An Epic Tale of Woe

I would imagine that most blogs are talking about diets, decluttering, and other fabulous ways to change your life for the better - but I've decided to talk about my dead cat today.

.

Move along if you need to.

I needed to tell y'all the details before I feel I can move on emotionally.

That and I feel anxiety about leaving for the dentist in an hour - and I need to think about something else.

Meet J. T. Peppers.

Jinksie TarTar Peppers.

His nickname was Drinksie - because we'd never seen a cat that drank so much water.  In retrospect, I wonder if that was some indication that there was something wrong with him.

My most favorite cat in the history of all cats.

I rescued him from a hoarder's house in October of 2009.

I remember the day vividly - Glen was off on a fishing trip with some buddies and I was left to my own devices.  I'd gone to visit a friend when I saw a 'Free Kittens' sign posted - and just thought I'd go take a look.  It had been some time since I'd seen kittens.

I noticed the house in a state of disrepair as I rang the bell.

I was greeted by a teenage girl smoking a cigar.

She happily welcomed me in - where there was about a 1 square foot clear space on the floor for me to stand.

The urine smell was overwhelming.

It must have been 85 degrees in there.

My first thought - 'I'm taking them all - I'll find good homes for them'.

I was informed they only had one left.  She found it (which to me was a feat in itself!) and handed it over to me.  Without missing a beat - I tucked it in my coat and said 'Thanks - I'll take it'.

Jinksie never moved.  He just nestled right in my coat and I drove home with him.

I remember calling Aaron immediately and telling him what I'd done - and he was gleeful.  He loved cats - I remember telling him about the state of the house that I got Jinksie in and saying in disbelief 'They had a human baby in that house!'.

We still laugh about that.

The thing was that I had three cats up in the house already.  I didn't think Glen was going to cotton to another one.

But this one was temporary.

: -)

My other three cats were inside/out cats.

It was a constant revolving door around here - and I didn't like it much.

After Jinksie arrived, the inside/outside cats became outside cats.

They seemed quite content to be out.

Jinksie was the cat that everyone dreams about.

Loaded with personality, little silly quirks and so affectionate it was obnoxious at times.

He had a 'lair' under my bed.  He'd collect things.  He'd go in the basement and bring up a paint roller - or a ball of steel wool.  He had a blanket he'd carry around the house.

He was beloved.

Still is.

Fast forward to December 23rd.

I was sitting on the couch early in the morning reading emails.

I heard a terrible noise in the hall - and jumped up thinking that Aaron had fallen down the stairs.

(The BoyChild stayed here for most of his winter break).

It wasn't Aaron.

It was Jinksie.

He lay at the bottom of the stairs -

I picked him up - and he was completely limp.

His eyes were completely dilated.

You know that moment where you just aren't believing what you are seeing, and you are just a bit paralyzed?

I started kinda shaking him - and then I started screaming.

"Aaron!!!  Jinksie is dead!!"

Aaron bolted out of bed and we were both just crying inconsolably - and wondering 'is he really dead?'

I had crazy thoughts like - 'maybe he's in a coma' and 'he'll wake up in a minute'.

I tried CPR.

I was massaging him, praying for him - begging God to bring him back -

it was horrific.

It was too early in the am to run him to the local vet, and the emergency vet was so far away that it would have been pointless to take him there - and I really did 'know' in my heart - he was gone.

Aaron and I sat in the floor, taking turns holding him - just crying our eyes out for well over an hour.

I had to go to one of my cleaning jobs - so I had to get ready to leave. 
I just kept going back to Jinks - picking him up - crying - checking for a heartbeat.

(this is getting long, eh?)

We wrapped him up and put him in the bathtub.  I have no idea why.  I just didn't know what to do with him.  I had the thought 'where would he be if he were alive?' and that would have been on my bed - but when I picked him up - he had urinated and I thought that it wouldn't be a good idea to lay him on the bed.

That night - we (me, Glenco and Aaron) took turns going in and saying our final goodbyes.

Aaron doted on me the entire day - waiting on me hand and foot - petting me every time I started crying.

My best friend and cousin Jim - stayed home so he could talk to me.

My Leanness Lifestyle friends were texting me that "Love is better than Dairy Queen" because they knew I might seek solace in a Peanut Buster Parfait.

I felt incredibly loved that day.

I was an utter wreck until late Christmas Eve.

In fact, I cancelled my big Christmas Eve dinner.

For real.

I'm telling you a truth.

That cat is missed.

There is an ache in my heart that no other feline will fill.

I have brought Calvin back in the house.

We'll talk about him tomorrow.

Hi, my name is Jayme - and I'm a crazy cat lady.