Gypsy

One of our favourite pics--Gypsy and Quin

   Later on today, we are off in order to have one of our cats, Gypsy, put to rest. She's been sick with a variety of ailments for some time now and when we got the results from her visit to the vet yesterday, it very unfortunately became clear that this is what we had to do.
   Gypsy was our first cat, as a new family. She was a "found" cat and the details on her life before she came to us are a little fuzzy, but she spent much of her time as a stray, hanging around a trailer park.
   She was a little too lovable to spend the rest of her life this way, though, and that is how she ended up with us. Because of her wandering lifestyle prior to us, we named her "Gypsy"!
   I have never considered myself to be a "cat" man, however, and needed to be convinced that having a cat around was the best thing. This was just prior to us getting together as a family and, at the time, I was living in a one bedroom apartment. I somewhat reluctantly found myself giving in to my Sweetie, though, and Gypsy soon arrived to keep me (and, later, us) company.

Gypsy curled up with her little sister, Squeaker

  
   It didn't take long to fall in love with her.
   As a reason to avoid having a cat (or any other kind of a pet, for that matter) I had offered up as excuses the facts that you need to take care of them, they can't tell you what's the matter if they're sick and the cost.

L-R Puffer, Squeaker and Gypsy. R-L indicates the pecking order!

   At that point I was sweet-talked into it, however, and soon Gypsy arrived at the apartment with her food and litter box. One of my fears was that she would "get in the way" (of what, I really wasn't sure). This, of course, was a groundless fear, I barely knew she was there! If I remained stationary for any great length of time she would seek me out but she also seemed quite happy doing her own thing. And she essentially took care of herself, as cats are wont to do.
   I hadn't really counted on this, this bold non-interference by this new cat in my life!
   The time she sought me out the most was at bedtime, soon after I headed off she'd hop up on the bed, find a cozy little corner and we were both down for the night.
   Not long after this we found ourselves together as a family of five in a townhouse. One cat became two became three, with the addition of Squeaker and then Puffer. It took some time but eventually the three of them established their own pecking order, with Gypsy at the top. The other two basically didn't mess with Gypsy and she, in her own right, had little time for them and their hi-jinx.
   One of my earliest and fondest memories of Gypsy went back to the townhouse; we had computer desks set up in the livingroom and I would be busy working away at one of them and Gypsy would get up on the back of the armchair behind me and very gingerly reach out and tap me on the shoulder. This was a "remember me" kind of a tap and it was hard not to turn around every time and spend a little time scratching her around the ears or under her chin. It struck me at the time as being one of the most "human" things I'd seen an animal do and hard not fall a little more in love with her every time!

If you were wondering where all the static went...

   As time went on Gypsy asserted herself more and more with the other two. She didn't try and intimidate them but would not put up with them either, many of their attempts to engage her resulted in a barrage of hissing and face-washes, on a fairly regular basis. The other two would tangle with each other but never with Gypsy!
   So Gypsy was the kind of cat who kind of went around doing her own thing, never played too much (if she chased a toy mouse for any more than three seconds we'd all look at each other and say "What the heck was all THAT about?!") and was not that interested in interacting with anyone on their terms.
   At the same time, though, she was the cat that would end up on your lap, you'd look down and wonder just how long she'd been there! It wasn't that she really needed petting at the time, she just wanted to be on you. When she did want to be petted, she simply walked over to where you were, plopped herself down and rolled over on to her back, exposing her belly to whatever ministrations you were able to accord her.

Gypsy, with Squeaker, doing her "ignoring" thing.

   So, as I am prone to do when blogging, I started writing this earlier in the day and am finishing it at the end of the day. This afternoon Doralyn, Keenan, Callum, Quinlan and I took Gypsy to the vet and had her put to sleep. Essentially we were fine (on the outside) right until we entered the exam room. It was like we all took a look at each other, knew why we were there, and the tears started to flow. A lady came in and took Gypsy away to insert an IV. She then brought her back. Shortly after that, the vet entered the room and helped Gypsy pass over into whatever kind of kitty heaven there exists. Many tears at this point, some petting, hugs, kisses,  and a final goodbye.

Gypsy, asleep

   I have been finding  it terribly ironic that I just finished writing a blog called "Saying Goodbye" and here we were, doing just that. It's amazing how attached you can become to your pets. In retrospect, I think it's because they represent unconditional love. They only ask for food and water and if you give them this and don't abuse them they will love you to the ends of the earth. This is the reciprocating relationship we had with Gypsy. This, indeed, is the relationship we have with all our cats. It is unfamiliar to have to say goodbye to a cat. I hope it's something we never become too familiar with.
   So tonight Gypsy is no longer with us. This is not to say that she is too far away though. I am sure that there is somewhere we, as humans, go when we pass away. If I am sure of that then I am just as sure that Gypsy is now pain-free and somehow still near.