Tabitha: Death of a Pet

I am not even sure how Tabitha came into our lives, but she was always there.  I guess she is something like me, a pest and not admired by many, but a heart of gold.  She was always hungry and always screaming.  I was able to get her to calm down more, but she felt like she was always at war with the cats.

I remember when she first got pregnant.  All the cats were attacking her and I went outside to help her and she hissed at me and ran away.  This was a cruel way for any female cat to live and I often wonder why such a system was created.  Male cats are insane when a female cat is in heat and even my dear sweet Mr. Ponchie is like a cobra snake ready to attack. He would not give up.

So she got pregnant and her baby died.  She sad on that poor dead kitten trying to get it to nurse, but it never did.  The second litter, not sure what happen there, but never saw one either.  She would go to the neighbors begging for food and sometimes she succeeded and sometimes she just was turned away.  She kind of grew on me as she was always there.

My cat Baby hated her with a passion and if Baby ever went outside, she would kill her.  Baby would sit at the window hissing at her constantly.  I would leave any food that was extra out on the door step for Tabby and no matter what time of the day I called, Tabby would come running.  She was always grateful and would snuggle up to my leg hoping that someone would love her.

So everyday she would fight for the scraps left over that I was feeding Mr. Ponchie and she just was always there.  The neighbors talked of giving Tabby away, but I thought that was not necessary as she had a room to sleep outside in.

Then yesterday, July 29th, 2011 I was getting ready to go to town to take care of some errands.  I was passing by a dumpster on the way to catch a bus and there lay Tabby sleeping.  I took my foot to nudge Tabby to get up and go home to sleep.  Tabby lay very quiet and did not move.  Her eyes were glassy looking.  As I leaned down to pick her up, I noticed her body was a little stiff.  Tabby was not sleeping, she was dead.

There was no blood or no marks from a car, Tabby just was not moving.  I could not believe she was dead.  I started yelling for the neighbors to come as Tabby was dead.  I cried and cried.  One neighbor tells me that Tabby had been hit by a car and went flying through the air.  The driver stopped and kicker her to the side of the street and left her to die.  Tabby was not gasping for breath, she must of died instantly.

As I picked up her limp body, she was still warm.  I am sure she must of died just a few minutes earlier.  I hugged her and cried some more.  Tabby was pregnant and I had thoughts of trying to free the babies, but I just could not do that. I assume they died an awful death.  Tabby was a small kitty.

By the next morning, Tabby had swollen up very much from the internal bleeding I guess.  She had began to smell and black blood was seeping out her vagina and her nose.  Her eyes were open now and it frightened me. I was so sick the night before that I did not bury her, but I had to bury her today.  She was huge by now and I had to dig a huge grave.

I said a prayer for Tabby as I covered her up.  I was so sad to say good-bye to my little friend.  My house is empty without Tabby.  Even tonight I had some left over gravy and my first thought was to take it to Tabby, but then I realized she was gone. It is so quiet here. No sound, no noise and no Tabby.

I questioned the neighbors about Tabby's death.  Some were happy she was gone, but not me.  Although Tabby was a pest at times, she was a member of my clan.  I ask Allah to bless her and keep her safe and I ask Allah to circle my home with angels and calm my heart.

My dear sweet Tabby, I wish you love and lots of food in heaven.

5 days after Tabby's death I heard some crying in my storage room.  There sat 2 twin white baby kittens crying for their mom.  The storage was full of debris, cement bags and more. I called the neighbors in and it was the 1st day of Ramadan and had them clear the room.  

We finally reached the babies and they were so precious and I promised Allah on that day I would take care of them the rest of my life.

I named them Miss Tammer after their mom and Fluffy.  Fluffy would life one year and die of pneumonia from severe complications.  It snowed and we could not get him to a vet and although I spent 700 dollars trying to I had to bury him.  He was the best cat ever but like most cats he was territorial and fought with Black Face Kitty all the time and it wore him out.  When he got out one cold snowy day, it did him in.

Miss Tammer is still with us.  She was never the same after Fluffers died, but she is a loving pet and doctors me all the time.  She is the most beautiful cat in Jordan.  I tell her stories often of how her mom went to Turkey to live.  

So one day she went outside and found Fluffers grave and took Baby with her.  Baby ran in the house screaming and screaming.  I yelled at Tammer to see what she did.  Miss Tammer was so happy to have found her long lost friend.