Saturday, April 27, 2013

Cally, A Farewell to My Girl

On Thursday, I got home around lunchtime from a business trip.  Exhausted, I settled into bed for a nap and snuggled with my old girl, Cally.  We had a good purr and cuddle, but I noticed that she wasn't trying to steal the chicken from my Moe's burrito.  Coupled with an accident she had on Sunday, and vet visit on Monday, I was concerned.

Then, suddenly, my old girl was having trouble walking.  She limped to her "safe place", the bath tub, and refused to move.  I put towels in the tub, and tried to give her water with a plastic syringe.

As I tried to figure out what to do, Bear, who never goes into the tub, jumped in.  I was worried he would disturb Cally, but instead he sat almost like a guard dog over her.  Even he knew something was going on.

I decided to take my girl to the emergency vet.  In the end, there was nothing we could do.  I had to say goodbye to my friend of over 16 years, the first furry love of my life.  In her last moments, she gave no indication that she knew I was there.  I wanted so badly to connect to her.  As motionless as she was, I gave her a familiar scratch under her chin, and saw her arch her neck just slightly, like she was enjoying that.  I knew then she was still in there, and that she knew I was with her in the end.

My heart aches.  Even though I've been mentally preparing to lose Cally for years, in the end it all seemed to happen so fast.  It was so tough to go home without her, even though Bear was there to meet me at the door.

I think Cally waited for me to come home.  We had such a good last day together...  I lived more years of my life with Cally than without.  She was my everpresent buddy, and I was her person.  She was a good cat, and I can count on one hand the number of accidents she had.  My girl.

Even as the years progressed and the vet bills got higher, her diet more expensive and prescriptive, her breath and grooming falling by the wayside... I loved her.  She was a part of my heart.  And no matter how many cats come into my life, none of them can ever hold a candle to my girl.  Because this beautiful, green-eyed, talkative tortie was my match.

In older,  chubbier days...

She slept in the cutest positions.

She got in my face a lot to let me know her thoughts.

I loved my girl!

She was so beautiful.
This video reminds me of my love.  Rest in sweet peace, and I know you'll be with me all the time in my heart.

8 comments:

  1. I mentioned this on FB, but sorry to hear this!!! I know she was your constant, especially during these past few years,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I got Cally before I could DRIVE! :) She was absolutely my constant companion for so many years. I loved how no matter how long I was away from home (West Point, Iraq) she remembered me and reconnected with me immediately. She was such a good girl.

      I told someone at work that the reason I was okay to be in the office that next day without losing it was because it made me think of Legends of the Fall... You know, in the end where Tristan gets killed by the bear after outliving everyone in his life and having such an amazing story, and One Stab says "It was a good death"? Random, but I feel that way about Cally's life and even death. She walked with me through so many chapters of my life, and spent a full year in this latest chapter with me. She saw me through, made sure I was okay, then she left me. She was perfect. It was a good life, and a good (quick) death.

      Delete
  2. Goodbye sweet Callie! All of your photos of her are so beautiful. I bet she was an amazing cat and had such a great life with you! And sweet Bear to guard her like that. All my love to you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, Aubrey, I'm so sorry to hear about this :( Cally was a beautiful girl and sounds like she was an amazing companion to boot. This post made me tear up! I'm glad you have Bear to take care of you (and take care of Cally in her last days too, it sounds. Aw!), but I'm so sorry about Cally ♥ May she rest in peace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I know you are a fellow tortie mom and understand the unique love they provide us. :) Give Amelia some hugs from me!

      Delete
  4. I am so sorry for your loss. It is so heartbreaking to lose a beloved pet. They belong to the family. This really made me cry!

    I found you on Better Blogger Network by the way! Your blog is gorgeous and I will definitely come back!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She was so special to me!

      I'm so glad you like the blog, I've been meaning to do a happy post about our Maine Coon kitten, Bear... keep coming back!

      Delete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...