[Gpdd] RAINBOW BRIDGE: Simone

[GARY HESS]

I had to take my beautiful young formerly feral cat to the Bridge today. It is a great comfort knowing you're all there to support me. I was praying I'd know the right thing to do, whether to try to treat her or put her to sleep. The ultrasound confirmed it was feline infectious peritonitis, an untreatable disease, so the choice was obvious. I'm grateful for that.
She  was a lovely cat--long-haired lynx point ( cream with soft tabby siamese markings) who came to us as a feral kitten with her litter mates, two of which survived to adulthood, and her mother, Bumper, who came to be quite tame. Simone was always the shy one. It took weeks for her to even eat in front of me. It was my son who eventually tamed her. Her mother moved in with the neighbors to get away from her overly affectionate kittens and still lives there to this day under the name of Sammy.
As she grew more confident, Simone became a nuisance, as she was always underfoot. We don't have a square foot of level ground here, and I'm afraid of falling, especially on top of her. I stepped on her a number of times, fortunately without doing any damage. But a second later, she'd be underfoot again. I have to admit, I was often annoyed with her, even though I loved her.
About a month ago, she got really skinny and droopy, and I took her to the vet. After some fluids, bloodwork, antibiotics and a flea treatment, she came home and seemed to rally, which bought us a few precious weeks where I truly appreciated what a sweet creature she was. She ate heartily, but gained no weight, and her belly was distended. I took her back to the vet, ready to pull out all the stops at getting her well, but it was no use.
I guess the lesson I learned is to never take anyone for granted, and make time for them, even when they get in your way. I know I could've done a lot better by her, and that's something I'll have to live with, but we wound up closer than we ever had been.
Joanie and the two Beautifuls