On Monday, November 20, 2000, we had to have our Java kitty put to sleep.  She had acquired FIP, and was very sick.  It was very hard for us to lose her, but knowing that she's waiting for us at Rainbow Bridge makes her loss easier to bear.

Java's First Day with Us

When Java came to live with us, she was six months old.  She had been living at a house with too many cats.  I saw a note at work saying that a little gray kitten was looking for a home.   Well, being a sucker for gray kittens, I talked to the woman who was giving her away.  She brought her to me the next day.  She was sick and pretty scrawny when I brought her home, and smelled pretty bad.  When we went to the vet, she didn't believe that Java was 6 months old, because she was so tiny.  But after some trips to the vet, and some TLC, she grew up to be a happy, and seemingly healthy, cat.

Her favorite things were:

• Her big brother Sushi - who taught her stuff - like how to use the scratching post.
• Sleeping on mom & dad's bed.
• Sitting in mom's lap when she was trying to work on the computer.

Then, Java's rough start in life caught up with her.  I noticed that her belly was swollen and we took her to the vet.  After a couple of days in the hospital, where she had 1/2 a quart of fluid removed from her abdomen, and had tests and IVs and medicine for her heart, the doctor wasn't sure what was wrong with her other than her liver tests were abnormal.  He was concerned that it might be FIP.  We brought her home to see how she'd do, while we were waiting for the results of her lab tests.  She wouldn't eat, and she rapidly got weaker - and we decided that we would have to have her put to sleep.  

The last day she was so restless, it just seemed that she couldn't get comfortable.  But she was so weak, she couldn't walk very far.  And she was so cold.  I picked her up and held her against my chest and covered her with a towel.  She stayed there for a very long time and slept.  I thought she might slip away in my arms - but it wasn't to be. 

The next morning, before we took her back to the vet, she was so very weak.  I held her in my arms, told her that we love her very, very much, that we would always remember her, and that she was going to Rainbow Bridge - where she would be healthy again, and be able to run and play with the other kitties while she waited for us to join her.

The test results showed that she did have FIP.  Probably as a result of being in that house with too many cats, and not getting a good start in life.  We know that we made the right decision for her, as difficult as it was for us.  

We consider ourselves fortunate to have had her in our lives for three years - she was a very sweet kitty.  We miss her terribly.

Wonderful friends at RAOK have been so supportive through all of this.  They have left some lovely gifts for me and Java.  I'm not able to link each gift with the person who gave it to us - but you know who you are - and I thank each of you very, very much.