Damien: the Feline Retrospective

August 9th, 2001: My boyfriend and I walked into the Human Society of Boulder Valley. Shortly thereafter, we left with a cardboard box containing what we would soon learn was the Best Cat Ever. Sure, he had a tooth rotting in his mouth and was unable to eat dry food, but that was quickly remedied at the Vet’s.

When we met Damien, you could hear him purring from the door – before we even laid a hand on him. That cat’s motor was legendary. He loved every human being he met, providing they weren’t a small child, though he eventually warmed up to children too.  Guests would meet him and ask, “Have I met your cat before? I don’t remember him, but he seems to remember me!“

That was Damien. Never met a stranger, just a friend that obviously needed to touch him right now.

Over the years, he had a few chronic health issues. He had bad teeth, was prone to constant bladder infections, and his kidneys started to go when he was about 7 or 8 years old (he was 3 when we adopted him from the shelter). He was on a prescription diet, took supplements, and had his teeth, bladder and kidneys (via bloodwork) monitored (and treated) regularly.

I can’t begin to describe how much I loved that cat. He moved with us several times. That boyfriend and I joked that we could never break up because we’d have to fight over who got to keep Damien (so we married in 2007). We adopted our second cat, Willis, because we loved the first so much. And while I love Willis very much, he’s not as “cool” as Damien. He’s special in his own way, but I’m convinced no cat will ever be as completely and utterly awesome as Damien. Willis is more the cuddly, needy baby, and Damien was your buddy. Damien would hang out with you and sneak your Screwdriver if you left it out. Damien took the best spot in front of the fire, but he was more than happy to share with you. Damien could thoroughly entertain himself without you, but he was also glad to see you when you came home.

Damien turned 11 in August 2009. Or, theoretically he did. It’s hard to tell with rescues. He aged pretty well, especially considering his chronic health issues. He lost a lot of weight in the early spring of 2008 (or was it 2007?) and since then we’ve known he was getting old. He was sick. He didn’t put the weight back on. But he kept on trucking. Early December of 2009 he was still doing well. He’d been to the vet recently and was great.

Then he stopped coming when you called him, and I’d have to go and find him. Damien was always the cat that came running when you called for him. He knew his name from the first time we met him. He was eating a little less, and suddenly he was weighing a lot less. Not a good sign in a geriatric cat. He started actively looking for us, and I made a vet appointment for the next morning. He didn’t want to eat or drink that night, and he spent the entire evening curled up with us.

January 6th, 2010: We took him in to the vet’s, hoping that it was just the usual tooth problems (his teeth were fine in July but he was due for a cleaning), but knowing that an elderly cat who suddenly stopped eating and drinking, and lost weight very rapidly, was probably not just suffering a tooth ache. He was not in good shape. His veterinarian suggested it looked like his kidneys were finally failing, and took x-rays to confirm. The final diagnosis is that Damien probably had lymphatic cancer, and possibly an oral tumor as well, and was suffering kidney failure. There was really nothing to do for him, except to give him some pain killers, wait for my husband to rush in from work, and let him go peacefully. Euthanizing Damien was one of the absolute hardest things we have ever had to do, but I know it was better than taking him home to suffer and linger for another day or two.

The last thing he ever heard was “I love you,” and that’s the way it should be.