More on Pumpkin

It has been one month since Pumpkin died. We have adopted Cassius and Lily and our affection for these two fat cats grows daily. But our hearts still ache over Pumpkin. I am even still bitter of the visit we were paid on July 4th.

After the raw emotions settled, I spoke with the hospital administrator and set up a payment plan to honor our debt. Today, one month to the day of his untimely death, the last payment is due. KD received a call today from the hospital, they called to tell us that one of the staff who called her dad to bring her cat, Nash, down to donate blood to Pumpkin, donated a $150 credit to our account.

This cat was something very special and we were glad to be part of his world, even for a short time. Tears of deep, unspeakable gratitude sting my cheeks.

I am bitter

Yesterday we were casually hanging out with my brother, my mom and my sister. Literally, my sister was draped on the couch and I was draped on the big chair, when someone approached the house. "Are they walking by the house or walking to the house," I inquired of my mom.

King Daddy went outside to greet the pair. I recognized the man, the woman I had never seen before. They came to visit TJ aka Pumpkin. By the time I joined the trio, KD had already shared with them that he had died. "I am sorry," the man said. He was clearly, ahem, out of it.

The woman, Tina, was being consoled by the man, Karl. Evidently, Karl lives across the street from us and Tina, his "better half" was visiting for the Holiday weekend. Pumpkin was Tina's daughter's cat. He had lived most of his life, indoors with their three children. Her daughter's husband was deployed for three years, overseas, they could not bring the cat with them. Tina brought the cat to Karl's in the hopes of making him a barn cat. "What could I do, I had two cats of my own," she explained.

I shared the story of how he died and about everyone who cared for him. I shared the story of the man who hit him and how he stopped and helped us look for him. We showed them Pumpkin's garden. She asked if she could bring the kids over to see the garden. "Of course," I said. They told us that they have another cat who is pregnant and if we wanted a kitten we would have first pick. They told us how sorry they were again and wished us a happy 4th and walked down the driveway and were gone.

After this exchange I was angry. I was really angry. I was protective of his memory, of my memories of him. He was our cat. When he found us, he was beyond skinny and obviously in need of food and love. He was not neutered. I had no idea if he had his shots. Even in our dire financial straights back then, we knew he would need to be neutered as well as receive shots.

How do you make a cat who had been primarily indoors, with a family, into a barn cat? How do you have a cat, in this day and age, and not have him neutered? Why not bring him to a shelter, when it was determined that the cat would not be able to move too? What exactly did you think would happen to him?

Oh and by the way, I spent about $2,000 on the cat that you are so concerned about!

See, I am bitter.

It is official

They have moved in.

Here they are, brother and sister, feeling at home. Safe to relax only when the children are asleep. Cash is on the left and Lil is on the right. They are so different from Pumpkin and yet so similar. They knead my stomach as if it is bread dough. "At least it is helpful to someone," I proclaim to KD. Cash touches my face ever so gently with his paw, mostly my eye. I wonder what he is trying to express? My fondness grows every day as does their familiarity with our home. They still spend most of their time in the barn, Lil has only ventured out a few times. Cash is not all that interested in being outside and luckily for me, they are both afraid of the road. Lil has spent time in the bath tub drinking the water that always drips from the faucet.

They are funny, curious creatures and we are glad to have them

We are happy to introduce

Lilly
Cassius


We adopted them last week from a woman who has had them since they were kittens. They are nine years old and have been in and outdoor cats. And they are FAT! We have begun our weight reduction program. Cash likes to be in the barn and Lil likes our room.
There will never be another Pumpkin, but our love for these fatties grows every day!

Oldest is in heaven! They came with collars...she must accessorise! They are a bit skiddish of the marauding affection givers, but once they have settled in I think the kitties will be so happy to have snuggles from the kids.

Visiting

Pumpkin was my first cat. We had dogs growing up and as it goes, dog people are dog people and cat people are cat people. I went to a shelter yesterday morning, just to say hello and pet some cats. I'd be lying if I said we were not going to get another cat. I'd also be lying if I hadn't already prayed that another one would come to us, just as Pumpkin had. I'd also be lying if I said we will have an indoor cat. I am torn on that one. I know you must think I am crazy based on Pumpkin's cause of death, but sigh...he loved being with us outside and loved to hunt and loved to gallop...sigh.

I have crossed the cat line and Pumpkin is to blame.

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Oldest had her school show on Friday and King Daddy and I were both in attendance! It was spectacular! The class sang 4 songs. Oldest said, "Please join us for the pledge." It was so friggin' cute.

Nonnie, Papa and Nana came out on Friday night and King Daddy and I went to the movies. It was the perfect distraction we had been looking for, we saw the new Indiana Jones movie. It was pure entertainment. Some parts were laugh out loud funny out of the ridiculous! All in all it did what it was supposed to do, entertain and distract.

Auntie came over yesterday and took the kids on an adventure! Then she and I took Oldest and Middle to the drive in movie to see Kung Fu Panda! It was fun! Middle loved "camping in the car" and promptly fell asleep after the first 5 minutes or so. Oldest, however, stayed awake for the duration. Looking forward to Walle later in the month.

Now it is time to get our game on and get ready for the week. Laundry, bills, food, planning, etc. Although I am really looking forward to going back to work tomorrow, they have been a royal pain in the butt today! Love them though I do.

