Rest In Peace Sweet Bugsy

It's never easy when an animal client dies, but it always affects me a little differently. Some have passed in front of me on an emergency basis.  Some have passed and I found out months later. Some I have played "hospice nurse" to and knew that it was their time.  Each of them have had a place in my heart, whether I knew them for months or years, but the cat that passed today held a very special place in my heart.

Twelve years ago a good friend and co-worker of mine at another animal hospital took his own life.  To this day I have not gotten over it, nor will I ever.  For those of you who believe in the afterlife, he has come to visit me quite a few times over the years.  He has also visited our other co workers (they can attest to it).  After he passed, everything was a whirlwind of sadness and organization.  He was also a pet sitter and we had to take over his clients.  Twelve years ago I started pet sitting for Bugsy who he had already been watching for a few years.  Today Bugsy lost his battle with cancer.  My old co-corker and I were the only 2 people to ever pet sit for Bugsy and I always held that close.  It was my last real connection to him.  His owner and I became like family and he was such a special cat to me for all of these reasons.

He was always a "hefty cat" topping off at about 26 lbs.  It was tough to lift him, but he would always sit on the couch with me and watch TV.  He loved food, yelling at the closet, drinking out of everything except for his water bowl, and playing hide and seek behind the coffee table.  He was the apple of his moms eye - very bonded and very close. She hated to leave him alone in the house but felt better knowing that I was taking care of him.  He lived a long and mostly healthy life until his 15th year when he was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and then cancer.  He was being treated with chemo and steroids but he wasn't responding.  I spent the last few weeks shoving pills in his mouth and then force feeding him twice a day because he wouldn't eat on his own.  I kept hoping that it would just be temporary and it would give him the boost that he needed to respond to the medication.  Unfortunately it only prolonged his life so that he could spend a little more time with us.  He was visibly declining yesterday and would barely take the food I was giving him.  I knew then that he had given up and his mom agreed.  In the past 24 hours his back legs were giving out on him, he was becoming uncomfortable, and he just wanted to sleep.  It was time and we all dreaded this day.  I said my goodbyes last night because I just knew that today was the day.  I intermittently cried all day, as did his mom.  We both did everything in our power to keep him with us and comfortable.

After 12 years with a cat that was not my own, he really felt like part of my cat family.  I have cried for other clients passing, but this felt like I had lost one of my own.  My own emotions surprised me and I have been in mourning all day. He will be greatly missed, but I know that he is no longer in pain and in cat heaven looking down on us.  Here are some pictures from throughout the years.....

I love you Bugsy. !2 years was not enough for me.  I will miss you.

No, my dog is NOT trying to eat your daughter!

Just another lovely afternoon in Washington Square Park. I am walking my buddy Finn (pictured here)

And we are trying to do our "frolic through the park while doing our bathroom business" ritual.  We got halfway around the park and he decided that he wanted to switch directions. We turn around and I see a young father jogging the path of the park with his 3 daughters (I am assuming) . Their ages I guess ranged from 6-10 yrs old (again, I am assuming)  The first 2 youngest were right by his side but the last girl was lagging behind a bit.  Just as she decided to pick up the pace was right when she was passing me and Finn. He got SO excited when she ran by that he put on a huge smile and started jumping, trying to join her!  (He LOVES to run)  She looks to her left and immediately starts screaming bloody murder for literally about 20 seconds. Screaming at the top of her lungs repeatedly for 20 seconds! (really count to 20 to see how long that is) Meanwhile the whole park turns around to look at us!  It appeared as though the dog attacked her or I tried to kidnap her.  It was a "stranger danger" type of scream. Her dad was a good 200 feet away and I'm just standing here yelling, "He just got excited and wanted to run with you! He wasn't doing anything!!"  Far be it from the dad to run back over and see why the girl was screaming incessantly or talk to me. This dog wouldn't hurt a fly, he loves love and people. At that point Finn was so confused at what just happened that I decided to walk the opposite direction from the runners.  

We took the grass past a few benches and passed a group of about 8 Middle Eastern women and a baby that seemed to be feeding the squirrels and birds while they chatted.  We walked behind them just trying to get through the park when I felt something peg me in the head. I was hit in the back of the head with a cracker!  I rubbed my head and turned around and one horrified woman was looking at me and in a thick accent says, "Ooh, sorry!"  I asked, "Did you just throw a cracker at my head?" She looked uncomfortable and didn't answer, I doubt she understood a word I said. At that point, it was just safer for us to go back inside. Sometimes the park is just too much to deal with. It is a sad statement to make, but it is so very true.