Fred's Story
The Following story was contributed by Fred, a 17 year old cat with diabetes who Tenth Life was proud to help. Fred only lived a few months in our care before succumbing to his Diabetes, but we made sure they were the best months we could give him. All of us at Tenth Life loved Fred and believe he was happy with us. He is still missed.
I'm not pretty. Not even the world's greatest liars could call me that. Maybe I was once. My ears are nearly gone. Bitten off by frost and other enemies. My hair doesn't gleam. It's a matted mess, home to insects and filth. I should be glad that I have this infection in my eyes. I can't see the revulsion in your face any more when you look at me.
You used to love me. I spent many winter nights dreaming beside you in your bed. You would talk to me. And I could tell that you adored me. When you called my name, your voice was full of hope that I'd come running. And I would.
Of course there were others who lived with us. But I was your favorite. Every time you touched me, it was with love and what felt like reverence.
Then he came. A Persian you called him, although we both know he is no more pedigreed than I. Yes, his hair is long and beautifully white. His different colored eyes are lovely. You clearly thought he had more worth than any of us. Myself included.
As though he knew what you thought of him, he instantly started fighting with all of the rest of us. Whenever there were fights, you always came to his aid. Soon all of us except him had to stay outside. We weren't allowed the warm safety of your home. You didn't want anyone to hurt your new favorite.
That was seven years ago. Within a few months, most of the others left. Hoping to find homes elsewhere. Some of them died. But not me. I stayed here. I never strayed. I never left sight of your home. For seven years, I have stayed here, waiting outside your door for you to let me in again. I’ve never given up on you.
Yesterday, a woman came. I hid in the bushes. You talked to her about me. You told her that I liked to be touched, but that you couldn't stand to touch me. You hate the feel of the sores on my head. You talked with her while she put out a big metal box. She had left a big plastic box behind her car. You talked with her for several minutes.
Then you called to me. I thought I heard love in your voice again. I left the safety of the bushes to run to you. But you stepped away and the other woman approached. I couldn't really see her, but with what's left of my ears, I could hear her. She talked softly to me. I don't know what she said, but I heard a promise of kindness in her voice. I didn't really trust her. I backed away. Then she produced some tuna. I could barely smell it, with my nose as infected as it is. But I was hungry. And whether or not this woman could be trusted, I knew tuna could.
As I ate the tuna, she touched my head. She was gentle and loving when she touched me. I liked her. Then she gripped the back of my neck. Tightly. While picking me up, she took my back legs in her other hand. She carried me toward her car. She asked you to open the plastic box. You did. How could you? She was taking me away and you were letting her. Before I could stop her, I was in the box. Fear seized me. I hissed at the plastic prison. I tried to break through it. I could not.
The woman put a blanket over the box. It became dark inside. I stopped fighting. Then she lifted the box and I knew I was in her car. I heard her getting her metal box. You were talking to her. You thanked her for coming to take me. You said it had been a hassle to have me around. You said you knew she'd be nice to me. I hoped you were right. Then I heard you go into your house and bring out your only cat. I heard you talking about how beautiful and special he is.
The woman put the metal cage in her car. She started closing the doors. You didn't come to say goodbye. You simply stood on your lawn holding your "Persian" with love and pride.
The woman got into the car and drove away. I was leaving my home. I was leaving you. I cried out and she responded. She spoke kindly to me again. Then I heard music around me and I didn't feel so alone.
Some time later, I found myself inside a building. Another woman pulled me from the box. I was frightened. This other woman touched me kindly. Her voice sounded kind but sad. She poked me with needles and then put me back in the box.
I went back to the woman's car. I waited for what felt like a long time before she took me back out of her car. She carried me into a house. It was warm and smelled like other cats. And dogs. It smelled like a family lived there.
She carried me into a room and pulled me from the box. She put a piece of plastic in my mouth and some foul tasting liquid burst out of it and into my throat. Then she put drops in my eyes. They felt funny, but didn't hurt. Lastly, she put scary smelling liquid on my head. Then she placed me in a big metal box with some food, clean water, a box full of dirt and some blankets.
Later she brought a man to visit me. They both touched me gently. Neither called me ugly. The man called me a "poor guy."
