Letter to an Animal > Reviews (96)

Dear Tiny

You were the most left out cat in the animal shelter when I first saw you. No one seemed to want to take home the fat cat. The one who loved his food, weighing in at a mere 6.9kg. You had a sore eye and even your bottom needed to be washed by the kennel maid, as you could not do it yourself. No one wanted you. Did no one care?

Then came that one fateful day in February 2000 when our paths first crossed. I visited Wood Green Animal Shelter after having a fight with Shane and I feel in love with this black and white tomcat, called “Valentine”. ‘What a strange name’, I thought. Little did I know that you were going to be a new member to my family. I stayed with you for the remainder of the afternoon, no one was going to adopt you now, except me. You were going to come home with me eventually. I was determined. I spoke to the person in charge, Susie. She did not want me to have you, as we had a dog at home. Also, Shane never wanted a cat either, but I knew you would fit in.

I managed to persuade Susie that I could give you all the medical care you required. ‘I was a trained nurse’ I told her and I could administer your eye drops and clean you when you needed help, but as to having a dog, that was another matter. Before I had to reserve you, you had to meet Scamp, and that you were going to do the next day, when you first meet Shane too, for the first time. I was so excited to get home. I wanted to tell Shane all about you. What you looked like and why we had to adopt you. My arguments won the day and Shane agreed to meet you. I knew in my heart that you now had a new home.

It was a sunny Monday morning I remember well. I was up and dressed early so I could be at the shelter when it first opened. I nagged Shane to hurry up. No one was going to get MY boy!

On arriving to the shelter, I dragged Shane down to the cattery. I picked you up and spoke to you gently, but when you saw Shane, you just jumped into his arms, don’t you remember? Shane fell in love with you on the spot. Now was the time for you to meet Scamp. It was early and no one was about so the introduction took place in the reception area. You and Scamp sniffed each other. Neither of you flinched. It was like you knew that you knew you would both be loved equally. That was it, the shelter was happy. You left there that same day after spending over a year at Wood Green.

When you arrived at my home you refused to answer to the name “Valentine”, some we called you “Tiny”. You pulled take funny face if we called you “Valentine” after that.

Life was good for you at first. You enjoyed the garden, how you loved to smell the fragrant flowers, and visiting my parents in Cambridge. I even brought you a coat so you could go out in the rain. Spoilt or what? I still remember how you hated to go out in the rain. After a while your allergies were discovered. The list began to grow, flea powder, certain foods and eventually you even had to have a special diet. It cost over £40.00 per month but nothing was too good for my baby boy.

If you needed it you had it. Trips to the vet were nothing unusual now. You had tablets to help your upset stomach and drops for your eye.

In the latter part of 2000 you developed a sore above your left eye. I did not know it then but all our lives were about to change for the worst. The eye was slow to heal and I was worried. Following numerous visits to the vets to see Aunty Carol, a cancer was diagnosed and you were referred to the Cambridge Veterinary College for further investigations and surgery. You had numerous tests but never did it faze you, instead you would sit on the table waiting to be examined, purring gently. X-rays, blood tests, biopsies and even ultra sounds, but you still just purred. Everyone seemed to love you, doctors, nurses and even the technicians.

We agreed for you to have the recommended surgery. Little did I know that three days later you would be dead. I grieved over you demise, as did Shane. Scamp missed you to. I had asked the Vet school to call us if your condition became grimed but the did not. You died alone; something I never wanted to happen to you. I loved you so much and yet it seemed to me you were abandoned. You doctor cried for your loss too. You won a place in the heart of everyone who met you.

I am now so sorry that I put you to so much suffering. How was I to know you were sixteen, when I thought you were only eight? I only found out this after your death. I would not let them have cut you up, if I had known. It tore me apart to see your beautiful face mutilated in such a way. I am so sorry, please forgive me. I hope the short time you spent with Shane, Scamp and I were happy days.

I hope you are no longer suffering and are eating all you want now.

Love

Mummy