Jake and Bathsheba

A blog by two cats who used to live in the same house in Northern Virginia. Unfortunately, they are both no longer with us.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Sad News

Hi, Emerson here with some sad news. My big sister Bathsheba is not well. She has a tumor in her mouth and it is something called squamous cell carcinoma. That's a fancy way of saying she has the dreaded cancer. She is hardly eating. Mommie is very sad about this turn of events. Only something called palliative care is really an option for Sheba now. I will try my best not to be a pest to her.

Love & purrs,
Emerson

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Sunday, October 04, 2009

Meet Mr. RW Emerson

Hi! I'm Emerson, the new kitten here.

Finally, I get to tell you my story.



I was born in June, and when I was a tiny kitten, someone brought my sister and me to the animal shelter. I don't really remember that time, but we were fostered for a while. My sister found a forever home, but I had to wait longer because I had a virus. I was finally given a clean bill of health by the doctor, and on Friday, September 11, my mommie visited the animal shelter after work and she saw me all alone in my cage. That's me in my cage in the photos in the previous post.
I played with my mommie through the little holes in the glass. She had to wait until almost closing time before she got to play with me in the play room because the staff was busy with some other people and their adoptions.



She filled out the paperwork to adopt me and learned that she could not take me home until I was "fixed." She was surprised that 12-week old kittens could be neutered because her previous kitties had the operation at six months. The shelter staff made the appointment for Monday, September 14 and the plan was for Mommie to pick me up the next day.


Mommie got a call from the veterinarian on Monday.
I was very sick with a high fever and viral infection--much too sick for my operation. The animal shelter director even called my mommie and asked her if she wanted a different kitty since I was so sick. Thank goodness she said no.
I was hospitalized for several days, but on Thursday, September 17 my mommie paid lots of green papers and got to bring me home.




I was so excited, but she was told that I had to stay in a confined place and remain relatively quiet. I had three different medicines. I wasn't allowed to meet the big kitty that already lived here. Mommie put me in the room she calls the library because it has many books and bookcases. She named me Mr. Ralph Waldo Emerson. I think she has high literary hopes of me and expects me to be a great writer or something. But I'm just a little kitten and I want to PLAY.


I had a checkup on Monday, September 28 and I was finally well! Except that I had a clogged tear duct in my right eye which might be chronic. Sigh. Mommie made an appointment for my neutering operation which some of you call a hooha-ectomy. That was done on September 30 and I got to go home that evening. The vet staff told Mommie that I was to remain confined and quiet for another TWO WEEKS. NO! I wanted to play and meet the other kitty.

I was fine after my operation and my mommie decided that I could assimilate into the family sooner rather than later. I got to meet Bathsheba. She greeted me with a hiss--and more hisses, but she has never hit me. In fact, she usually walks away from me and I just want to get to know her. I follow her around sometimes; she is my idol. I don't know why she doesn't seem to want to be my friend.
Here we are together on the deck. My orange coat makes me almost invisible.







Here I am with Bathsheba while she sleeps in her favorite spot in the kitchen. I love the bay window.





I know that I cannot fill the hole in Mommie's heart that Jake left, but I intend to bring joy to her life because I am very happy to have a forever home. Here I am posed next to a photo of Jake in a frame that Jeter's mom made for Mommie.
Thank you for reading my story.
Love and purrs,
~Emerson

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