Posted by Craig G. on 6/20/2007, 10:10 pm I am filled with mixed feelings of guilt, pain and grief. I keep trying to tell myself "you did the right thing, it was the humane thing to do". I know that is true, but my GOD it hurts so. I must thank the staff and especially the Doctor at the Niagara Emergency Vet Clinic in St. Catharines. They were all so very nice and understanding. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Goodbye Cleo, I miss you.
24.36.94.22
My wife and I have known each other for 19 years. My Cat Cleo was with me for 20 years. On Fathers day while celebrating the day with my family, Cleo the cat suffered heart failure. My wife called me in from outside in a panicked voice. Cleo was shaking and disoriented. She began to pant heavily and started to throw up violently. As my wife called the emergency vet clinic I rushed Cleo into the car with her beloved bed and drove the 30 km. trip much to fast to the clinic. Cleo always hated the car. She would always meow non-stop during any trip in a car.....but not today. She sat in her bed and panted and never made a noise. She hardly moved her head at all except to occasionally look at me as if to say "slow down so we can have some more time together." As we arrived at the clinic I scooped her up with her bed and were taken into an examination room. The doctor didn't have to say anything, I knew what was coming, and I believe Cleo did to. The doctor took her into another room and hooked up a catheter into her front leg. She brought her back into the exam room still in her bed and gave us as much time as we needed together. She told me I just had to knock on the rear door of the exam room and she would come back in and administer the final injection. How many tears can one person cry in only a few minutes ? Much too many to count. Cleo sat in her bed with a kind of puzzeled look on her face. She had never seen me cry before (I'm not a big cryer). I'm not sure if she knew what was about to happen. You see, she loved life, and people so much that I suppose I was looking for some kind of sign or acknowlegment from her that what was going to happen in the next few minutes was the right thing to do, but all she did was sit there quietly and watch me cry. No meow, no look of sadness, no look of judgement. The doctor came in and asked if I was ready. I heard my self say "yes" while every part of my being screamed "NO !". I held her head and the injection was made. Cleo looked at me and let out a quiet meow as the weight from her head slowly filled the palm of my hand. It was very peaceful and painless. I laid her down in her bed. The doctor said she was gone, but to me she was just sleeping, just has she had every night for the past 20 years. The doctor told me I could spend as much time as I wanted to with Cleo alone. I patted Cleo for several minutes,said a last goodbye, kissed her on her head and left her sleeping in her bed in the room.
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