R.I.P. Jax

Above, Jax with Eric Jacobs a few years ago.

Followers of Nomadic Fanatic (Eric Jacobs) gave him a huge outpouring of condolences and support (4,500 comments and counting) over the passing of Eric's cat Jax. The video he posted yesterday on Jax's passing had to be the saddest video I've ever seen. It is on a blog post of October 19, but updated to include the video. It brought back memories of my cat Siren's passing six years ago. 

I have never met Eric or Jax in person. The closest was when they passed me on Interstate 40 near Iyanbito going in the opposite direction about a year ago.

Anyone who has followed the Nomadic Fanatic on YouTube over the years enjoyed the antics of Jax. I never knew a cat would play fetch like a dog until I saw a video of Jax years ago doing so. I've followed Eric's and Jax's RV travel adventures for about seven years.

Jax had to be euthanized as he was suffering from hyperthyroid, which is not unusual to older cats. Eric did the most humane thing he could. It was tough, but a necessary act of love. It was heartbreaking.

Jax was born in 2010. As he was about 11 years old, I thought that was a bit young. But I checked and indoor cats generally have a life expectancy (on average) of 10 to 15 years. Some live into their 20s.

The two cats I had before Sierra were indoor cats. Buttons lived to 16 years and Siren lived to 18 years. Sierra is now 6. 

Since I did some checking on hyperthyroid, I now know what it is and will make sure Sierra gets annual check-ups. 

Thankfully, we still have videos of Jax to enjoy. He will be missed. 

Ready For The New Arrival!

Above, the water pagoda and food bowls. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Well, I am now ready for our new arrival, Sierra.

On the way to picking up Denise from work (her Ford was in the shop with sensor problems), I stopped at Camping World in Newhall to pick up a couple of pet bowl sets (one for the house and one for the RV) that are pretty much mess-resistant, at least on the floors.

Although I have pet bowls already, and in good shape, they are old and were used by Buttons and Siren. As Sierra is a kitten, I thought I'd start things off on a fresh note with new things for her. She won't be "Hand-Me-Down Sierra". The new bowls are the same type so Sierra won't have any issues about different food bowls when she goes from the house to the RV.

Food and cat litter were bought a few nights ago.

Tomorrow is the day that I pick her up from the vet to bring her home for the first time. I don't know who is more excited, Amber or me.

It will be nice to have a cat running around the place again. 

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.

Message From Buttons?

Above, Siren.

Until a week ago Tuesday, we had two cats: Buttons and Siren. Buttons passed away at age 16 on November 8.

This week, Jessica and I noticed something different about Siren. She started to occupy the top of our sofa's backrest where Buttons used to sit. Then she started sniffing our hair exactly the same way Buttons used to (she'd push in the back of our heads with her nose). Siren never did this before. Jessica said Siren started doing this three days ago, exactly seven days after Buttons died.

It is freaky that this started suddenly. I told my daughter Amber about this and she found this to be freaky as well.

Maybe Buttons was sending a message?

A Death In The Family: Buttons, 1995 - 2011

Above, Buttons in 2007.

There's one thing that many of pet owners have to face sooner or later, and that is losing that pet. As pet lovers know, losing a pet is having a death in the family.

I had to face that reality today. Buttons, our 16 1/2 year old grey tiger tabby, died today as we were on our way to the veterinarian to have her euthanized. She had been rapidly declining for the past two weeks. Her breathing became laborous and she lost a lot of weight. She had be pretty fat all her life. She started shedding weight about a year or so ago.

We had taken her to the vet last Saturday and the vet said it was "old age." He gave us some Nutri-Cal goop that is loaded with nutrients and calories. We were hoping that she would get her old energy back. But it was to no avail.

I was in Gardena this morning when my roommate Jessica called to tell me that Buttons was extremely weak and seemed that she could die any minute.

I got home and found that Buttons barely had enough strength to crawl on the floor. I called my daughter Amber and told her of the situation and we need to end her suffering. She got to the house and we debated on whether we should have her euthanized or let her die at home. We decided that she could linger in misery for days and it would be more humane to have her "put to sleep." So we headed off to the vet for the sad task.

Buttons had other plans, however.

At about 2:35-2:40 today, Amber, Jessica and I were on our way to the vet. Amber held Buttons in her arms as we drove. Buttons squirmed a bit, seemingly to get more comfortable, and suddenly just went limp. We were hardly a block away from home when Amber said, "I think Buttons just died." We continued on to the vet, all the while Amber kept stroking Buttons' fur. We got to the vet and they confirmed that Buttons did pass away.

Amber took Buttons' passing hard (well, we all did, including Jessica), since Buttons was her cat since Amber was eight.

Buttons was born in our downstairs neighbor's apartment in 1995 when I lived in North Hills, California. Amber chose her within days of her birth. We waited a few weeks for Buttons to be weaned off her mother's milk and ready to join our household. Amber named our new kitten Buttons after my cousin Maria's cat Buttons.

She was not particularly a lap cat. She only wanted attention on her own terms. She liked to lie on top of my sofa's backrest and allowed me to use her as a pillow to rest my head. She also had a fetish about people's hair, especially hair just washed. She loved to stick her nose in it. She also had a loud meow and used it frequently.

It stuck the three of us that it was as if Buttons timed her passing for Amber's arrival and to die in Amber's arms instead of on a cold, stainless steel examination table. Before we left the house, one of us noted that Buttons was purring.

Needless to say, the ride home from the vet was very quiet. No one said a word.

It won't be the same without Buttons at home. She'll be missed.