No the Best of Days

Rest in Peace, Chloe

I had to have Chloe, one of my indoor kitties put to sleep tonight. She has been suffering from a respiratory infection off and on for a few months. I thought it was just a "kitty cold" and that she had gotten better, but these last two weeks, she took a turn for the worse. The big problem is that she has been a chronic "hidey cat" since I got her and had never warmed up to me to let me handle her. Her life has been one of alternate under the bed, out on the cat tree, under the couch, hide in the closet, etc. for several years.

Once I knew she needed to get veterinary care, I was not able to capture her until this morning. I was pretty sure then that the ending would not be good. She was very thin, dehydrated, and in very bad condition.

The vet said he was pretty sure there was something else more serious than pneumonia going on because her temperature was below normal. My choices were limited to some dramatic, expensive medical care and tests that would have no guarantees, a more conservative course of "try it and wait" antibiotics, leaving the poor girl miserable for who knows how long, or euthanasia. I've been there before with elderly cats and made the final choice.

Her ending was peaceful, one big sigh and then relief from her misery.

She is now in the rose garden with some of my other kitties.

I guess knowing what was likely to happen was nagging in the back of my brain all day. I just was not quite up to par. My shoulder is still sore, my neck was bothering me a bit, and I had all kinds of work I needed to do. Fortunately, I was able to get all but one class's grades entered into my computer program, so I should be done by the Friday deadline to get the third marking level grades in on time. Tomorrow I will be out of the classroom all day working on curriculum at the Board of Ed, so that puts a crimp in my style for sure. So few of the kids who were missing work turned it in.

It looks like I will have a good number of students not passing. Does that mean round 3 of horrendous parent conferences? Ugh.

So, this is the horse blog. My chiropractor said I could ride the horse that doesn't fall down. I just need to be really careful with how I use my right shoulder. With the cat situation, I didn't really have time to take up that challenge anyhow...gee, picking the right horse....h-m-m-m-m.

I have to admit Chance is being awfully friendly. He usually is, but I noticed he was watching for me a bit more than usual tonight. I would suspect he understands he was part of something where I got hurt, and is just a little concerned. I keep teasing him and calling him "fumblefoot," and such, but not to make him feel bad, just out of affection. It reminds me of two lovely big horses that used to compete when I was still jumping. One was named, "Ifaudown," and the other one was "Igoboom." Somehow, they too might have had "chancey" childhoods.

The weather is supposed to finally clear up tomorrow and Friday. Sometime, then, I hope to get my hay...if I can get out of the teachers' meeting tomorrow....or...when I have time. *sigh*