After Siren

The apartment is strangely quiet.

Although Siren had been ill for a little over a month, it seems very different that she is not here. She was my shadow and lap cat whenever I would watch television. She was a great companion and had a great personality. I could not have asked for a better cat.

She was born in my parents' garage in Hawthorne on Fourth of July 1997. She was sickly in the beginning. But Amber chose her and we nursed to health. She was even a playful kitten when she was sickly. She stayed a playful cat even when she got older.

Usually, when I got up in the morning or home from work, Siren would head to the kitchen to be fed and I would give her her medication. This morning, when I got up to heat up some coffee and prepare her food, she didn't come out to the kitchen. I didn't see her. I noticed that the vertical blinds behind a bookcase were a little askew. Siren would sometimes lie there. I went over and noticed that she was not moving and her eyes were open, she appeared to have died during the night. I immediately texted Amber.

When I cleared everything away to get to Siren, I found that she had been dead for some time. Amber called and I told her and she then called the vet to arrange for me to bring Siren's body there.

When we brought her in to the vet to be checked last week, I thought that they would recommend putting her to sleep. She didn't seem to be improving. They found that she had a mass in her chest area and thought maybe it had something to do with her lymph nodes (or even lymphoma). But, they didn't recommend putting her to sleep and wanted to try a different medication as she was stable.

Amber gave her medication (by injection) last evening. She was glad to have been able to see her for one last time.

Despite all, Siren still ate like a horse, even though she didn't gain weight.

It has become evident to me that when a cat gets old, they start dropping weight. Buttons, who died four years ago, was always fat, but she shed weight several months before she died. It seems to be a tell-tale sign that the end is not in the too distant future.

Should I get another cat? I haven't yet decided. While I like the company of a pet, by not having one means I don't have to adjust my life around the care of an animal. It takes responsibility to be a pet-owner. I will probably decide after the Japan trip on whether or not to get another cat. My age is a major consideration.

Besides the enjoyment of having a pet, another reason to consider getting one is there are so many who need homes. There are a couple of kittens at the vet's office that are up for adoption. If I do get another cat, it would be from there or from a shelter.

If I do get another cat, I'll have to get it used to traveling in a motorhome. Siren was too old to get her used to traveling. I considered taking her with us to Yellowstone, but the vet recommended not taking her due to her age (18). A new cat will have to get used to having a harness on and walking with a leash.

Much as I like the personalities of male cats, they tend to spray around the house if they are kept indoors. Buttons and Siren were totally indoor female cats. So if I get another cat, it will be another female.

If the Nomadic Fanatic can live and travel in a motorhome with a cat, I guess I can too. I just have to make up my mind.