Bob's Corner
From our weekly issue dated August 19, 2009
Maui, our 2002 Biscuit Fire buddy
It never gets easier, no matter how many times the situation has arisen, when one has to bite the bullet, make that decision, be tough — and decide that it’s time for a pet to be sent to animal Heaven.
So it was early last week when we took little Maui, our 2002 Biscuit Fire buddy, to our veterinarian for The Injection. We pet lovers, you know, tend to use euphemisms for euthanasia (see animal Heaven, above: no pun intended). We say, “put down,” or “put to sleep.”
We should simply say “euthanasia.” Probably won’t though; it’s just a thought.
Anyway, Maui was hanging around a church we used to attend in Cave Junction. She was mostly wild, and mostly pregnant. Quite pregnant. We had stopped at the church to get something, or return something; I can’t remember which, while on our way out of town via motor vehicle.
Jan had been feeding the stray feline for some time, but because of her pregnancy, decided she needed more care. So, knowing that she had one chance only, she sweet-talked the small Siamese kitty into coming fairly close; then made a super grab and got hold of one of the beast’s legs so as to give it a home (not just the leg, but the entire cat). We took her home, and urgently told our house-sitter to take care of the feisty feline until we came back, then roared off to Interstate 5, as Jan doctored her scratch wounds from the grab.
Upon returning from our trip, and naming the kitty Maui because of her special “Maui”-sounding meow, it was not long before the former orphan gave birth to a litter of four in one of our closets. From that mass of mewing milk munchers, we kept one. He was the first born, and turned into a rather large guy.
We named him Bubba, and he now weighs around 18 pounds. He looks a lot like his mom, including six toes on each hairy foot, and having cool blue eyes. But he’s much bigger, as his mom was petite.
At the time of Maui’s “capture,” our veterinarian estimated that she was 6 years old. Couple that with the seven years since the Biscuit Fire, and that puts our girl at around 14. Couple that with the bleak life she led on the street before, and well, she was kinda’ beat, a bit worn. She had lived inside and outside with us, and was not always the best house guest. We loved her anyway.
Making the choice to end a pet’s life sometimes is delayed too long. Because we’re selfish, we don’t want to make the decision. But for a range of reasons, including her overall health and quality of life, it was time.
Aloha ‘oe, Maui ...
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