Sunday, July 17, 2011

Goodbye Icey

Saturday morning at 10 AM, Guitar Guy and I put Icey in her carrier for the last time. She was as vocal as ever about her displeasure. She'd had a good breakfast and purred as I petted her. I admit I had doubts.

But Icey, at 22, had several kidney failure and creeping debility made it difficult for her to walk or get comfortable. The vet gave me a choice, aggressive hydration and medication that might buy her a couple of months or letting her peacefully go to sleep. Selfishly, I wanted her to stay, but didn't want her to suffer more.

We were with her, rubbing her ears is she lay her head for the last time. It was peaceful and easy. Her old heart sighed and stopped.

Thank you Icey for 22 years of love. You caught my heart as soon as I met you roaming the pet store, when you were just a kitten. If you hadn't been led astray by that Siamese, who figured out how to open the cage and eat the baby bunnies, you might have lived a different life. As it was, the store owners wanted you gone and Nicole and I wanted you. You were plushy and cute and loved to cuddle.

You put up with being dressed in doll clothes, pushed in a buggy, stuffed in a suitcase when Nicole decided to run away and stuffed in a dresser drawer. You were the amazing legless cat for a school project and the Cyclops in another. Throughout it you were endlessly patient and never offered a nip. You used up many of your 9 lives when you were shut in the neighbor's garage for a week with no food or water at age 13. You had a great purr and an absolutely obnoxious speaking voice (which I didn't appreciate at 6 AM).

For all the kudos, you also challenged my patience at times. Your habit of peeing on any clothes, towels or magazines left on the floor was not appreciated and probably would have gotten you removed from some other homes. You could be endlessly persistent when you wanted something and left stains all over the house from your frequent vomiting as you aged.

You had your evil moments as well. I remember bringing poor Cassie dog home from the shelter. Rather than welcome her, or even ignore her, you and Galadriel cornered her in the bedroom and terrorized her. You never initiated such bad behavior but you did go along for the ride!

Rest in peace old girl. Our lives will feel a little emptier without you.

4 comments:

Saren Johnson said...

(hugs)

What a great kitty.

roxie said...

oh, she had a GOOD long run. And you made the loving, responsible choice, hard though it was. Hugs and love to you. It's hard to loose a friend.

Donna Lee said...

When I held my kubla as she breathed her last, I told the vet that when it was my time, I wanted to come back and have him give me whatever he gave kubla. She died so peacefully as I rubbed her head. He laughed and said, "we're nicer to our old pets than we are to our old people".

RIP Icey. You were loved and brought such love to your family.

Briana in the District said...

So sorry to hear about Icey... What a long life for her and i know it was a happy one. Lots of love to you and Vin.