- Joined
- 7/2/10
- Messages
- 5,796
- Real Name
- Heidrun, or Mouse
This (the dilute calico cat) is Ayla. She died in the early morning hours yesterday.
Ayla was a feral cat whom my sister trapped seven years ago. She had six kittens at the time. My sister managed to trap five of the kittens. One kitten consistently eluded her and eventually disappeared. Ayla came to live with me, and her kittens stayed with my sister.
Ayla always remained semi feral. Of late, she would sit on the arm of my chair while I opened cat food cans, as long as I was careful not to look at her and pretended she wasn't there.
She had surgery for mammary cancer last August. A tendril of the tumor had reached the lymph nodes, which the vet also removed. She made a good recovery from the surgery, and I had hopes that her recovery was a full one. Late Friday, she was lying on the kitchen floor and did not move away from me when I walked close by her a couple of times. When I reached down to touch her and she didn't run, I knew it was serious and went to get the carrier. When I lifted her to put her in the carrier, I could feel the fluid in her abdomen. I took her to the U of I emergency clinic. She started going into cardiac arrest while there, and I told them to help her die quickly. I hope she found some comfort in my presence.
Ayla loved Zen, the orange tabby in the photo. For years, she was quite lovesick over him, following him around. Ayla did not ask for much from life, and she received all too little. Hers was a quiet presence in this house, but there will always be an Ayla shaped emptiness in this family.
Ayla was a feral cat whom my sister trapped seven years ago. She had six kittens at the time. My sister managed to trap five of the kittens. One kitten consistently eluded her and eventually disappeared. Ayla came to live with me, and her kittens stayed with my sister.
Ayla always remained semi feral. Of late, she would sit on the arm of my chair while I opened cat food cans, as long as I was careful not to look at her and pretended she wasn't there.
She had surgery for mammary cancer last August. A tendril of the tumor had reached the lymph nodes, which the vet also removed. She made a good recovery from the surgery, and I had hopes that her recovery was a full one. Late Friday, she was lying on the kitchen floor and did not move away from me when I walked close by her a couple of times. When I reached down to touch her and she didn't run, I knew it was serious and went to get the carrier. When I lifted her to put her in the carrier, I could feel the fluid in her abdomen. I took her to the U of I emergency clinic. She started going into cardiac arrest while there, and I told them to help her die quickly. I hope she found some comfort in my presence.
Ayla loved Zen, the orange tabby in the photo. For years, she was quite lovesick over him, following him around. Ayla did not ask for much from life, and she received all too little. Hers was a quiet presence in this house, but there will always be an Ayla shaped emptiness in this family.
our cat also had breast cancer, but she is still with us. i am so sorry for your loss, i feel deeply for you, its never an easy thing 
