Born on January 29, 2007.
We didnt know Garfield at this point in life, but I do wonder what he looked like as a kitty...
Remember the day, the Sunday, we went to the SPCA for Alyssa’s birthday so she could get a cat. We were looking for Mama (cause we thought she was awesome, but really she’s just a stupid cat) Alyssa was looking around, and me and Michelle were too. Michelle is the first one that spotted Rosie (Mama) in the room. It was in the second hall way on the left. The second last one. Rosie was in the back, and you were in the front, on a little stool thing with a bed on it. You were looking right at us through the glass. I was more focused on mama. But I thought “What an evil looking cat” and you made me laugh. Then we got Alyssa and my mom and came back. We all went in and looked at Rosie. I said “look, that cat is staring at us. He looks evil.” My mom said “yeah, he does..” and when it was confirmed that we were going to get Rosie, I sat down and started petting you. I took a few pictures of you. You stared right at the camera. I’m not too sure how it happened, but I fell in love with you. You just stared at me. And you did that weird, happy breathing that you do- because your too fat to purr. My mom was looking at you the whole time too. She loved you, too. And then you put your hand on my nose. And the tears started to fall. I told you “You’re my dream cat. You’re the cat I’m gunna have in Heaven. I’ll meet you up there.” My mom went out of the room, and Michelle said “ARE YOU CRYING!?” and I said “He’s just so cute…” And then she said “AWE.” I told you. My mom was outside the door talking about getting you, and keeping you. She came in after a while and said “we’re leaving here with two damn cats!” But I could tell she was happy about it. My dad was a little ticked off, but not really. We watched a video on how to take care of you, all the other people in the room said “Wow, what a big cat” and we had to sign a waiver just to confirm that you were obese. You were in a kennel in the back of the car just chilling, and Rosie was freaking out. Your name used to be Archielies, we name you Garfield. Remember that?
Passed away on August 27, 2010.
I’m going to write out all the memories we have together, before I start to forget them, because I’m scared I’m going to forget them. But I thought I should write about you’re last day today because I know I’m going to block it out of my mind afterward. But I have to remember. Garfield, yesterday you were doing great. The vet actually said you were ‘smokin’ you just had a TINY little fever. But you were doing awesome. You were pretty stressed, though. We took you to the Meadow Brooke vet to get more syringes for you. And you peed on me on the way there… I still haven’t told anyone. I didn’t want anyone to get mad at you, or worry about you. I know how you like to pee when your stressed. Then we took you to pet smart. We got you two REALLY cute shirts to hide the tube going into your stomach, cause that thing is GROSS. When we were walking out of the store, I said “if he still has this by Halloween, we should get him a costume!” It made me pretty excited for Halloween… but only because *I thought* you’d be there. When we were at the checkout line, you were wearing your shirt and a chubby little boy was behind us and said to his mom “Awe, I wonder if they just bought that shirt.” I turned around and said “yeah, we did” He asked if he could pet you. I think you liked him. I smiled at him before we left the store. I was really happy. I was planning on taking a bunch of pictures of you in your new attire, and starting a collection of clothes for you… I thought that maybe next week, you could wear your fish outfit… and then came 7:00pm. You puked. A lot. And you didn’t stop. You puked until it was just a white foam- because there was nothing else inside you. And then you hid in the basement, crouched on the cement floor. Then we came up to my room, where you sleep. I put you on my bed, but not too long after you hid under it. Then you went to the closet. You laid on a pair of my shorts. I pet you for a while and you were breathing funny. I woke up my mom and we took a good look at you. But then you calmed down. We put you on my bed, but then you hid underneath. About twenty minutes later, I started hearing wheezing noises, and I brought my mom back in. You were getting worse, so we decided to take you to the emergency vet. I think that’s when I started to know. But I wasn’t focused on that. All I could think was “Garfield, its okay, its okay…” At 12:45am, we got to the vet. I remember driving there. I thought my mom was going really fast, but she wasn’t, not really. The roads were wet. We were getting all the green lights. I thought luck was on our side. You were so tired, you slept the whole way there. You love car rides. Which is awesome for a cat. I thought, “when I get my drivers license, I’m going to take you on drives. Just me and you, Garf.” I never did tell you that was my plan. When we got to the vet, the lady was just finishing up with another patient. It was a lady with a cute little puppy who had swallowed some rocks. When they left, the vet came to us. She was young and had blonde hair. The room reminded me of a laundry mat. There was a place for the desk in the right corner, and chairs along the wall. There was a TV behind the desk hanging from the ceiling. The show that was playing must have been from the 70’s or something. You wailed when we got in there. Really loudly. And then suddenly you stopped. And you were fine. And they couldn’t see anything wrong with you, except that you had a fever. So they gave us some medication. We asked for an x ray to make sure your tube hadn’t come out. But your tube wasn’t the kinds they were used to dealing with. Everything LOOKED normal, but they didn’t know FOR SURE. Then they gave you a needle for medication. You’re so good with needles. You stay so calm, and still. They said to you, “You’re a sweet kitty. Why can’t all cats be like you?” Then they told us they hope not to hear from us