WinniePujols
11-16-2005, 07:49 PM
I never thought I'd find myself on a Pet Lovers site. Yeah, I do love 'em... Today while browing another message board, there was a post about childhood pets... And I just wanted to post this.
Sheena was a gray cat. That's pretty much the extent to which I can describe her! I have no idea what breed she was... pretty sure a mix.
I'm currently at the age of 19. I can remember having Sheena for pretty much as far back as I can think. My grandma had Sheena's mother, who had a litter of cats... we took one of them and brought her to our family!
I have memories of my cat from very early on. Notably, I can remember (vaguely.. but still just a little!) Sheena having kittens at a fairly young age. I'd say I was no older than five or six at the time. I really chasing the kittens around the house -- usually to no avail, as their teeny little bodies would run and take cover under couches and such.
Sheena was a great cat, although a lazy one. We let her roam around outside; it was definitely something she loved to do. While most of her time outdoors was spent sprawled out in the sun, she'd catch us the ocassional bird, or find herself the ocassional trouble with a neighbor/dog (or pet) "catcher."
Maybe 5 years ago, we picked up a dog, who's name is Brandy. Sheena actually took quite well to the dog, much to our surprise. One problem, though, was that -- as you dog owners can relate to -- Brandy would eat everything in site! Fortunately, she spared Sheena... but she didn't hesitate to down every bit of Meow Mix she came acrossed. For this reason, we had to elevate Sheena's food and water dishes to up on a cupboard.
Around this same time, I found that I bonded with the cat much more. I think around the time we got the dog, Sheena became "my" cat. I was now the one she cuddled up and layed down with every night for bed. While I don't think that my dad cared for the cat any less when we brought the dog into our family, it seemed that I suddenly cared for the cat more.
Days passed... days became years, and eventually, I was nearing the finish of high school. Unfrotunately, the years were starting to take their toll on poor Sheena. Her elevated food dish was, without question, a problem for her know, for she required assitance in getting up to reach it. Someone was almost always home at any given time of the day, so it was never a problem... but it was clear she was reaching the end of the line.
I can remember that whenever a holiday would come for the last few years of her life, I'd say something along the lines of, "This could be the last holiday I have with this cat..."
I had come home from school one day and saw a note on the counter, partially in view. It was pretty much a few things jotted down, in my mother's hand writing. It basically said, "16 years old... Euthanization... $17," or at least something along the lines of it. I knew Sheena's ending was sometime in the near future. My mom had informed me she'd schedule a day for Sheena to bring the cat in...
It was the last day of high school. The night before, a fairly large group of fellow seniors camped out overnight at the school, and stayed up all-night, reminiscing on the days of old. That night, Sheena was scheduled for her fateful trip to the vet. When I got home from school, I was exhausted, so I did what was seemingly instinctive to me: layed down in my bed and cuddled up with my furry friend.
I woke up late that night, and realized she was gone. My mom told me the cat was out in the garage... I went out and saw Sheena... only this time, she was lifeless and in a fixed position. I pet my cat for the last time, as tears poured down my cheeks. My dad finished digging up a hole for Sheena in the back yard, and we layed her to rest.
I can't tell you how much that cat meant to me. It's been roughly 6 months since it happened, but I seem to think of her every day. As I typed this up, I couldn't help but become overwhelmed with tears and heartbreak. I just wanted to share this with the forum... for the people who know how much you can love a pet as much as you do a fellow family member.
I'll never forget Sheena. Sheena's time came to an end on the day I finished public school, which I always found it kind of fitting... Sheena was a catalyst in nearly all of my childhood...
I realize this was a pretty long post... so thanks for taking the time to read it. If nothing else, it felt good to post this for [i]someone to read...
Sheena was a gray cat. That's pretty much the extent to which I can describe her! I have no idea what breed she was... pretty sure a mix.
I'm currently at the age of 19. I can remember having Sheena for pretty much as far back as I can think. My grandma had Sheena's mother, who had a litter of cats... we took one of them and brought her to our family!
I have memories of my cat from very early on. Notably, I can remember (vaguely.. but still just a little!) Sheena having kittens at a fairly young age. I'd say I was no older than five or six at the time. I really chasing the kittens around the house -- usually to no avail, as their teeny little bodies would run and take cover under couches and such.
Sheena was a great cat, although a lazy one. We let her roam around outside; it was definitely something she loved to do. While most of her time outdoors was spent sprawled out in the sun, she'd catch us the ocassional bird, or find herself the ocassional trouble with a neighbor/dog (or pet) "catcher."
Maybe 5 years ago, we picked up a dog, who's name is Brandy. Sheena actually took quite well to the dog, much to our surprise. One problem, though, was that -- as you dog owners can relate to -- Brandy would eat everything in site! Fortunately, she spared Sheena... but she didn't hesitate to down every bit of Meow Mix she came acrossed. For this reason, we had to elevate Sheena's food and water dishes to up on a cupboard.
Around this same time, I found that I bonded with the cat much more. I think around the time we got the dog, Sheena became "my" cat. I was now the one she cuddled up and layed down with every night for bed. While I don't think that my dad cared for the cat any less when we brought the dog into our family, it seemed that I suddenly cared for the cat more.
Days passed... days became years, and eventually, I was nearing the finish of high school. Unfrotunately, the years were starting to take their toll on poor Sheena. Her elevated food dish was, without question, a problem for her know, for she required assitance in getting up to reach it. Someone was almost always home at any given time of the day, so it was never a problem... but it was clear she was reaching the end of the line.
I can remember that whenever a holiday would come for the last few years of her life, I'd say something along the lines of, "This could be the last holiday I have with this cat..."
I had come home from school one day and saw a note on the counter, partially in view. It was pretty much a few things jotted down, in my mother's hand writing. It basically said, "16 years old... Euthanization... $17," or at least something along the lines of it. I knew Sheena's ending was sometime in the near future. My mom had informed me she'd schedule a day for Sheena to bring the cat in...
It was the last day of high school. The night before, a fairly large group of fellow seniors camped out overnight at the school, and stayed up all-night, reminiscing on the days of old. That night, Sheena was scheduled for her fateful trip to the vet. When I got home from school, I was exhausted, so I did what was seemingly instinctive to me: layed down in my bed and cuddled up with my furry friend.
I woke up late that night, and realized she was gone. My mom told me the cat was out in the garage... I went out and saw Sheena... only this time, she was lifeless and in a fixed position. I pet my cat for the last time, as tears poured down my cheeks. My dad finished digging up a hole for Sheena in the back yard, and we layed her to rest.
I can't tell you how much that cat meant to me. It's been roughly 6 months since it happened, but I seem to think of her every day. As I typed this up, I couldn't help but become overwhelmed with tears and heartbreak. I just wanted to share this with the forum... for the people who know how much you can love a pet as much as you do a fellow family member.
I'll never forget Sheena. Sheena's time came to an end on the day I finished public school, which I always found it kind of fitting... Sheena was a catalyst in nearly all of my childhood...
I realize this was a pretty long post... so thanks for taking the time to read it. If nothing else, it felt good to post this for [i]someone to read...