Farewell my friend, Please wait for me at rainbow bridge

October 21, 2007 was a sad day for me, after spending the day working outside in the backyard, I came inside smelling like the driveway sealer I had just spread on the driveway, for some reason or another, Kira, my 11 year old black and white tuxedo cat always managed to get all sorts of frisky when he smelled that stuff on me, so I could wait to come see him, and let him smell me.

As I looked around the house, no one was to be found, I found my wife and daughter in the bedroom with my Kira, this was always a no no for Kira since my wife has allergies, so I was somewhat suspicious, a half empty bowl of milk made me even more suspicious, as there was never food in the bedroom.

it was then they told me the bad news, my little buddy couldnt move his back legs, at that moment, he didnt seem to be in pain, and as I stroked his head, it looked at me with that familiar look of adoration that he would get when he saw me, I never had a doubt in my head that this cat loved me, he followed me around the house all the time, I shared what ever I was eating with him at mealtimes, he always could tell when I was cutting a piece just for him, I gave him lots of attention each morning before I left for work, and in return for evrything I did, he always made me feel like I was the greatest thing in his world.

As I pet him, he decided he wanted to move, and to watch him dragging himself around by his front paws was heart breaking, I had hoped that it would pass, but I knew that he was getting old, and he had probably had a heart attack or stroke, as the realization set in for him that moving around was so difficult, he began to cry, and started geting himself all worked up to the point that he was panting, and breating through his mouth with his tongue hanging out, I could honestly feel the fear that he was experiencing.

At this point, I knew I had no other choice but to take him to the vet, and as I took him in my arms, he just started crying, he knew that this was not something we were going to get passed.

Being an indoor cat his entire life, as soon as I stepped outside, he started crying even more, the ride to the vet was over in an instant, but in that instant, as I held my little buddy, I recalled so much happiness that he brought me through the years, and how special he always made me feel.

The news from the vet was not good, a massive heart attack probably sent a clot to the artery that fed his hind legs, which was why he couldnt move them, apparently, he had congestive heart failure, the vet told us that even if he were able to clear the clot, his heart was too weak to move the blood through his body, his advice was to lay him to rest, all told, I spent an hour there with him, the gave him a kitty valium to relax him to prepare him for his final shot, as the valium took told, he looked at me with a silly expression almost as to say "daddy, Im pretty messed up" and as quickly as that expression faded, the expression he always got when he would fall in love with me all over again took over his face.

As he lay there, me holding his head in my hands, the doctor shaved his paw, and gave him his final injection, his expression of falling inlove changed to one that sent a message thanking me for always beng me, the vet told me he had passed, but I said he wasnt dead yet, and to wait, that expression of thanks changed to a final I love you, and finally, he faded away as the tears welled up in my eyes.

they took him away to clean him up, and then brought him back to me in wrapped in a clean towel with a red heart on it. I brought him home, and dug a grave to lay him to rest in in the backyard, and marked it off in rememberance, I later engraved a monument in mahogany that says the following.

Farewell my Friend
please wait for me at rainbow bridge
Kira bordered by his birthday and the day we laid him to rest

My little buddy was gone, and the pain of losing someone so special just brought on an overwhelming feeling of sadness. While I have never considered myself a crazy cat person, I have always believed that I brought to the table something special to the cat world, and in reflecting on my little buddy and his departure, I have found a renewed spiritual attatchment to that which is around me, and that which I connect with that I can not explain.

I hope some day to better understand that conection, but for now, I will cherish the gift I have been given in being able to recognise it