Hi.
If you have a cat, do me a favor and never let it outside, unless you have a yard with a cat-proof fence. And even then, do NOT let your cat outside unsupervised.
While I was driving home tonight, I saw a furry lump in the middle of the road at an intersection with it's eyes still shining in reflection of my headlights, and at first I thought, 'What a shame, that poor little raccoon, I hope it went fast.'
But as I passed it, I saw a pink little nose. And stripes. And no black mask. It was a cat.
I doubled back at the next road and returned to the intersection, jumping out of my car and grabbing the fleece blanket I keep in my trunk for emergencies. I ran to the corner, wincing as each car flew past the lifeless lump, and I crouched low trying to see if the kitty was breathing. As soon as the light turned red and the cars stopped, I flew to it, talking softly as I scooped it up into my blanket.
It was still warm.
I cradled in my arms a lifeless, warm kitty, obviously loved: well-fed with soft, striped fur. I laid the kitty next to my car and ran to unlock my doors - in my haste to get to the cat, I had left all doors but the driver's side locked. I ran back around and reached into the blanket, slightly lifting a leg and squeezing for a pulse. I felt none.
I opened my passenger-side door and gently laid the kitty on the floor, still wrapped in the fleece blanket, and I asked it to hold on. As I tried to get to my driver's side, an old Monte Carlo and new Mustang peeled out of the street, their tires squealing in a 'hey, look at me compensating for the miniscule size of my penis' move. I flipped them off and jumped into my car, waiting the seconds that felt like hours for the light to turn.
I don't remember how long it took me to get to the vet. But I had the time to call ahead and leave a message warning them that I was coming - I didn't know the way to the 24-hour emergency clinic in our area and I now plan to make the drive this weekend, just so I do. But that didn't matter tonight...
I tore into the lot in a move that would have impressed the teeny-genetalia'd Monte Carlo and Mustang drivers. After dealing with a stupid tech who wouldn't open the door for me at first ('we're closed', he mouthed), I laid the kitty on the receptionist's desk. I told them where I found it and that I tried to feel for a femoral pulse but couldn't find one. Stupid tech immediately asked me if I palpated the cat. I said, "No, I wanted to get it to a vet as soon as possible." He did that while I lightly tapped the corners of the kitty's eyes, something I remembered from my vet days in the hopes of getting some sort of blink response - there was none. It was then I noticed the blood on the blanket, that had either come from kitty's mouth or ear.
The receptionists were really sweet, they told me that they were the city vet anyway (meaning all found animals go to them), and that they'd make sure the kitty wouldn't suffer. And with that guarantee, I was about to leave. They offered me my blanket back, I told them to bleach it and use for their patients, or throw it out... it didn't cost me much. Plus it was brand new and soft, and it would work as a nice recovery blanket for some pet coming out of surgery. When stupid tech picked up the kitty to bring to the vets in the back, I left.
I stopped on the way home for alcohol - I think I've earned it - and when I got home, I repeatedly hugged and kissed my Benny and Joon, then moved on to my roomie's Scooby and Oreo.
I realized - I'm not as 'hard' as I was when working at the vet. We'd often get HBC's (hit by cars), and I could deal with them. Hell, I was the tech who used to work all the euthanasias! I was 'good' at it! But that kitty hit me square in the chest tonight... I watched his eyes take on the same glaze that each of my euthanasia patients took... only, there was no euthanasia solution flowing through this cat's veins.
Right now, Benny has his paws resting in my lap, while gazing up at me and purring. I don't know if I can convey to him how much I love him right now, and how grateful I am that he and Joon were
brought in from that woodpile two years ago.
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