May 22nd ~ Miss Scarlett Goes Home

Miss Scarlett (1995 - May 22, 2010)

“Grief drives men into habits of serious reflection, sharpens the understanding, and softens the heart” ~ John Adams

I knew you were going blind
But, if I kept your place arranged in the same way
You could find your way to the food and water
And to the premium sleeping site on the carpet covered cat tree.

Your favorite place was on the landing by the back door.
I put a soft bed there for your comfort but you loved the feel of the rug.
You loved to greet us at the back door, each morning
And you always helped me clean the garage
Rubbing your head on my leg
And standing up, patting my knee while I cleaned out the kitty boxes,
All the time purring and squeaking in that tiny voice.

I found you when you and your brother, Rhett, were just tiny little orphans
Donated to a school auction.
You were too young to be away from your mother, but she was dead,
Your little bellies bloated from malnutrition.
And so you came home with us.
And there you became part of the family.

Scarlett, you were Nyssa's favorite, her sleeping companion every night.
Even when she moved to her bunkbed/futon
You managed to find a way to stepwise jump from the floor to the end table
To the bed, and there
You curled up next to her and stayed... all night.
Your purring rocked her to sleep even after she outgrew the Rock-a-bye tapes
And too big to rock in my arms.

Scarlett, you were a mass of contradictions,
A roly-poly fur ball purr factory one minute
Prancing back and forth, winding to and fro to get stroked
In just the right place;
And in the next minute, running away from Willow or Clover.
You were the easy one, the one that Rhett and Willow could have fun with.
Cornered in the dining room, with both cats sitting a respectful, but obviously for you,
Intimidating distance away
You screamed, hissed and growled
The sound effects of a dozen cats in full fight
Coming from a single solitary little Siamese.
Rhett and Willow were amused.
You never were.

I thought we had overcome your previous illness
I thought you had fully regained your weight and except for your sight, you were fine.
I should have had them x-ray you in November, just in case.
I should have noticed the weight loss the last three months.
I should have made the vet appointment just a week sooner.

You didn't complain, you ate like a little pig, but the weight still came off.
I had an appointment for Monday, but on Friday you quit eating.
Then quickly, too quickly you went from bad to worse.
You couldn't walk or stand up on Saturday morning and nothing could entice you to eat.
Still you purred.
And snuggled
And tried so hard to get up.

So I knew, as I did with Max and Clover, that it was time.
Mr. Rhett gently cleaned your ears and even Chloe touched your nose with hers
Without hissing or hysterics.
Even Daisy sat quietly by your bed while I struggled with the decision.

You were so quiet on the way to the vet... except for that never ending purr.
They gently put the IV in and while I held you in my arms and stroked your little head
The vet quietly helped you sleep... a small single cry and then for the first time in hours
You fully and completely relaxed.
Your struggle over.
Your pain over.
Your blindness ended.
And that glorious purr silenced forever as my tears fell on you soft fur.
Rest in peace...sweet Scarlett.
~ srp

(end of post)
Friday's Ark ~ June 4th