Caturday: And We Lost Him (Lessons from the Process of Dying)

 

In last week's Caturday post, I shared our death watch over Happy Cat.

At 11:52 pm, I updated the watch. At that time, we lost Happy Cat. He had been dozing on the bed beside my paraplegic daughter, Fawn. Suddenly, he urgently scrambled to get into her arms. Then, with two big, agonizing gulps of air and a shudder, he crossed the Rainbow Bridge while cuddled in Fawn's arms. We hope he is now cavorting with his pals Snyezhka, Bobolink, Intrepid, and Murjan who crossed before him.

Happy Cat taught us some important in his last days, some important for cats and some important as well for humans:

• Near the very end, cats sense when they are going to die, and they prepare by looking for dark places. Happy Cat would go into cubbies that he was never interested in before. (It's a tip-off for owners.) 
• Near the end, owners sometimes are allowed a sense that their journey to the Rainbow Bridge is reaching its goal. I felt an otherworldly presence the day before Happy Cat died; I interpreted it as an angel joining us in the death watch. CB (intellectually challenged son) announced the night that Happy Cat died, "Mom, an angel is here to help Happy Cat go home." A few hours later, Happy Cat had, indeed, gone home. (There may be other interpretations, and some people may feel nothing, but it is not the first time I have heard of an owner sensing supernatural indications of the approaching death of a beloved pet.)
• Four days before he died, Happy Cat stopped eating. So did Murjan. Murjan's vet gave him a stimulant when he stopped eating but warned me that she thought he had about four days left. So, I guess that four days, give a few hours more or less, is a pretty good timeframe to count on. (Actually, I checked out what research is available, and 3-4 days seems to be the norm.) I think it is helpful to know that for the pre-death grieving process, for coming to grips what is going to happen, and for being prepared for death when it arrives rather than being surprised by it.
• Three days before Happy Cat died (right after he stopped eating), I talked to his vet. She said that cats will not show pain but if he had stopped eating and was, at that time, spewing blood instead of feces, he was in pain. She gave me some barbiturates for him. (Note: these are controlled substances, so if an owner thinks a cat is in pain or if the cat is showing signs of approaching the end, it is better to call the vet sooner rather than later, even if there some doubt; let the vet decide.) While it is hard to tell, I believe that the barbiturates did help.
• Two days before Happy Cat died, he stopped drinking. For the first two days without food, he was eager to drink. Then, he was not. He was too weak. We eye-droppered water into him, which he was very good at swallowing, but it was not enough to counteract the growing dehydration. From what I have learned, cats can go longer than two days without water (but not a long time without it). However, not drinking exacerbated Happy Cat's weakened condition from not eating. Together, they were signs that Happy Cat's body was shutting down and that he knew it.
• Euthanasia may not always be an option. Happy Cat could not be taken to the vet clinic; it has been that way for almost a year. Always, Happy Cat would have panic attacks on the way. In his last couple of years, these attacks would result in him nearly passing out, foaming at the mouth, and needing up to an hour of oxygen to get into condition where he could be examined. With no nearby mobile vets in our remote location, getting treatment for Happy Cat was difficult. For the two times he needed, one vet was willing to stop by because she had to pass through the town on her way to San Francisco. Another, later, was able to come to the house from a city 20 miles away because it was worth her while with 6 cats that needed one thing or another, mostly routine, to be done. Both vets commented that Happy Cat was not a candidate for transportation. Neither was someone who would do at-home euthanasia; the only vet in the area who did at-home euthanasia was out of town for a week. So, no matter what, Happy Cat had to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. We walked with him. We never left his side from the time he stopped eating.
• Happy Cat died at an inconvenient time--that probably happens a lot. We had to figure out how to handle his body since deterioration begins within a couple of hours, and we do not have local 24/7 vet clinics. He died late Saturday night, and his vet would not be back at work until Monday morning. A little more research, and I found what we needed to know: put his body in a plastic baby, put it on ice (we had a great, thick Styrofoam chest that had just delivered Omaha Steaks products), and keep it cool until it can be taken in for cremation (if that is what you are planning to do with it). 

We are now waiting for Happy Cat's ashes. Happy Cat left behind seven members of our cat family. The lessons that Happy Cat taught us will serve us--and, hopefully, others, in good stead in the future.

For more Caturday posts, click HERE.

Read more posts about cats.

Watch for Luna Norwood's forthcoming book, Raising Happy Cat Families.

 

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