A Very Sad Day

We had to put our 20 year old cat Mischief to sleep yesterday. Though we all knew it was coming, it does not make it any easier when the time arrives. Mischief had been living with the Blog Tech for the last year because one day Teddy suddenly decided that since Misch's poops were irresistible morsels, the whole cat might taste even better. We had put down her sister, Catsup around the same time and Misch was singularly defenseless against the mighty Chow Chow. So for safety reasons she moved in with the BT.

It was a really good decision because as he sat in his game room each night with his girlfriend, Misch would snuggle in his lap. She was very frail and arthritic and could no longer jump on sofas and chairs so he lovingly would lift her and comfort her for hours at a time.

Misch was a pip from day one. We got her when our first cat Catsup found her way outside and disappeared. We looked for 6 weeks for that kitty who was only a month old at the time. We finally gave up thinking that no little kitty could survive in the city that long. So we bought Misch. My kids were just 5 and 6 years old. The day after we got her I received a phone call from a woman several towns away that had found Catsup. We suddenly had two cats.

Misch had some close calls over the years. "Curiosity Killed The Cat" was written for her. One day I was cooking and heard an unusual noise and turned to see her swinging by her neck with the shade cord looped around it and the noise I heard was her little body bumping against the wall. Save #1 for Misch.

Then there was the time she mysteriously disappeared right after the kids left for school. I, along with some guys that were working on my house, spent the entire day searching every nook and cranny and neighbor's back yards looking for her. I was dreading picking my kids up from school and having to tell them Misch was gone. Just before I left to get them, I opened the snack cabinet to take out some after school treats and there was a very sleepy Misch laying on a bag of shredded wheat blinking at me and wondering why I was disturbing her sleep. I almost killed her right there and then. Save #2.

Misch could be a real sweetie pie too. When my daughter was a little girl, she would dress Misch in doll clothes and put blush on her cheeks and stick-on earrings on her ears. Misch could be quite glamorous at times.

Misch ate like a fullback up until the day before she died. That kitty could have lived on treats if we allowed it.

A couple of years ago she was diagnosed with renal failure. Cats can continue to live quite comfortably on as little as 10% of their kidneys functioning. At that time we chose not to medicate her. You couldn't get a pill down that kitty's throat with a shotgun and she was too old for that sort of punishment.

When the Blog Tech returned home from the baseball game yesterday, Misch was laying on the floor and could not move. He cuddled her in a blanket and went to the vet. The vet confirmed it was time and the Blog Tech held her as she peacefully crossed the rainbow bridge.

Why are these things so difficult? Death!!! The big scary monster just waiting to gobble us all up? I guess it is partly that, but I think these little furbabies are here to give us the unconditional love which we have so little of from so many humans.

Thanks you Misch for being such a special kitty and enriching our lives for so many years. You gave ever bit of spirit that you had in your little ten pound body and never held back one bit.

We will never forget you Mischkula!!!


PS.....as sad as this is I think it is better to go this way than death by Chow Chow. Teddy is doing happy dances in the bark yard.