You cannot imagine how guilty I feel! I have killed the cat!
Firstly, so that you are aware I personally am not a cat lover. In our early years Sexy Sporty Dad persuaded me to have a pure grey kitten, Buttons. I think the idea was to steer me away from wanting babies. Buttons, beautiful as she was; was a flirt, as soon as a man walked through the door she would be all over him, winding her way round his legs, purring softly, she would roll over on her back expectantly, her colouring and big eyes melted many a man’s heart and he would bend down and tickle her. A typically jealous female she resented me. Sexy Sporty Dad would kiss me hello or goodbye, instantly she would be between us; spitting and giving me the evil eye. Sadly, and nothing to do with me, as No 1 Son was born Buttons developed feline leukaemia. Following progressively ferocious fits she had to be put down.
Now I avoid cats as much as possible, conversely they single me out. I am the quiet person in a room of chattering feline loving females but the cat always chooses to sit on my lap! I do look after and feed my neighbours cats while she is away on her carefree holidays, content in the knowledge they are being cared for! It is a reciprocal arrangement she looks after our two rabbits and our now one cockatiel when we venture away.
Tetley.
My neighbour, Natty has or rather had two beautiful fur balls; twin cats Tetley and Tilly, who roam the neighbourhood freely. Everyone knows and loves them, they in turn are happy to be loved by all. Tilly is far more of a cat than her brother; she will go out and hunt in the fields behind the houses, bringing back little treasures for her mistress. Happy to be picked up and loved but eager then to escape on to the next adventure. A little promiscuous she flirts with all the other cats in the area though there is no one special in her life except her brother.
Tetley, got his genes mixed up when he was born; more of a baby or puppy than any cat. He is a large ball of fur who has to be with people. He will not venture far from home except to school where he follows Natty to collect her son. He can often be found curled up on someone’s bed having sneaked through an open door.
He will sit and watch for hours while the rabbit, having escaped, plays happily in the garden. His fur on end, ready to pounce until the rabbit looks at him and he runs crying from the garden. Sneaking unnoticed into our house he stands on tip toes holding the birdcage just watching the bird. Reg the very grumpy cockatiel does not take kindly to this and having pecked Tetley once in a lifetime, only needs to look in his direction to again send the cat crying from the room. This huge ball of fur was happiest when picked up and cradled like a baby; he could stay like that for hours if ever given the chance. Exercise was not Tetley’s speciality; he would prefer to be cuddled or just allowed to sit in the sun on any surface that caught the day’s rays.
So it came to pass that I was left on Saturday in charge of both cats as Natty departed for her hols. That evening I dutifully went across, calling and whistling for the cats. Tetley was on the doorstep waiting. I opened the door expecting him to twist and turn around my feet in his eagerness to get to the kitchen, instead he cried pathetically and walked upstairs.
Although his behaviour registered slight alarm I figured he was missing the sound of children in the house and fed him as usual. Returning early on Sunday I found he had not eaten anything. Now, I was worried, no matter how much he missed the family Tetley always managed a little comfort food. I found him asleep on the spare bed and as he was not very willing to move I lifted him downstairs and out. Tetley was seen shortly after stalking our rabbit cage.
We returned quite late and let Tilly in for her tea but Tetley was nowhere to be found. I guessed he must have wandered into an open house for warmth and food. How wrong I was!
Next morning I found Tetley in the den the children had made a day or so before, curled round a blanket. Although definitely breathing he showed no interest in me, even when I spoke to him on my way past with the morning’s first load of washing to hang out.
I knew then he was unwell and this was a job for the vet. There are two vets in town but which one did Tetley belong to? Did he have an account? I couldn’t go running up vet bills on someone else’s account. Carefully I carried the prone body of the sleepy cat in to the house, wrapped in the blanket. He moaned; a quiet painful moan that will haunt me forever. I gave him a bowl of water which initially he ignored. Later he woke momentarily and manoeuvred himself painfully to the bowl, lapped some water then fell asleep, head in the water.
Holiday or no holiday I phoned. Like all good comedy films, Natty was in an area of poor reception and a stilted conversation ensued where she only managed to hear two or three words from each sentence I said. We then got cut off.
Realising it was important, she found a spot in the holiday house with at least a margin of reception and called me back, just as I finished typing a long text. We agreed the Vet was needed. She arranged for her brother, plus cat basket to come to collect the ailing Tetley.
“Tetley had kidney failure and had to be put to sleep. There was no way of knowing that it was happening to him, so please don’t feel bad.” My text bleeped a couple of hours later.
Bad! I don’t feel bad, I feel awful, I feel guilty, I feel as if I have let not only Natty down, but her son Mini Nat, Tilly and most of all Tetley. 227 days into the year and he fell ill on the second day of Natty’s holiday. It was always going to be a sad day when one of the cats died but it was not supposed to happen when I was in charge. I will understand if next holiday, that is if she ever goes away again, Natty asks someone else to look after Tilly.
Tilly is bewildered, she knows something is wrong, she keeps coming to me and looking up and crying “where is he?” How do I explain to a cat that her twin is gone?
Tetley, sadly missed, Rest in Peace!
Tiggy