My Name is Earl

Another tough part of my weekend - my baby boy Earl crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Saturday.  He had symptoms of urinary blockage – I had been noticing him squatting in the litter boxes the past couple of days prior – called and made appointment with my vet but they couldn’t see him until Tuesday after the Labor Day holiday due to closing, but told me I should take him into emergency if it got worse over the weekend.  By Saturday morning he hadn’t eaten his FAVORITE wet when I got up, and I knew something was wrong.  To save myself $100 that I didn’t have just to walk into the Emergency Animal Hospital that is open 24/7, I waited for the new clinic on Bay Street to open at noon and brought him there.  They examined him, brought me in the estimate to unblock it for just over $400, with a guarantee that this is most likely not going to the last of this blockage, and told me I needed to follow up with my own vet if Earl remained good until Tuesday.  If not, I would need  to bring him to Emergency Vet before then.  I had to make a very hard decision, one that involved how good Earl’s quality of life really was.  Sure, he was a good boy with me, but he lived in constant fear of three other cats in the house, one being Scooter.  Scooter was terribly mean to him, so much so that I’ve actually felt hate toward him – well what KIND of hate you can feel toward a cat I don’t know, but there were many times I had to brake up some serious cat fights between the two.  Earl lived in F-E-A-R, constantly.  I felt bad.  I had to separate the cats in different rooms at times, and allow Earl to walk around the house in semi-fear, but when he walked freely, he also sprayed the house freely.  He had serious issues.  But I can tell you, I am so thankful that Earl did not have to live another day on Parsells Avenue, where just this  morning I picked up another dead cat from the middle of the street, hit once again by someone without a conscience.  Earl spent many cold days in the winter trying to survive, so for the past two years, he had a warm home to sleep in.   Rest in peace my little buddy.

 
Rainbow Bridge

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....

Author unknown...