I spent the night warm and safe. I ate the food. I think it tasted good. The woman came back this morning and put the plastic in my mouth again. More terrible tasting liquid, but different from yesterday's. More drops in my eyes.
Then she did something nobody has done in seven years. She sat me on her lap and touched me. She scratched under my chin, rubbed my back and even rubbed what's left of my ears.
If I ever see again, I don’t think I’ll find revulsion on her face.
I'm not pretty. Not even the world's greatest liars could call me that. Maybe I was once. My ears are nearly gone. Bitten off by frost and other enemies. My hair doesn't gleam. It's a matted mess, home to insects and filth. I should be glad that I have this infection in my eyes. I can't see the revulsion in your face any more when you look at me.
You used to love me. I spent many winter nights dreaming beside you in your bed. You would talk to me. And I could tell that you adored me. When you called my name, your voice was full of hope that I'd come running. And I would.
Of course there were others who lived with us. But I was your favorite. Every time you touched me, it was with love and what felt like reverence.
Then he came. A Persian you called him, although we both know he is no more pedigreed than I. Yes, his hair is long and beautifully white. His different colored eyes are lovely. You clearly thought he had more worth than any of us. Myself included.
As though he knew what you thought of him, he instantly started fighting with all of the rest of us. Whenever there were fights, you always came to his aid. Soon all of us except him had to stay outside. We weren't allowed the warm safety of your home. You didn't want anyone to hurt your new favorite.
That was seven years ago. Within a few months, most of the others left. Hoping to find homes elsewhere. Some of them died. But not me. I stayed here. I never strayed. I never left sight of your home. For seven years, I have stayed here, waiting outside your door for you to let me in again. I’ve never given up on you.
Yesterday, a woman came. I hid in the bushes. You talked to her about me. You told her that I liked to be touched, but that you couldn't stand to touch me. You hate the feel of the sores on my head. You talked with her while she put out a big metal box. She had left a big plastic box behind her car. You talked with her for several minutes.
Then you called to me. I thought I heard love in your voice again. I left the safety of the bushes to run to you. But you stepped away and the other woman approached. I couldn't really see her, but with what's left of my ears, I could hear her. She talked softly to me. I don't know what she said, but I heard a promise of kindness in her voice. I didn't really trust her. I backed away. Then she produced some tuna. I could barely smell it, with my nose as infected as it is. But I was hungry. And whether or not this woman could be trusted, I knew tuna could.
As I ate the tuna, she touched my head. She was gentle and loving when she touched me. I liked her. Then she gripped the back of my neck. Tightly. While picking me up, she took my back legs in her other hand. She carried me toward her car. She asked you to open the plastic box. You did. How could you? She was taking me away and you were letting her. Before I could stop her, I was in the box. Fear seized me. I hissed at the plastic prison. I tried to break through it. I could not.
The woman put a blanket over the box. It became dark inside. I stopped fighting. Then she lifted the box and I knew I was in her car. I heard her getting her metal box. You were talking to her. You thanked her for coming to take me. You said it had been a hassle to have me around. You said you knew she'd be nice to me. I hoped you were right. Then I heard you go into your house and bring out your only cat. I heard you talking about how beautiful and special he is.
The woman put the metal cage in her car. She started closing the doors. You didn't come to say goodbye. You simply stood on your lawn holding your "Persian" with love and pride.
The woman got into the car and drove away. I was leaving my home. I was leaving you. I cried out and she responded. She spoke kindly to me again. Then I heard music around me and I didn't feel so alone.
Some time later, I found myself inside a building. Another woman pulled me from the box. I was frightened. This other woman touched me kindly. Her voice sounded kind but sad. She poked me with needles and then put me back in the box.
I went back to the woman's car. I waited for what felt like a long time before she took me back out of her car. She carried me into a house. It was warm and smelled like other cats. And dogs. It smelled like a family lived there.
She carried me into a room and pulled me from the box. She put a piece of plastic in my mouth and some foul tasting liquid burst out of it and into my throat. Then she put drops in my eyes. They felt funny, but didn't hurt. Lastly, she put scary smelling liquid on my head. Then she placed me in a big metal box with some food, clean water, a box full of dirt and some blankets.
