Goodbye, Mabel.
Jun. 24th, 2025 06:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dmxratedOur cat had been in particularly poor health for at least several weeks, and managed yesterday to escape somewhere to die peacefully alone.
I was scheduled to start yesterday's shift at 1:30, so Mom was set to leave her own job early. Beforehand, though, she sent me a text not to let Mabel out under any circumstances, after having found her at dusk the day prior all covered in flies while laying under that boat just outside the boathouse. At some point, Mabel came to the front door wanting to go outside, and I asked Mom if we might be thinking only about what we want by keeping her inside, but part of her concern had to do with such a particularly hot day as it was, that would just make her uncomfortable as she lay dying.
She then suggested I lay a couch blanket inside her shed, where she'd have access to water within the enclosed garden. Upon coming inside from that, though, I saw her laying down in the middle of the kitchen, and brought her into my air-conditioned room, where she managed to climb onto my bed after I left her to check my messages. Upon coming back, I tried bundling her up with my blankets, and Mom came home soon thereafter for me to show her.
We decided to let her out then, when Mom assumed she would keep an eye on her, but that's when she managed to escape somewhere Mom expected her just to lie down. She was never able to find her all day since, and we weren't surprised.
Mom was sad about it, but I am grateful for her to be able to die on her terms. This actually came up last winter, when Mom didn't want her to die freezing; she told me how cats often prefer to go off somewhere to die away from any human activity, something I had also seen a video of on YouTube, and had also been demonstrated of a monkey in Our Universe, something Dad liked to watch last year.
Rest in peace, Mabel. We'll always remember the day Dad brought you home from his workshop backyard, after your mother abandoned you for more than a day even while reclaiming your littermate.
https://dmxrated.dreamwidth.org/2008/10/19/
I was scheduled to start yesterday's shift at 1:30, so Mom was set to leave her own job early. Beforehand, though, she sent me a text not to let Mabel out under any circumstances, after having found her at dusk the day prior all covered in flies while laying under that boat just outside the boathouse. At some point, Mabel came to the front door wanting to go outside, and I asked Mom if we might be thinking only about what we want by keeping her inside, but part of her concern had to do with such a particularly hot day as it was, that would just make her uncomfortable as she lay dying.
She then suggested I lay a couch blanket inside her shed, where she'd have access to water within the enclosed garden. Upon coming inside from that, though, I saw her laying down in the middle of the kitchen, and brought her into my air-conditioned room, where she managed to climb onto my bed after I left her to check my messages. Upon coming back, I tried bundling her up with my blankets, and Mom came home soon thereafter for me to show her.
We decided to let her out then, when Mom assumed she would keep an eye on her, but that's when she managed to escape somewhere Mom expected her just to lie down. She was never able to find her all day since, and we weren't surprised.
Mom was sad about it, but I am grateful for her to be able to die on her terms. This actually came up last winter, when Mom didn't want her to die freezing; she told me how cats often prefer to go off somewhere to die away from any human activity, something I had also seen a video of on YouTube, and had also been demonstrated of a monkey in Our Universe, something Dad liked to watch last year.
Rest in peace, Mabel. We'll always remember the day Dad brought you home from his workshop backyard, after your mother abandoned you for more than a day even while reclaiming your littermate.
https://dmxrated.dreamwidth.org/2008/10/19/