Goodbye.

[Robin]

I recently had to say goodbye to a long time friend. Sister, a ginger female barn cat who adopted us many years ago finally had her last day in the sun. She had been going downhill for a while with cancer but recently started throwing clots and having mini-strokes. I knew it was time but that doesn’t make it any easier.

This is Sister’s story. It won second place in the 1999 Rescue Cat of the Year contest.

SISTERS STORY

Wow! Look at all the cats. Indeed there were dozens of them lounging around the old barn. My husband and I loved cats and were delighted to see so many, even if there were more than the usual amount of them. We were looking for a place to board our two new horses and this stable was our last hope. We learned that the stable was pretty full but two stalls were available if we were willing to “fix them up”. Having no other choice we worked for weeks mucking them out, fixing the roof and replacing rotten wood.
It was during this time that we met Fearless. He was a marmalade tabby with an aptitude for knowing just which tools you needed next and promptly sitting on them. He showed no fear of loud power tools and didn’t twitch an ear at all the banging and pounding. He wasn’t deaf, just unconcerned. Soon after Fearless designated himself foreman another yellow tabby began hanging around. She had much the same coloration and build as Fearless. Noting the family resemblance, she was dubbed “Fearless’s Sister” which soon got shortened to “Sister”. She was small and shy, usually staying out of the way unlike her more gregarious brother.
In no time the repairs were complete and we brought the horses to their new home. We fed twice a day and, of course, we always brought something for the barn cats. Weeks passed and with so many cats coming and going we didn’t notice Sisters absence. One afternoon my husband and I saw a skinny yellow cat walking slowly through an adjacent stall. We called to the cat but it was unresponsive. Concerned, we investigated and saw that it was Sister, a much skinnier and badly injured Sister. Her entire right side low down on the belly was laid open in a tremendous gaping wound nearly eight inches long. The fur was matted with blood and the weeping wound looked to be several days old. Though Sister was not ours and obviously would need expensive care I packed her up and headed to the vet. I would not leave her to suffer.
The vet confirmed that poor little Sister had lived with the horrid wound for some time. He cleaned up the area and then asked the last question I would have expected. “How old are the kittens?” Kittens? He pointed out the tale tail signs of nursing kittens. I was stunned. I had no idea that Sister had little ones. Due to the extent of her injury Sister was taken straight into surgery. The vet removed a lot of damaged tissue and a teat, leaving her five. He guessed that the wound might have been caused by a horse stepping on her.
I picked Sister up early the next morning and headed quickly for the barn, concerned for the kittens that had been without their mother for nearly a day. As soon as I let her go, Sister made straight for a small tack area belonging to one of the other boarders and squirmed, much to my distress, under the door. My heart soared as I hear soft mewling from within. As luck would have it the boarder to whom the little room belonged, arrived and opened the door. There was Sister curled up in the hay happily nursing four lively little kittens, one red tabby, one red and white and two calicos. All the kittens were covered with dried blood and looked to be no more than a few days old. I could only imagine the pain Sister had gone through giving birth to them and then nursing four hungry kittens that continually kneaded her open wound. The boarder, seeing my apparent delight in the kittens, asked if I would take them away. We happily moved them to our tack room where we could keep an eye on them.
It was very painful for Sister to nurse the kittens. Their constant kneading often had her yowling in agony but she would not refuse them. She had gone through too much pain to insure their survival to turn them away. Only the medication the vet had provided made her ordeal bearable.
Just two weeks after we rescued Sister, tropical storm Allison formed off the coast of Texas. The storm built so quickly that many people were flooded into their homes and offices before they realized its severity. My husband met me at the barn after picking up some wood. We boarded up our stalls against the driving rain and strong gusting winds. Then we gathered up Sister and her brood as well as any other kittens we could find and headed home down swiftly flooding streets. Sister was not the only mother at the barn needing help. As the water began rising, many previously safe “nests” were in jeopardy of flooding. We rescued thirteen kittens from the floodwaters that day, some of them very young. Sister, quite content with her new charges, adopted them all. She comforted the older ones and happily nursed the younger alongside her own.
Soon after the storm we found homes for all of Sister’s kittens. One was even named Allison. The rest of the kittens found loving homes as well and no longer needed to fear the uncertain life of a barn-cat. Fearless too found a wonderful home with a little girl who adores him.
Sister is now a part of our household. She contents herself with lying in the sun, chasing butterflies and keeping our laps and our hearts warm. Her unwavering devotion to her little ones and willingness to take in the orphaned undoubtedly saved many tiny lives.

But now I must say farewell to this brave lady who made such a difference to so many.

____________________________________________

It’s hard for me to say goodbye.
I miss you so my friend.
My heart aches with emptiness,
Where once your light had been.

It’s true, I knew this day would come.
I hoped it was still far.
I could not see a life ahead,
Without your shining star.

But when your eyes grew dull with pain,
And your head and tail hung low.
I knew I’d have to keep that vow,
I’d made so long ago.

That time when I first picked you up,
And held you to my heart,
Our souls met and became one.
We hurt to be apart.

That’s when I promised to protect you,
And give you love and care.
I said I’d be there always.
Your troubles I would bare.

But I made another promise,
Unspoken on that day.
If you should ever need me to,
I vowed to ease your way

Now that time has come and past,
And though it pained me so,
Because I loved you dearly,
I had to let you go.

I pray I did my best for you,
And though we had to part,
I know you are at peace now.
You live on in my heart.

[Scathach]

I am very sorry for your loss.

This poem was given to my when my cat, best friend for 21 year, passed.

Rainbow Bridge – Author Unknown

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

Life is beautiful.

[Stephanie]

*hugs*

So sorry for your loss. Beautiful story, too.

[Amy]

I’m really sorry to hear about Sister. It hurts so much to lose loved ones. Just know that she’s not in pain anymore and that she’s probably thanking you from kitty heaven right now. You did the proper thing for her.

[Brandy]

So sorry for your loss and I am sure that you did the right thing for sister. There are times when we must make hard decisions to ease suffering and I believe in the end it is the kinder way to treat those that we love…be they pets or family.

[Shawna]

I’m such a sap for these kinds of stories, you made me cry. Beautiful story, & I am sorry it was her time to go, it is never easy.

You will miss her, but she will live on in your hearts, until you meet again.

Kyrin

[Amanda]

Beautiful story, the poem had me crying. I’m so sorry for your loss, Sister was a wonderful cat.

[Author]

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