Baylee

 This post is dedicated to Baylee. Except I want to add that the bastards wiped out another shelter and displaced another 5 or so cats that depended on them for shelter during storms.  Not to mention a place to sleep at night.  It makes me sick.  I would love someone to draft a letter for me to the mayor.  Don't think that didn't stop me from replacing two of the three now.  I need more pre-made shelters now though.  Don't have enough.  These were beautiful wood shelters that people have made me over the years.  Sad.

Speaking of sad, I had Baylee scheduled for euth on Monday, today, as he was not acting right on Friday.  Very quiet.  Saturday morning he was not at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me as I came down.  He ALWAYS is there for his morning wet food meal.  I fed the few others I have, and did a quick look around before Sheryl arrived and we went out and did out thing at 5 am.  After, she came into the house with me to look for him, and I found him in the little hut in the spare bedroom just laying there.  He was still breathing, but not moving.  I decided to let him be.  I didn't want to traumatize him by bringing him into emergency for euth, I thought, this is perfect.  Sort of like hospice.  I covered him with a blanket, gave him a little water by syringe, and let him be.  

I went to check on him every hour, and by 1 am., I went down to see him and he was gone.  I already miss my baby boy.  The sounds he made because he could only breathe through his nose because of a defect in his throat.  I am very glad I spotted him on Bay Street many years ago and stopped to feed him and each day he would get a little closer to me, so I was able to scoop him up.  He was so sick back then.  

Thanks Lynne for sending me this beautiful poem.

“My dear human,

I see that you are crying, for it was my time to leave. Don't cry, please. I need to explain some things to you. You're sad because I left, but I'm so glad I met you. How many cats like me die daily without meeting someone special like you?

I know my departure saddens you, but I had to go when I did. I want to tell you not to blame yourself for anything. Without you I would have known nothing of the love and beauty I carry with me today.

You must know that we animals live intensely in the present and we are very wise; we enjoy every little thing every day, and forget the bad in our past quickly. Our lives really begin when we know love, that same love that you, my angel without wings, gave me.

Know that if you find an animal that is seriously injured, and that it only has a little bit of time in this world, you provide a huge service by accompanying it in its final transition. None of us likes to be alone, even when we realize it's time to leave. Maybe for you it's not so important that one of you is next to us caressing us and holding our paw, helping us to go in peace; but it is for us.

No more crying, please. I'll be happy. I have the name you gave me, the warmth of your house that, in our time together, became mine. I take the sound of your voice talking to me, even though I didn't always understand what you were saying to me. I carry in my heart every caress you ever gave me.

Everything you did was very valuable to me and I thank you endlessly. I don't know how to tell you, because I don't speak your language, but hopefully you saw the gratitude in my eyes.

I'm going to ask for some favors from you.

Wash your face and start smiling.

Remember how well we lived together in our time together, and the antics I made to cheer you up.

Relive all the good we shared in our time together.

And do not say you will not adopt another because you have suffered a lot from my departure.

Please don't do this!

There are many like me waiting for someone like you.

Give them what you gave me, they need it just like I needed your gifts of love and caring.

Don't keep the love you have to give, for fear of suffering; share it with those who have never known real love.

Follow my advice; cherish the good with each of us, recognizing that you are an angel to us animals, and that without people like you, our lives would be so much harder than they sometimes are.

Follow your noble task, as now it's up to me to be your angel. I will accompany you in your path and help you help others like me.

I will talk to the other animals that are here with me, I will tell them everything you have done for me, and I will point and say proudly; "That's my family".

Tonight, when you look at the sky and see a blinking star, I want you to know that it's me winking at you; letting you know that I arrived just fine, and telling you "Thank you for the love you gave me".

I say goodbye now, but not a final “Goodbye", more of a “See you later ".

There is a special place in heaven for people like you, where we go, and where life rewards us by letting us meet again.

I'll be waiting for you!”

<authored by Stan Skatvedt>