8 great years!

Stephen got Angel for me for Mother's Day 8 years ago. I originally wanted and orange tabby and he hunted everywhere for one, but was unsuccessful. He found Angel in a box with other kittens, which were covered in fleas, and she was the closest thing to orange that he could find. She had some peach markings on her, but for the most part she was grey. I was so excited when he brought this bundle of fur to me that I immediately gave her a bath to get rid of the fleas and then cuddled her like a baby. Smokie was already 5 years old so she was set in her ways and would not allow me to do that with her. She did not like Angel coming in to her territory, nonetheless, she learned to love her over the years.


Smokie started losing weight and had gotten a little sick, but I was able to nurse her back to health. Then, a few weeks ago Angel started getting sick and losing weight. I have tried and tried to nurse her back to health, but all of my efforts were useless. Yesterday I called Brookwood Animal Hospital in Jackson and they told me to bring her in. I have to tell you that this hospital exceeded all of my expectations plus some! Dr.Bell worked her in, working through her lunch hour and drew some lab work, cleaned her ear's, and told me that it would be tomorrow before I would hear anything because the lab work would not be back until the morning.


My day started off great. I receieved some good news about my school books so the day was going to be excellent. Wrong! After I got home from school my Mom took the phone call and it was Dr. Bell. She was calling to inform me of the lab work and told me that Angel's diagnosis was diabetes. At first I thought "ok well we can certainly work through diabetes because there are humans who live everyday with this disease". Yes, I was wrong again. Diabetes affects animals differently and the cost of treatment is very high so she said basically that our best option is to euthanize her because her kidney's had already started to shut down. I lost it!



I have never had to make a decision to kill one of my pets and I believe that is harder than having a pet pass away. Stephen had the hardest job because he was the one who took Angel for me. She was such a sweet cat...she was my cat. I was the only one she would let love on her until the last year she would let Stephen love on her. Stephen and I would always joke around that Angel is my cat and Smokie is Stephen's cat.



I do not ever want any more animals because I get to attached. Yes, I'm one of the crazy ones that people talk about that treat my animals like my kids. Hunter had a hard time as well. How do you explain to a 4 year old that your kitty went to live with Jesus. He told me that "he wants his kitty back, he does not want Jesus to live with his kitty". Wow what do you say? I just assured him that his kitty cat was not sick anymore and he needs to be happy for her. I thought sarcastically what a great birthday present, actually it would be the worst one yet. I'm very thankful for the 8 wonderful years of love that Angel gave me and I will always remember her sweetness! She will be missed greatly.