It’s hard to believe that after almost 2 decades Dylan is no longer with me. I put some photographs here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/royyem/Dylan799061809#
Until recently all the photos I took are on slides and I don’t have the time to find and scan them in. I keep thinking of a “famous” one of teenage Lisa holding him as a kitten, which really brings home for me the amount of time that he was in our lives. It's interesting seeing in the other photos the many times he and Cutie lay in the same way or mirroring each other. I can't find the one that shows them in identical mirrored positions on either side of a divide - they couldn't see each other. They really were copy cats!
Dylan didn't start out very nice. He bit a lot. He used to attack our other cat, Morris, who eventually gave up and moved next door. Also, when petted too much Dylan would bite and draw blood. He also liked to run out of the house whenever we opened the door, then return hours later dirty and, once or twice, with fleas. Cutie would get pissed at him and attack him. In those days I referred to him as an "anti-social fuck".
In later years Dylan became much calmer and far more sociable. I can't remember when he started, but he almost always sat purring in my lap while I ate lunch and/or dinner. And lick the outside of my frosty mug. Sometimes when I was typing on the computer he'd lie on my lap or, annoyingly, walk across my keyboard.
Recently Dylan lost a lot of weight (he weighed less than 6 lbs, 1/2 his healthy weight) and the doctor said his kidneys were starting to fail. I tried several special foods that he didn't like. Also, his hind legs had grown weak and he had trouble with balance (although not with jumping). About 3 weeks ago it became apparent that he was really starting to go. On Tuesday the Dr. gave him fluids to perk him up, but that didn't help. Later I noticed that he was having trouble walking. Wednesday I called the vet but they were closed. It was a gorgeous day so I brought Dylan outside for a final time. He was genuinely curious, smelling the plants and the barbecue cover for a long time. Then, slowly but strongly, he walked around the entire house for a final time, then up the stairs to go back inside. It was a very touching valedictory lap. The next morning I brought him in.
In our "family" structure I called Dylan my buddy. He's the one who hung out with me around the house. I was so broken up for days before the end. Not knowing what was best for him, feeling the pain of not having him around anymore. Did a lot of crying. I'm about to go away for a couple of weeks, didn't have anyone who could really care for him, and didn't want to put him down because it was "convenient". I'm glad I didn't have to make that decision. And since he's gone I'm doing better than I was while anticipating it. Maggie and Cutie haven't been acting any different as far as I can tell.
I feel some release now that he's gone. But I'm really sad and miss him a lot at dinner time - that's when I get tearful. Goodbye Buddy, you were a real good pal.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
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