Bridge: Pogo and DC

My friends Pogo the husky and DC the black cat will cross the Bridge together on Sunday morning. They are two of my boss's five animals, and are the two old ones that I've been helping to care for all these months. Their former vet from years ago will come to their home to help them make that journey. After the decision was made this afternoon, I went out to make their pawprints and to say my goodbyes while no one else was around.

I never thought I'd fall so hard in love with an old boy cat. It took some time to get to know him, and of course it didn't help that my only purpose for showing up at his house every day was to stick a needle in him. But the night that he had a medical issue come up while my boss was away, he cuddled up to me at the emergency vet and hooked a paw around my arm and held tight - right then I was all he had when he was scared. We had a much closer relationship after that. For some weeks now he has not cared much about holding onto life. They'd recently gone to twice-daily fluids and that was a hard line to cross. He moaned as I picked him up today, but at least I could cradle him, kiss him and tell him that I would never ever ever do that to him again.

Pogo still wants very much to be part of life but her body has betrayed her, and she's declined mentally a lot in the last month. I didn't spend too much time saying goodbye, because it so happened that today she didn't know who I was. I'll remember other days when she was full of herself and silly, or reading the riot act to her young pal Kozmo. She generally tolerates her shots well, but it was still nice to tell her too that we wouldn't be doing that today. Po is not a very large husky but she has giant feet and that's what made me think of making the prints. She hates having her feet handled but she settled for me and I got maybe the best print I've ever done - you can even see the texture of the leather in it.

We threw Pogo her first-ever real birthday party this past winter at age 15, invited the dogs from the neighborhood for roast beef sandwiches and cake and ice cream. It was so cute to see each one coming up the walk, brought by their moms and dads. It was also the only time I've seen a whole group of dogs keep party hats on all evening. DC would have been eighteen pretty soon. Neither will have to see another winter arrive, and I'm relieved for both of them that the struggle is ending (and honestly, I'm relieved for me too) - I have never believed that you have to let a beloved friend hit the absolute rock bottom. But I am sad to be losing two such very sweet, sweet old friends.