A Bonded Pair
From the cat who literally
swallowed the canary (and then threw it up on your aunt’s antique Persian rug)
to the dog who ran away, we at the Stiletto Gang put our collective heads
together and thought: what could be better than walking down memory lane with
thoughts of some of our favorite–and not-so-favorite–pets? Join us for the
next two weeks as we reminisce about the animals we loved and those who loved
us.
swallowed the canary (and then threw it up on your aunt’s antique Persian rug)
to the dog who ran away, we at the Stiletto Gang put our collective heads
together and thought: what could be better than walking down memory lane with
thoughts of some of our favorite–and not-so-favorite–pets? Join us for the
next two weeks as we reminisce about the animals we loved and those who loved
us.
Tragedy brought me Bonnie, a
13-year-old cat who was as tiny as a kitten, first. Her owner was my
almost-brother. Steve was my little brother’s best friend. They’d lived with my
husband and me briefly, and when they moved out, they rented a house just a few
blocks away and continued to eat supper at our house every night. Once my
brother married and moved out of town, Steve kept coming to our house for
holidays or any time he needed family support. Steve was a shy geek with a warm
heart. One day, someone tied a litter of five kittens in a plastic bag and
dumped them in the middle of the street to be run over. Steve found them, took
them to the vet, and spayed and neutered them. Thirteen years later early on a Sunday
morning, Steve was killed by a hit-and-run driver, leaving five old cats in his
house waiting for him to come home.
His friends gathered and parceled
out the cats among us. I already had two elderly cats and a young one, all
rescues, at home, but when no one would step forward for Bonnie, the runt of
the litter, I took her. Within a week, several of the littermates turned out to
have liver cancer and had to be put to sleep. Over the course of the next year,
this happened to all of them, except tiny Bonnie.
out the cats among us. I already had two elderly cats and a young one, all
rescues, at home, but when no one would step forward for Bonnie, the runt of
the litter, I took her. Within a week, several of the littermates turned out to
have liver cancer and had to be put to sleep. Over the course of the next year,
this happened to all of them, except tiny Bonnie.
From the first, Bonnie hid. One of
her favorite places was behind the refrigerator. She had a bell on her collar,
and once the lights were out and we were in bed, we would hear her venturing
forth. It took me so long to get her to venture forth voluntarily and sit on my
lap to be petted, but once there, she decided that was where she always wanted
to be. If I were doing some chore around the house and not paying attention to
her, she would wind around my legs, scolding me.
her favorite places was behind the refrigerator. She had a bell on her collar,
and once the lights were out and we were in bed, we would hear her venturing
forth. It took me so long to get her to venture forth voluntarily and sit on my
lap to be petted, but once there, she decided that was where she always wanted
to be. If I were doing some chore around the house and not paying attention to
her, she would wind around my legs, scolding me.
Shortly after we took Bonnie intoour home, we ended up rescuing a beautiful seven-year-old Shar Pei/Husky mix.
We took Mina on what would have been the last day of her life otherwise. When
we brought her into our house, all the cats fled, except Bonnie. I was set to
try to gradually introduce them to each other when Bonnie walked straight up to
Mina, who was giant in comparison, and touched noses. From that second, they
were the best of friends, never apart.
Bonnie was the dominant member of
the pair, though. She would go nibble a few pieces of Mina’s dog kibble, and
Mina was then allowed to eat some of Bonnie’s food. They made a point to drink
out of each other’s water bowls also. At night, Mina would curl into a circle,
and Bonnie would curl up within its center. Mina showed affection by licking
Bonnie as if she were a puppy, and Bonnie tolerated it. Mina would bark at
suspicious noises at night, and Bonnie would stand behind her, mimicking her
stiff-legged posture and give the best imitations of a bark you ever heard from
a cat.
the pair, though. She would go nibble a few pieces of Mina’s dog kibble, and
Mina was then allowed to eat some of Bonnie’s food. They made a point to drink
out of each other’s water bowls also. At night, Mina would curl into a circle,
and Bonnie would curl up within its center. Mina showed affection by licking
Bonnie as if she were a puppy, and Bonnie tolerated it. Mina would bark at
suspicious noises at night, and Bonnie would stand behind her, mimicking her
stiff-legged posture and give the best imitations of a bark you ever heard from
a cat.
