ummer
(1984 - 2002)
ummer
Feeling guilty about leaving Valentino home by himself all day, we went to a mall pet store to find him a companion, and we came home with Summer (on the right). She was still a kitten and was not sure what to make of Valentino. He thought all the attention he was getting was kind of neat until Summer decided to try to suckle one day. Well, suffice to say that a startled cat CAN achieve great heights from a standing start! Summer grew up and matured nicely, although she had the heaviest step of any cat I have ever known (described by my father-in-law (as she walked across him one time) as "...having five pounds of sugar in every foot."). No one will ever accuse her of being graceful -- she is a ungraceful clown.
After a healthy and uneventful 18 1/2 years, Summer began having problems walking and sitting in early October of 2002. We took her to her regular vet, and her heart rate was through the roof -- 280 to 300 beats per minute. When they could not determine the cause of her distress, they sent us to the North Carolina State Veterinary School for a further workup. An ultrasound of her heart found only a mildly enlarged heart, but no real problems. Summer spent the night there, taking a turn for the worse around 11pm and rallying shortly after midnight. When I talked with the Vet School vet early the next morning, she said that she had taken another turn for the worse. We talked again around noon, and she said that Summer had rallied again but fallen back again. After talking with her regular vet, we determined the kind thing to do was to let her go. When I arrived at the Vet School, I knew as soon as I looked at her that this was it. She was unresponsive, and all the life and personality had been taken from her. I held her as the vet released her spirit from her body.
Good-bye sweet Summer -- 'til we meet again.