Happy Father's Day King Daddy. Truly the man of my dreams and the best father any child could ask for.

Just one more thing

We had all come inside. I was on the couch with a tummy ache. I saw a flash of a person through the porch window. Someone was on the porch but the door bell did not ring. I yelled to King Daddy that there was someone on the porch. By the time I got to the door, I heard "orange cat" and watched as King Daddy and this stranger moved off the porch in search of a wounded cat.

He said he slammed his brakes on, but he knew he hit his hind quarters. He saw him run onto the porch and then off into the yard. He helped us look all around the yard for him. He cried as he left and said how sorry he was. He asked if he could stop by on his way home to check in, we said of course. He returned prior to kitty's death.

King Daddy gave him the most recent update and they talked. They talked about how he had moved back here to care for his elderly parents after being away 20 years. They talked about animals and about his change in careers. He apologized again and said if there was anything he could do to please contact him. He asked that we call him to let him know how kitty was doing and left his number.

I called him yesterday morning and left a brief non-descript message. I didn't hear back from him, so last night I called again. I told him that Pumpkin didn't make it and I shared with him the story of the staff bringing in their cats to donate blood, he agreed it was a moving heartfelt gesture. He told me that he had to put his cat of 18 years down just two months ago. I told him to take care and that if he ever saw us outside in the yard to please stop and say hello. He said he would. He commented how nice of a family we were and again apologized for the whole thing. There was a pregnant pause, an awkward silence and then he said, "I just wanted to let you know that I, ah, um, I tracked down the vet and made a payment on the bill. I couldn't take care of the whole bill, I am not a well off man, but I know money doesn't grow on trees and well, you guys are so nice and I just wanted to help."

I was, I am, absolutely overwhelmed. Pumpkin is gone and my heart aches, but the beauty in these gestures extended to us dulls the pain. Such beauty in a tragic end to the cat that moved into our barn and ultimately our hearts.

There is more to the story

The hospital closed at 9 p.m.

The goal of the doctor was to get him stable enough to transport him to a hospital that had 24 hour doctor coverage. Pumpkin was ever so close to rounding the bend. I was on the phone with King Daddy when the hospital closed, I heard the click of the lock. Minutes later I witnessed an older gentleman coming into the hospital with a pet carrier. My assumption was that they must care for the staff's animals, after hours, as a professional courtesy.

While I waited for the next update from the doctor the staff and I talked about kitty and what a wonderful cat he is and what a fighter he is. I shared the story of how he came to be our kitty. At about 9:15 or so, there appeared a man, waving at me to open the door. I told the staff and they opened the door. He walked through the door looked right at me and said, "Are you the mother?"

I was confused and scanned his face for any sign of recognition. Maybe he was here when I brought kitty in. Not seeing anything familiar I looked around at the staff. One of the technicians, Laren, stepped forward and said, "We called one of our coworkers, who lives close by, and asked if she could bring her cat down to donate blood to Pumpkin." The tears began to flow and a hardy embrace was shared. I later learned that the receptionist who was there with me had called her dad and asked him to bring in her Nash. Nash was the donor as he was the first to arrive. In the end the grand gesture did not save him, but the intent is a true testament to the innate goodness in people.

If you can believe that there is more goodness from this tragedy, then tune in tomorrow...

p.s. Oldest asked me what color eyeshadow I was wearing yesterday. I spent most of yesterday bawling my eyes out. Puffy and red don't accurately describe the slits, formerly known as my eyes.

Sadness

June 11, 2008. Pumpkin died unexpectedly. He was the beloved (albeit involuntarily) pet of Oldest, Middle, Baby, Queen Mommy and King Daddy. He will be missed by all of us.

When I got home from my trip, last night the family wasn't home yet, I sat on the steps and waited. Kitty emerged sleepily from under the hydrangea stretching as he made his way to me. We sat and purred for a good while before the chaos ensued, for that I am glad.

Pumpkin's Garden, we buried him right there under the hydrangea.

Edited to add: Our cat, Pumpkin, you know the crazy kitty who plops down in the middle of the chaos, who lies on his back with his feet up in the air, hunts ferociously, gallops across all the land and who worships his mother, was hit by a car last night.

The man who hit him felt terribly and stopped and helped us find him. When we found him, it didn't look good. His pupils were like saucers and his breathing was labored. The gentleman had told us that he hit his hind quarters and that was evidenced by kitty pulling himself from the garden in which he hid. I gently picked him up and he meowed a meow I was unfamiliar with, I laid him on the grass. We put him gently in the carrier, I told Oldest that he may die and that it would be ok if he did. Oldest said goodbye to him in the car and me and kitty hit the road for the hospital.

He had a broken pelvis but the trauma was just too much for a cat who adopted my heart. I kept King Daddy abreast via a blow by blow and it was an emotional rollercoaster. One minute he had arrested and the next he was conscious and responsive, then just vitals, no response for awhile. The staff brought their cats in to donate blood for a transfusion. In the end he would have never come back to us so we decided that when he arrested the last time, to let him go. We were keeping him from doing so and that didn't seem right. He couldn't be saved, but they sure did try and the staff at the hospital were so professional and kind.

A Cat in the Barn

There was a cat on our porch last night. I open the door and as I do King Daddy says, "oh that is the cat that has been living in the barn for the last two weeks."

Oldest is in love with this cat. I am allergic to cats.

More later.