A Tail of Two Kitties

 Havana had been expressing her wishes for a kitten for quite some but it was not an option. You see, one of our two cats, Coco, was dying and I wanted us to see that through. For close to a year we took care of Coco with Sub Q fluids 2-4x weekly, feeding him a diet specifically for kidney disease and providing him a lot of love.  From the beginning of Coco's diagnosis, we talked about his inevitable death. It was not that easy for either girl to digest what death fully meant.  During this time, I learned that two years in young children is significant in the ability to comprehend things. Havana had a magical  type thinking in her comprehensions of death. Amara was more concrete. She wanted to know specifics. When the end came sometime before Christmas, there were alot tears and the inability to understand that there was nothing we could do to save Coco's life. It was heartbreaking. 

Havana did not want to see or be part of Coco's death. Perhaps the reality of it was too much to take in for her. Amara  was the complete opposite. First she helped her father to dig a hole in the back yard,  then stayed with Coco, petting him while the vet put him down and then she assisted her father in burying him. Havana threw some dirt down but she mostly kept her distance. In our many conversations afterwards, Havana had a much more simplistic understanding; "I didn't want him to die. But he had to go to the vet" while Amara was concerned that the vet would hurt Coco so witnessing that the process was gentle and kind put her worries to rest; "He didn't cry at all when they gave him the shot. " Still, it was heart breaking.

A month after Coco's transition I began the process of finding a new cat for the family. Our other cat Bodhi was a major factor in starting the process sooner than later. (he was used to having a companion; having out lived his litter brother and then Coco). We ended up getting another Siamese which didn't work out but since everything is in Divine Order,  it all worked out with a super sweet, loving and loudly purring 4 month old black kitty. 

Samson joined our family less than two weeks ago but we all fell in love instantly. So now not only does Havana have her kitten and Bodhi a mate but the rest of us have a delightful and playful little four legged one to love on. But it has been Havana who has sought out Samson to pet and carry around the house! He mostly likes that!

It seems we talk about Coco almost daily, even if it's brief reference. The lesson of death has been hard but the girls are learning that life is about death and life and change; that things don't always seem fair (sickness) but in the end they always work out.

(if you want to read a bit about Havana and Bodhi, click here; http://twosmallgems.blogspot.com/2013/11/protector-bodhi.html)

Sleeping Beauty with her reigning Kitten!

Havana with Coco about 3 years ago.