again. We hoped so too. And so we took you home. On the way home we got a lot of red lights. My mom ran through one. There was an ambulance driving around. It didn’t have it’s lights on, it was just driving. There were two men in there. At a stop light, one of them looked at me. I asked my mom what they were doing, my mom said she didn’t know. They were supposed to be in their station. and set you, in your carrier, on my bed. You stayed in there for a while, you were tired. And at peace. My mom said goodnight to you. I stayed up for a little while. I pet you on and off. You couldn’t get comfy. I was going to take off your shirt. But Im glad I didn’t. Then you jumped off my bed. I think you tried to go into the litter box, but you couldn’t move that much. You laid by my door. And I thought you might want to go sleep on the big stair in your other bed. But your paw was in the way, and I couldn’t open the door. You couldn’t even get up to go out. But you purred whenever I was near you. Then we went to bed. I woke up at 8:30 because my mom was feeding you. She said he had an appointment at 11, but I didn’t need to come. I was really tired. But then at 10:30 she woke me again. And told me I should come, because if the tube is out, she doesn’t want to put you through this again. She doesn’t want you to suffer, and that we might have to put you down. I went to the hallway and saw you laying by my parents room. You were laying right where I was standing the day I saw Grammy. I lay down next to you, and pet you. You were wheezing again. I knew then. I just knew. There was no way. You were going. I put on pants, and I tried to put you in your carrier but it hurt you too much. So my mom did. I kept it open so I could pet you. I brought you downstairs. Rosie and Sammy were looking at you. Sammy sniffed your carrier. You were falling asleep. You were dying. The car ride was quiet. You were on my lap the whole time. I pet you the whole time. All I was thinking was “Its okay, its okay…” the whole time we were driving there. Except at one point I thought “I just don’t want to have an empty carrier on the car ride home.” We were going the long way. I thought my parents were going the long way so I could have more time with you. I’m glad I got that time. They took you in right away at the vet. We waited in the exam room for a while. We pet you. We loved you. And I told you “It’s okay… its okay…” You kept wheezing. But I think you were trying to say you loved us too. The vet came in. He took you out of your carrier, but kept the bottom of the carrier, the soft part, underneath you. He looked at you. “wow.” You went downhill really fast. You were ‘smokin’ yesterday. The vet was stuttering. We knew he was going to get o the point but my mom just cut to the chase “we don’t wan’t him to suffer.” The vet started saying, “I know. We could try… but there isn’t much we can do.” And why try? At this point, you wanted to go. You were looking at me saying “mommy, it hurts. Help me.” And baby boy, that’s the only way I could help. The vet started telling me some of the things that could happen, your eyes will stay open, you might make a noise. But you wont be in pain. I said, “it’s okay.. its okay.” Then looked at you and repeated it over and over. You were looking me right in the eyes. But you were blurring. My tears were in the way. Then he took you away, to go shave part of you to find veins. He kept you on that warm, brown, blanket thing. My mom was bawling. She said, “I’m sorry, I cant be strong for you.” And I said, fairly dry eyed, “its okay… its okay.” My dad was talking a bit and crying a bit and I said “I know. Its okay.” .A lady came in. I picked out a white box for your ashes to go in. I don’t know why I thought it, I feel kind of bad for thinking it, but I thought “This will match my room. Hey Garf?” It felt like I was asking you for permission. And you let me. The vet came back, and told us he had to do it in his front paws, because the blood in your veins was so colorless and… dead. I said “Can I still pet him?” My voice sounded a lot braver, stronger, than I thought it would. He said I could. I sat down and pet you. You stared at me the whole time. The WHOLE time. We looked into each others eyes. I could see my reflection in your eyes. You could see your reflection in my eyes. I just know you could. I know for a second, it wasn’t an owner and a cat, it was a mommy and a son. And nothing else mattered. For a second, it didn’t matter that you were about to die. Nothing mattered but me and you. We were two souls. We were happy. We were together. And then he put the needle in you. But you kept looking at me. I said “It’s okay.. its okay…” my mom said, “go to sleep Garfield” but then you turned your head. It didn’t work. You wouldn’t go. They got another needle ready. You looked at me. You asked, “Mummy, whats happening?” And I said “Nothing. You’re happy. You’re okay. Its okay. I’m here. Im with you. Its okay.” I saw the needle go in, but in a split second, my eyes were back on you. You said “I love you.” I know you did. I know you did. And then your eyes rolled back a little. Your tongue stuck out. The needle came out. The vet said so quietly, “He’s gone now.” And I kissed you, and pet you, and said “It’s okay… Its okay… I love you, baby. I love you.” And your eyes were still open. You were still looking at me. And we sat in 20 minutes of silence. And it was just me and you. It wasn’t that depressing. It was just me and you. I was so focused on you, only you, that the background was just white. I pet you in between your eyes. You used to purr and close your eyes when I did that. It used to make you fall asleep. But your eyes stayed open that time. Because they couldn’t close. Because you were gone. I kissed you, and said we could go. My mom gave you her six quick kisses like she always did, and she cried a lot. Me and her left. And went to the car. I went home today with an empty carrier. And a heavy heart. But I knew then, and I know now, that I’ll see you again someday. I love you, son.
It’s okay… its okay.