Then, Bonnie started eating less and
having bouts of loud crying that could only be assuaged by my holding her and
petting or by Mina licking her. When I took her to the vet, the word was that
the deadly liver cancer had finally hit this last living member of that
five-cat litter. We think she held the cancer at bay for those almost four
years by sheer strength of personality. She was finally somewhere where she
wasn’t the bullied runt—and we’d even found her a giant pet! She wasn’t about
to die when things were finally going so well for her.
having bouts of loud crying that could only be assuaged by my holding her and
petting or by Mina licking her. When I took her to the vet, the word was that
the deadly liver cancer had finally hit this last living member of that
five-cat litter. We think she held the cancer at bay for those almost four
years by sheer strength of personality. She was finally somewhere where she
wasn’t the bullied runt—and we’d even found her a giant pet! She wasn’t about
to die when things were finally going so well for her.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to
be done. As she got sicker, she cried more. Until Mina would wash Bonnie with
her big tongue, leaving her looking like a little drowned rat. But she was
always at peace and purring when Mina licked her or I held her. The vet said we’d
know when to bring her in one last time, and that point became clear one day.
We packed her carry-crate with lots of blankets and soft fabric because she was
so bony by then. Mina was licking her one last time. At the vet’s, Bonnie lay
in my lap, purring, as she slipped away peacefully.
be done. As she got sicker, she cried more. Until Mina would wash Bonnie with
her big tongue, leaving her looking like a little drowned rat. But she was
always at peace and purring when Mina licked her or I held her. The vet said we’d
know when to bring her in one last time, and that point became clear one day.
We packed her carry-crate with lots of blankets and soft fabric because she was
so bony by then. Mina was licking her one last time. At the vet’s, Bonnie lay
in my lap, purring, as she slipped away peacefully.
Mina was disconsolate for months and
then rallied to remain our wonderful friend for five more years before she left
us the same way. We laugh when we think of the surprise and joy those two friends
must have felt when their spirits encountered each other again. It’s a comfort
to think of them curled around each other at night as they were for so many
nights in our house—a true bonded pair.
then rallied to remain our wonderful friend for five more years before she left
us the same way. We laugh when we think of the surprise and joy those two friends
must have felt when their spirits encountered each other again. It’s a comfort
to think of them curled around each other at night as they were for so many
nights in our house—a true bonded pair.
by Linda Rodriguez
___________
Linda Rodriguez’s novel, Every Last Secret (Minotaur Books), won
the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. The
second book in the Skeet Bannion series, Every
Broken Trust, will be published in spring of 2013. Linda reads and writes
everything, even award-winning books of poetry and a cookbook, and she spends
too much time on Twitter as @rodriguez_linda.
She blogs about writers, writing, and the absurdities of everyday life
at http://lindarodriguezwrites.blogspot.com.
the Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. The
second book in the Skeet Bannion series, Every
Broken Trust, will be published in spring of 2013. Linda reads and writes
everything, even award-winning books of poetry and a cookbook, and she spends
too much time on Twitter as @rodriguez_linda.
She blogs about writers, writing, and the absurdities of everyday life
at http://lindarodriguezwrites.blogspot.com.
Linda, what a beautiful post. And welcome to our wonderful band of writers. We are so happy to have you. Thanks for joining us and sharing this heartwarming story. Maggie
Maggie, thanks for the warm welcome! I've enjoyed The Stiletto Gang for a long time, so it's lovely to join all of you.
What a sweet story. Thanks for sharing it.
Beautiful. Excuse me, I need to find the tissues.
Thanks for stopping by, Warren. I'm glad you liked it. They were really something!
Thanks, LD. I promise next time I won't make you cry!
Okay, this one needs a warning to not read at the office. Beautiful post. Welcome Linda to our "gang."
Rhonda
aka The Southern Half of Evelyn David
Ok, Linda, got the tears running down and sniffs going up because of your lovely story. I can't imagine you wanting to actually wear stilettos (is it a requirement?). So glad I've found another place to read your work, though..
Lovely and sad story. What good parents you are-pets, and people.
Okay,Linda: the tissue makers are going to get rich if you continue to write such poignant posts. (Since I have been reading you elsewhere I should have known that you would write such a moving contribution.)Yesterday someone tried to talk me into taking a kitten from a displaced litter and I said No,Thank You. Your post almost makes me want to reconsider. But I could never live up to your so compassionate example!
Glad to have another place to read your writing while I wait for another Skeet book!
Rhonda, thanks for your warm welcome and all your help getting started on the blog. (Rhonda is our tech goddess here.) Big hug!
Oh, Ann, when Ben heard I was joining The Stiletto Gang, he said, "You'll have to have your picture taken with the knife because you can't wear heels." But the lovely ladies here have allowed me in, anyway.
Thanks for stopping by!
Lil, so good to see you here. Thanks for stopping by.
I don't know that we're so good. Bonnie and Mina were just very special.
Deb, sweetie, I'm glad you found The Stiletto Gang. You're going to love the women who blog here!
Do reconsider the kitten if you are in a position to take care of it. I have found that rescue dogs and cats repay us with so much love and loyalty that they're worth the rearranging of our lives that goes along with taking them in.
Such a heartfelt story. Read it with a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye.