About Cleopatra

Before Cleopatra came into my life I had never actually had my own pet. When I was a kid we always had a dog and a cat or two, but they were family pets. Even my previous cat Imp never felt like she was really "MY" cat. When I got Imp I had a roommate who worked from home. She spent more time with Imp when she was a kitten than I did and Imp was as much her cat as mine.

When I drove by a house that had a sign out front that they had free kittens; getting a cat was nowhere of my spectrum of things to do . I stopped just to take a look, cause kittens are cute. By the time I stopped all of the kittens had been adopted to good homes except for the supposed runt, who the foster mother had temporally named Ladybug. The foster mother did not object to me "just looking" at the kitten. We chatted a bit while Ladybug wobbled up onto my leg and climbed onto my shoulder. I was in love. I could not bear to go home without this creature that seemed all big green eyes and ears.

I was unprepared and did not have a box or carrier to take a kitten home in....I had a laundry basket but that didn't work very well. I had to stop at Zellers en route. I had nothing at home, no litter box, no litter, no cat food, no toys. Typically I am not the type of person who can "pop" into any store. I have to look around, see what is on sale, compare prices, and go from store to store, before I make a purchase....but on this trip I was in and out of Zellers in less than 10 minutes, and this was a the August long weekend. I had to get back to my baby.

I spent the rest of the weekend mesmerized by her. I hated being separated from her to go to work when the weekend was over. Coming home in the evening, she was so happy to see me, made it clear that she loved me too.

That did not change over the next 12 years. I grew a bit thicker through the middle, grew some grey hairs. Cleo grew into a big lazy fat antisocial cat. We added Sooty to our family who Cleopatra never came to like, We moved from our apartment to our house and within a year Lily was added to out family. Lily came to me in the same manner that Cleo did. I just wanted to meet the Bunny that was "free to a good home". I really did not intend to take her home with me. But I fell in love with the sweet bunny, like I had fallen in love with the big eyed, big eared kitten. Cleo was indifferent to Lily (somewhat better to her total disdain of Sooty) unfortunately Lily liked Cleo, and Sooty, but neither one of them would give her the time of day. That was why Mister came into the picture. That worked out wonderfully. Lily and Mister loved one another. But Cleo never created any bonds with anybody but me. I would have liked it she had of been the type of cat who would have been all over people when they came to visit and rubbed up against begging for petting and chin rubs. But inevitably when the doorbell rang she would run up the stairs, white belly of waddle waddling to and fro. But when I walked into a room she would always look to me with those big green eyes and I would know that she loved me. She would start purring when I would speak her name. If I was to tired to give her a good petting before I fell asleep she would still purr for me from the other side of the bed when I would put my hand on her fur.
On Saturday of last week I was putting away laundry. Cleo was on the end of the bed and she looked like she was purring. But when I came close to her I realized that she was breathing deeply. This continued for the rest of the day. I got up on Sunday morning to take her to the vet but our vet was closed on Sunday. Her condition had not changed, I watched here closely and first thing Monday I took her to the clinic. The Vet did a physical examination and determined that either her respiratory system or her heart was failing. Tests and treatment would clarify the situation but the outcome was still going to be the same.....I was going to have to say goodbye to my beloved Cleo. I did not want her to suffer and my vet gave me the numbers of some vets who would come to my house and to send Cleo to her final sleep while in the comfort of her home. For the time being it seemed to me that she was tired and weak but not in pain. She still would look up at me when I came into the room and purr when I petted her. As long as this continued I was going to take every moment that we had together. On Wednesday the weariness seemed to be overwhelming her and I resolved to make the call the next day. At 11:45 she meowed loudly and I came to her....I held her head and petted her and she passed away.
I cried.....some more (I have been crying off and on all week), and I will continue to cry more. Sometimes I think I am doing okay....I had to take her remains to the vet. I thought it would just be a formality, but I was a blubbering mess. There will be more tears I know but this heartbreak is because I had a wonderful beautiful cat. I love her dearly and know that she loved me. And that is the important thing about Cleo.