Thursday, February 12, 2009

The Other Light of My Life Finale

When I bring him home, I realize that I need to come up with a name for him. I went through the usual “black” names. Joe, Blackie, Blackberry, Java, Coffee, Blackbeard, etc….but nada.

None of them seemed right and he wasn’t responding to any of them.

I then started saying any male names I could think of. Bill, Dan, Bob, Richard, etc…

The minute I said “Mike”, he turned his wee head, stared at me with those luminous green eyes and meowed.

Swear to God.

He meowed.

So, Mike it was.

Mike and J.D. got along great. They played with each other and kept each other company.

During all this time, I noticed that his eyes were getting bigger and bigger. It was almost to the point that his eyelids wouldn’t close completely over his eyes.

I also discovered that the nerves in his eyes must have been dead or not there at all. Mike and J.D. were chasing each other through the apartment and Mike turned and swiped J.D. in the face and ended up scratching one of his eyeballs. With blood dripping from his eye, J.D. continued to chase Mike around the house. He was not even aware that his eye was bleeding.

That was my wake up call to take him back to the vet to get him checked out again.

The eye situation bumfuzzled the vet and she didn’t know exactly what was wrong.

She told me I basically had two decisions to choose from.

I could get some eye drops and drop them in his eyes 7-8 times a day to keep them moist or I could have his eyes taken out.

I looked at the vet long and hard and asked her what she would do if this was HER cat.

She said that she would have them removed. It would be the only way he wouldn’t suffer.

So, $2000 later, we had the surgery. J.D. was no longer just a blind cat but he was now an eyeballess cat.

He looked like a lion. They had to shave part of his fur around his eyes and so the fur around the cheeks stood out making him look all majestic. They also ended up cutting a couple of whiskers.

Poor kitty. For a few weeks, he walked around in circles due to the clipped whiskers! It was kinda funny.

About 6 weeks or so after his surgery, I was over at my mom’s house with the cats and J.D. was sitting near my mom or on her, I can’t remember when. Anyway, she shushed me while I was in the middle of talking and said “listen”. I strained to hear what she was hearing. All I could hear was purring.

Wait….purring….from J.D……who had NEVER PURRED IN HIS TIME WITH ME!

He was PURRING!

It was the sweetest sound I had ever heard.

About a month after that, he meowed for the first time. And cuddled and loved up on me and snuggled down.

When I went to the vet for a follow up a while later, I mentioned this to the vet and she said that his eyeballs were putting such pressure in his little noggin that he was probably in constant pain and didn’t feel like purring or being cuddly.

They did do a biopsy on his eyes and they were cancer free and glaucoma free. They were never sure exactly what was wrong. But, they gave him a clean bill of health which is all I cared about.

He truly is a miracle cat. It is so funny to watch him “watching” bugs that fly around (he can hear their little wings beating, that’s how he follows them). He is also very adaptable to his surroundings. I used to be afraid to move furniture or leave boxes and bags in his way, but, over the years, I’ve learned that it doesn’t bother him. He senses they’re there and will walk around them. The only times he bumps into things now is if he is running and not taking his time.

I found out in Christmas of 2007 that he has a heart problem. It’ll probably be what kills him. His heart is also throwing off clots to his back legs and for a while there, he wasn’t using his back legs AT ALL. He would drag himself around. It was to the point I was researching how to make a wheelchair contraption for him to get around in.

The vet gave me some meds and it’s pretty much under control now. However, I don’t anticipate having him much longer. I want to keep him forever, but I know that’s not the case.

So, I just enjoy every day that I have with my love.

That’s all I can do.

Thanks for reading.

Captain Dumbass…I’m done. You can come back now.

Later,

Mama Dawg

29 really cool people who give a rat's patootie:

Bijoux

That is SO SAD!!!!

Unknown

Hi, I came over from Bobby G's page. Poor cat! But it sounds like he is much happier now. I can't stand the suffering of animals and children. I don't care about adults though.

Irish Gumbo

*sniff* Beautiful. Sad. You got a lot a of love in you, you know that?

Here's to Mike, J.D. and the Mama who loves them! *clink*


(and *sniff* thank you for that link.:)

The Stiletto Mom

Wow...I didn't plan to start the day off in tears but here I am. It's a good thing he has you for a mommy...

Kat

You and JD were so lucky to find each other and I have a feeling you are both better off for it.

