R.I.P. Charro Spier, 1998-2013
I have always been a cat lover, but Charro the Calico, my 15 year-old cat, was a challenge to love in the early years. She pretty much hated most people and especially other cats. She never bit or attacked anyone but she made it clear she wanted to be left alone. Since I’ve had a number of roommates with various cats of their own, it could get pretty stressful during the 6 months to a year that it took her to acclimate to her new “roomies”. She also was a nightmare to take to the vet. She would let out an ear piercing shriek that would make you drop her to protect your eardrums. The techs did not want to handle her. It was such an ordeal for both of us to go to the vet I pretty much stopped taking her in for
any routine care since she was 5.
But she was beautiful, and luckily healthy, and over the years she mellowed and we grew closer. She began to seek out my attention at certain times of the day, and even would want belly rubs BEFORE eating her dinner. At last we were compadres.
This year, when she stopped jumping up on my bed, even with the help of the ottoman, and began sleeping all the time, I knew we were getting close to the end. She was already three years older than my previous cat was when he died. She started spending time sleeping in odd places around the apartment, alone all day. Then she began urinating outside the cat box even while standing inside the box. I wasn’t sure if this behavior was due to the new kitten my roommate brought home so I let it go. Then she rapidly began to weaken and decline in her last week and stopped eating and drinking water. I knew it was time to help her transition to Cat Heaven so I called Home Pet Euthanasia of Southern California for help. I couldn’t even consider terrifying Charro by taking her in the car to the cold sterile and noisy vet hospital to die. I’d done that with a previous pet and it was traumatic for both of us.
Dr. Annie was a Godsend. Having this option for home pet euthanasia was ideal for both of us.
After it was over…
Just before sunset my sister and I held a funeral for Charro. We opened a special bottle of wine, made from of winery in South Africa with my same last name, lit some candle, and listened to some Celtic music.
When I was mentally ready I walked over to the grave site and put Charro’s body inside her final resting place. Inside the towel I wrapped her in, I had placed my art glass paperweight in the shape of a heart next to her heart as a token of my everlasting love.
I poured some of my wine on the dirt inside the grave as a libation. I burned a photo of Charro inside the grave beside her. Then we covered her with soil. We planted a succulent plant over her grave and watered it. I have since made a special grave marker with Wood-burning technique and a Mexican tin burning heart, which I will be placing at her grave very soon.
I miss Charro, especially in the early mornings, when she was sweet and affectionate and welcomed my attention. I’m grateful for my roommate’s two cats that have been visiting me often and especially for my sister and Dr. Annie Forslund, who made it possible to say goodbye to my beloved cat in the most gentle and respectful way possible.
Home euthanasia was heartbreaking but the only option for Charro. She deserved the calm, peace, and loving exit that she could only get in her home, with me stroking her head and soothing her with my voice.
Cynthia Spier
Lake Forest