Friday Cat Blogging
Income 04/15/2007-07/10/2011
A lot of things have gone wrong this week, but far and away the worse was returning to my house on Sunday night to find Income laying on his side in the computer room.
There was no indication of any trauma, he was laying as he often did to ‘sucker’ his brother or sister into attacking him. He had been totally normal, and was racing around when I left the house. It was sudden, possibly a heart problem that had never showed up in the vet checks.
The picture shows the iridescent quality of his coat that would vary from bright silver to slate depending on the light, like Ringo’s, but you had to stroke him to know the silky, velvet feel of that coat.
I knew the feel of the coat because my morning routine included moving him to sit down in my office chair. Sometimes he would jump on the keyboard shelf, blocking the screen, while other times he acted as my copilot, crammed between me and the armrest.
The office chair wasn’t just for sprawling, he also used it for bathing.
He loved high places, like the top of cabinets or bookcases. He got there with tremendous leaps. He would leap from the floor to the top of the bathroom door, getting high enough to grab the top and haul himself up.
He had a long and lanky form, a head taller than his Mom when they sat together in the classic ‘Bast’ pose.
It isn’t easy finding my chair empty in the morning.
13 comments
I truly feel for you Bryan. And I know the feeling, been there several times over the years. It’s the price we pay for loving short-lived animals. It never seems to get any easier either, even if you know it’s coming. 🙁
The other cat’s will take some time to adjust too of course. How long depends on the feline.
It’s never easy. Best wishes m8, and Rest In Peace Income.
I’m so sorry to hear this news Bryan. He was such a handsome fellow,
RIP Income
Ouch.
On the other hand, if your cat has to go, that’s the way to do it — quickly. It’s always sad when an old friend gets old and creaky and in pain and you have to figure out whether it’s time or not.
I had a black cat before TMF. Unlike TMF he was small and lean and more fluffy than sleek. And he really WAS a mighty hunter, no birds but he was hellacious on voles, mice, and lizards, he’s the one who brought in the baby water moccasin one day that had me washing the clothes for my mother for a week (because he dropped it at my mother’s feet as a “gift” while she was washing clothes, and I could hear the shriek all the way from the far end of the house where I was reading a book :), the snake promptly wiggled off under the washing machine ). He’s also the cat who tried to hunt the armadillo but couldn’t figure out what to do with the thing once he caught it :). One day when he was about 16 years old we took him to the vet to be boarded during vacation, and get his vaccinations while he was there too, and a couple of days later he just fell over dead right before the eyes of the horrified girl who was about to feed him. We cremated him and spread his ashes on the farm where he’d hunted so many unsuspecting rodents (and, once, a skunk — though me yelling out the window at him at least dissuaded him from *that* folly!).
Bryan, you are going to have quite the welcoming committee when you get to the Rainbow Bridge. Income will be there, I’m sure, keeping your chair warm for you.
My heartfelt condolences, Bryan. It’s always hard to lose a cat; it’s painful beyond words to lose a beautiful young one. Hang in there… Income may return to you in another form before long.
I’m so sorry, Bryan. Losing a fur comrade is hard. Especially one who figured out exactly when to shut his eyes when the camera came out…
Hugs.
I thank you all for your kind words.
I have been expecting to lose Dot at any time because she has had several health issues and is an elderly cat, but I had no warning at all about Income.
The other cats are reacting to the loss in various ways, so life around here has changed and only time will tell if or when routines resume.
oh, bryan, i’m so sorry to hear this. we’ll all be thinking of you, and remembering income with fond thoughts here at chez hipparchia.
Thanks, Hipparchia. As we know, even with multiple cats, each is an individual with their own character, an we react to them as individuals, friends.
So very sorry for your loss, Bryan. It is so difficult to lose a fur person when they have touched your life in their own feline sort of way
Than you, Jill.
OH my gosh, that’s so horrible! I am so sorry, Bryan! Income was such a beauty. I think that a heart problem is what ultimately took my beautiful Saddie away. It’s sad when they die at any age, but when we lose them so young, its more of a heartache, I think, because we expect to have them in our lives for many years.
Yes, the fact that he was young and seemingly healthy made the shock worse.
Thank you for your thoughts, OWL.