but
it kept pouring out of me. I told her I loved her. I told her how much
she had made my life so much better. I called my mom about every half
hour for about six hours.
I learned
a valuable life lesson that night. As my heart was breaking I was able to
hear my mothers’ words – I had to let her go. My mother had the great
misfortune to lose three of her best friends in a short span of several
years. Although we talked about it superficially, I had never really
asked her about the depth of it all. Through my tears, my mother was able
to tell me that I needed to let China know that it was okay to go.
Twenty
minutes later she let out her final breath and she was gone. |
