When I think of Spring I'll Think of You

Joy Burrell 1998-February 24, 2015

We are sad today. Thought I was being punked. A cat with kidney failure and cancer. Joy was behaving normal up until 2 weeks ago when he started sneezing and wasn't eating. His decline was quick. I took him to the vet on Saturday and he was given fluids, a different kind of cat food for critically ill animals, and pills to stimulate his appetite. He was drinking water but refusing food so we fed him with a syringe.Test results came back on Monday and indicated that he had renal failure and some type of cancer. The vet told me, "you have a very sick cat."

Joy came to us as a gift from my coworker Donna. Her cat Sally had kittens and I picked him out of the liter. He was spunky with pretty eyes. Thank you Donna. He lived 17 years and was our Joy. He had a personality like no cat I've ever met. He came to my house as a kitten swinging from the curtains. He loved my daughter and could be found in her lap when she's at home. He was forced to deal with me when she went away to college but I know he loved me too. I just had to keep him in line because he did exactly what he wanted. I don't like animals on the furniture. My cat was fascinated with tables and thought the living room and dining room tables were where he was supposed to be. He was a cat, he was doing what cats do, and always got caught. This didn't stop him from doing it. From me he got disciplined. From my daughter he got stop that Joy. You know he didn't listen to her.

When he got sick I thought. I hope he can at least make it till Spring so we can sit on the porch again, feel the breeze, smell the flowers, and listen to the birds sing. He loved being on the porch and chasing birds and squirrels. Squirrels would sit down low in the tree and look at him and taunt him from the tree in front of my house. I thought I wish I knew this was his last Christmas. He won't be here to sniff the pine Christmas tree or drink the water from the trees container. He'd slap the ornaments that hung on the tree and they could be found on the floor in the morning. I thought he could make it but he was ready. 

Last night I slept on the coach so I could continue to be the nurse I am. I didn't want him to have to do anything and he couldn't. If he died at night, I didn't want him to be alone. That helps me a lot knowing that we did everything we could to comfort him and let him know he was loved. My daughter asked the nurse today how old he was in human years. She said about 100. Wow. I can't ask for more. I believe my mother greeted him and said, "Joy you're here." Yes, I do believe animals go to heaven. I believe that God breaths into them the breath of life also at birth and comes again to receive them.

He loved flowers.

He loved boxed more than any cat bed. I bought 3 over the years thinking that he would actually sleep in one.

He's already missed.