Bobby G

Its GREAT that this cat despite all of his physical impairments, still leads a happy life! he doesnt know that he has these issues! I just lives life! Great story!

Jaden Paige

That is so touching!! What a great kitty mommy you are :) I'm so happy he ended up with you, who truly cares for him and takes the best care of him... and that little JD is now happy enough to purr. That is an awesome story. Thanks for sharing!

Jess

Well, as you are VERY aware, we LOVE LOVE LOVE our animals at the Jess, Bobby and KK animal farm...so my thoughts are with you and JD. The wonderful thing is that you will now have the chance to give another cat a wonderful life!

Anonymous

Such a wonderful story and cat (and cat mommy)! I too had a cat with heart problems who threw a clot to hindlegs, recovered and lived about 1 year . It wasn't easy but it was worthwhile to nurse him, give him hospice and ease his way. best to you!

Teri

What a sweet kittie story. I once paid $2000 for a kittie operation. Wouldn't have had it any other way.

Heather

Ahhh...how sweet. I really wish that we could have cats....Diva is allergic. But, I once spent 2000 dollars on my dog who thought it was fun to eat rocks.

Larkin

What a nice story! It is nice to know someone who shares the love I have for furry critters!

Larkin

What a nice story! It is nice to know someone who shares the love I have for furry critters!

Pseudo

You are my hero.

Mama Dawg

Thank you guys for all your kind words. He truly is a miracle cat and I adore him so much. I just wish you guys could have seen him in his younger years. He was a sight to see! no pun intended!

Just Lisa

Oh, nice story! JD is lucky to have you.

Kelly

Awww....I had a cat and we had to remove one of her eyes!!! She looked like Popeye...I wanted to put a patch over it like a pirate...ARGGG!! She didn't go for it!! anywhoo....I don't think she even knew that she was one eye down!! I wish I could've read her mind!

Anonymous

I just love this story!!! It really tugs at your heartstrings! Your kitties are very lucky little furballs.
Thanks for sharing.

Captain Dumbass

What a touching story. You know what would have made it even better? A Stormtrooper.

Mama Dawg

I'd call you a smartass but you've already given yourself the correct title. Stormtrooper my ass. J.D. would eat him for lunch...if he could see him!

Debbie

That is a sad story. Thanks for telling us.

HeatherPride

Wow. A lesson in love and perseverance! I don't think it's a sad story at all. I think you did the right thing and your sweet kitty is a lot happier because of it! Good for you for being a good kitty mom!

Lo

aw hun. the one thing about life that sucks is that it ends. i had a similar cat story.. not as dramatic, but definitely sad. she passed away when i was traveling over the summer in 99 or so... and i honestly think she chose to go when i wasn't there. girl was always lookin out for me. aw crap now you made my eyes tear.

i think i love j.d.

Someone

ahh your amazing, so many people probably wouldn't have done the same things you did for your cat!!!

Heather

What a sweet story! Well, not sweet about his health problems but sweet that you found each other.

Snooty Primadona

That's all any of us can do, really. The last black & white tuxedo cat I had was unfortunately run over in front of our house while I was taking the kids to school. When I came back, she was lying under a shrub next door & I thought she was asleep. When I realized she wasn't asleep, I raced her inside, called the vet & she talked me through giving the cat mouth to mouth. Yes, I know it sounds insane, but I really loved that cat. I wasn't able to revive her, so the kids & I held funeral services that afternoon as we buried her in the garden. Luckily, several months later I was able to find another tuxedo cat at the pound and she's still w/ me.

Don't even get me started on the vet bills over the years. I'm sure it's waaaaay up in the thousands.

;-)

Anonymous

Awww!!!

That is one lucky cat and you are blessed to have him in your life.

But that is all the loving a cat is going to get from me! Sorry, I like dogs better.

ChurchPunkMom

Awe.. what a great story! I admit, I'm a little jealous.. You see, I had a kitty that I got when I was 10.. and shortly after I got married, she took ill (she was about 10.5 at the time).. J and I were making little enough to qualify for welfare at the time, and it would have cost us $300 just for an ultrasound to maybe figure out what was wrong with her.. I still hate myself a little for not having that $300.. even if we would have had to spend hundreds more to get her healthy again.

Putting her down (a month or two later) was one of the hardest moments of my life..

Anonymous

Get me a Kleenex! Seriously! You are such a good Mommy to this guy. Even if he leaves this earth...his spirit will walk beside you forever. XOXO

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