Goodbye Nashi

One can never expect the unexpected. Today was a beautiful day. Rode to work with a friend and had some time to catch up. Got quite a lot of work done before getting a text and phone call that my mom was at the vet with my cat.

My 19 year old and 9 month old cat, who was rescued by my next door neighbor's greenhouse, abandoned by her mother after a day and nursed back to health, became my cat when I was 10 when my parents surprised us with giving us Nashi (aka Nashers). She was my baby. Growing up my sisters and I would dress her up in doll clothes, push her around in our baby stroller, snuggle with her. She was there for me through the bad boyfriend break-ups and would crawl ontop of my chest as I cried myself to sleep, purring like crazy, comforting me. She would follow me every night at bedtime and would curl up between my legs for the night. A few years ago we learned she had a mass near her spleen that we monitored with yearly ultrasounds. A few weeks ago when I was home I brought her in for a check-up and they did the usual blood tests.

Well today, I got a few texts and a phone call before lunch that my mom had to take her in b/c of the swelling and hard stomach. Throughout my workout at lunch I was getting updates. I get out of the gym and get the call from our vet who has taken such great care of her and said that it was not good. In the past 2 weeks her red blood cell count went from 24% to 14% and that her organs were shutting down and her kidney was covered in tumors. The mass we have been watching had grown, but was not what caused her body to shut down. I was told they would have to put her down today, which came as a shock and hit me hard right before I got back to work. I had a hard time pulling myself together. I know she is in a better place and is not suffering and that she wasn't suffering that long either. I wish I could have been there to say goodbye one last time, but am so thankful I said goodbye to her and told her I loved her before I left to come back to Boston after New Years. My niece who was taking care of her and loving her in my absence had asked my mom where Nashi was after they put her down and she was told playing where all the other sick doggies and kitties go. So my niece said to me that she was in heaven. It was hard on our vet too b/c he has known her for so long. I ended up deciding to get her cremated and I will get a nice little box with her remains and a certificate. I think it's going to be hard next time I go home and not see her laying on my bed. I don't know what life was like without her. We gave her a wonderful life and it was her time. I will probably cry myself to sleep tonight, but anyone who has had a special pet, will understand.

Nashi is survived by her husband of over 13 years, Mr. Boots who knew that she was sick and in her last few days he gave her space, knowing she was sick. Also, by a fat cat named Midnight who never really got along with her, but with Nashi's passing will take the seat on the throne as the Queen of the house. She was the best cat any girl could have and put up with a lot without complaining. She will be greatly missed.