Later she brought a man to visit me. They both touched me gently. Neither called me ugly. The man called me a "poor guy."
I spent the night warm and safe. I ate the food. I think it tasted good. The woman came back this morning and put the plastic in my mouth again. More terrible tasting liquid, but different from yesterday's. More drops in my eyes.
Then she did something nobody has done in seven years. She sat me on her lap and touched me. She scratched under my chin, rubbed my back and even rubbed what's left of my ears.
If I ever see again, I don’t think I’ll find revulsion on her face.
Part II
Fred was kind enough to continue his story a bit more before he left us. Here's what he said:
I can see again. The woman who took me to her home doesn't look at me with disgust. She has kind eyes. Her hands are always gentle when she touches me. But she is odd. She seems so nice, but she squirted that horrible stuff in my mouth every day for nearly a week.
Then, after about a week, she took me back to that place where they spoke kindly but put needles in me. I tried to be brave. One lady put a needle in the very big lump that has been growing on my left hip. She called it a "cyst" after she pulled a bunch of liquid from it. It hurt but not alot. Then she put a needle in my stomach to pull pee from my bladder. Later she said there was blood in my pee. She isn't sure why.
After that, she took me back to the woman who I've been staying with. (I think her name is Charndra, but it might be Hunny. I've heard her being called both.) They talked about me for a long time, and both petted me the whole time. It was like being in heaven. The woman who I found out was called "The Vet" opened my mouth and she and Charndra/Hunny looked at my teeth and gums. My gums had a really bad infection in them. It had been making it hard for me to eat. Then The Vet put another needle in me. This one was antibiotics which are supposed to make my mouth better and help me breathe.
Then Charndra/Hunny took me back to her house. That was a week ago.
Charndra/Hunny still puts stuff in my eyes, but she hasn't been putting any bad tasting liquid in my mouth. My mouth really does feel better. (Maybe that needle worked.) I also feel better all over. I have been eating more again and I don't feel sick afterward. In fact, I am eating four cans of food a day.
Hunny says that the soft food won't hurt my teeth as much and she'll give me nothing but cans of food until my gums are completely better. She said that soon she is going to take me back to The Vet so she can clean my teeth, remove my cyst and Newter me. I don't know what the last part means, but she said it is good for me and I have to believe her.
This lady is odd, but she seems to really care about me and helping me feel better. I am so glad my mom called her. She must really have loved me after all to find such a kind person to help me.
I can see again. The woman who took me to her home doesn't look at me with disgust. She has kind eyes. Her hands are always gentle when she touches me. But she is odd. She seems so nice, but she squirted that horrible stuff in my mouth every day for nearly a week.
Then, after about a week, she took me back to that place where they spoke kindly but put needles in me. I tried to be brave. One lady put a needle in the very big lump that has been growing on my left hip. She called it a "cyst" after she pulled a bunch of liquid from it. It hurt but not alot. Then she put a needle in my stomach to pull pee from my bladder. Later she said there was blood in my pee. She isn't sure why.
After that, she took me back to the woman who I've been staying with. (I think her name is Charndra, but it might be Hunny. I've heard her being called both.) They talked about me for a long time, and both petted me the whole time. It was like being in heaven. The woman who I found out was called "The Vet" opened my mouth and she and Charndra/Hunny looked at my teeth and gums. My gums had a really bad infection in them. It had been making it hard for me to eat. Then The Vet put another needle in me. This one was antibiotics which are supposed to make my mouth better and help me breathe.
Then Charndra/Hunny took me back to her house. That was a week ago.
Charndra/Hunny still puts stuff in my eyes, but she hasn't been putting any bad tasting liquid in my mouth. My mouth really does feel better. (Maybe that needle worked.) I also feel better all over. I have been eating more again and I don't feel sick afterward. In fact, I am eating four cans of food a day.
Hunny says that the soft food won't hurt my teeth as much and she'll give me nothing but cans of food until my gums are completely better. She said that soon she is going to take me back to The Vet so she can clean my teeth, remove my cyst and Newter me. I don't know what the last part means, but she said it is good for me and I have to believe her.
This lady is odd, but she seems to really care about me and helping me feel better. I am so glad my mom called her. She must really have loved me after all to find such a kind person to help me.
