Today is National Pet Day

Posted on February 20, 2020 by M. E. Murray

I have two adorable pets, a cat, Marty, and a foxhound, Twister. We love them!

Marty is probably 14 years old. He used to be a feral cat, but we turned him and his brother, Klyban, and their mother into indoor cats. Klyban and Marty were very fond of each other, almost inseparable. They played, and when they rested, slept together.

Mamma Kitty

Klyban playing inside a cardboard box

One morning, about 3 years ago, Mamma Kitty suddenly vomited blood. My husband rushed her to our vet, but he called me to give me the sad news: ” Mamma didn’t make it.” We miss her a lot. She was an amazing cat, who loved to play with her toys. Many times we heard her meowing to them as if they were her children.

Unfortunately, last year we lost Klyban to lymphoma on June 26, 2019. Losing him hit me and my husband very hard. I’m sure that his death affected Marty, also. Marty was not himself for several months, and I realized that this behavior was probably due to missing Klyban. I can understand how Marty must have felt. I cried rivers when Klyban passed away and found it very hard to not see him sleeping on my bed, on the recliner, and sofa; walking around the house; and playing with Marty. For several months, every time I thought about him, tears flowed from my eyes because I no longer had him. ( I experienced the same feelings when Mamma died, but at least she didn’t suffer from undergoing cancer treatments.)

My husband and I spend as much time as possible with Marty after Klyban’s passing because we understood that there was a possibility that he was still grieving. It wasn’t until recently, perhaps this past month, that Marty started to act like himself. He sleeps and has become very affectionate. This behavior probably means he has accepted the loss of his sibling. (I’m not done with losing Klyban or Mamma; however, Marty and my husband keep me happy, and so does our foxhound, Twister.

Twister

Twister is a rescue dog. When we found him in our backyard, he was very sick. We took him to our vet and learned he had steroid responsive meningitis. Twister underwent treatments and survived, and now he’s been part of the family for approximately 11 years.

My final comment or recommendation on National Pet Day is to love and take good care of your pets. They love you unconditionally and make your life merrier when it hits a rough spot.

Role of Black and White Kitty in Header

Posted on November 9, 2019 by M. E. Murray

On a cold 2018 winter evening while I rested on my recliner, Klyban sat in front of my piano licking his paws. I had my “daily routine” notebook nearby, so I decided to make a sketch of my kitty. Little did I know that he would be the inspiration for a children’s chapter book that I finished in March 2019. (He played a major character.) Unfortunately, Klyban was diagnosed with lymphoma. My husband and I tried to help him as much as possible, but on June 26, our beloved kitty had to be euthanized to end his suffering. We stayed with him to the bitter end in our vet’s examination room, crying and comforting him until he passed away. I don’t need to look at the Header or pictures to remember Klyban. He was part of our family, and a special kitty that will forever linger in my heart and brain.

Kliban My Baby Kitty

Posted on May 11, 2019 by M. E. Murray

Klyban, my baby kitty and former feral cat.

We call Klyban our baby kitty because he has a cute meow that he uses when he wants something, and it’s usually food.

Last year, we took Klyban to see his regular veterinarian because he was vomiting more often than usual. The doctor put him on a prescription diet that calmed down his vomiting; he also warned us that if we noticed Klyban was vomiting more often, we should have him rechecked. Apparently cats should vomit once or twice a month. More than that indicates a serious condition.

Klyban was doing very well until a few weeks before May 6, 2019. May 4th and 5th he was vomiting several times a day. So, we took him Monday for a checkup as soon as our clinic opened. The veterinarian examined him, discovered fluid around his lungs, and recommended that he should be taken to the emergency clinic on the south side.

May 6, 2019 we put him in the pet carrier and rushed to the emergency clinic. After many tests, the emergency doctor recommended that an oncologist should see him. More tests were performed.

Eventually, we learned that Klyban has lymphoma. The tumors are concentrated around his intestine. Surgery was not recommended because lymphoma spreads throughout the body. Chemotherapy was the best option. Klyban will undergo 25 weeks of chemotherapy.

Please pray, along with us, that he has a complete remission. We love Klyban and his brother, Marty. They love and care for each other as shown in the following picture.