Junior 1991 -18 September 2013

Junior was a gift.  I had him (or he had me) when David and I married. David had never been owned by a cat, but Junior let him know who ruled ...

I can still see Junior up on his back legs, perfectly balanced, boxing with David.  He loved both of us. When he developed some arthritis in his hips, he would head-butt David (hereafter referred to as Dad) on the leg and lay next to his chair and box.

Junior had me for 18 years, so he could have been as much as 22 years old.  About 12 years ago, Junior was critically ill with a kidney/bladder problem. His Vet said he would not live through the weekend. I told him to do whatever he could regardless of the cost, I would borrow if need be … 

I went home and prayed (yes, I was hysterical and begged God to please not take my cat!) God heard my plea, and spared Junior for 12 more wonderful years.

Junior had a great personality.  He liked interacting with us, rather than toys, at which he always turned up his nose, except for his ball which Dad had tied to the ceiling, and he would bat at that for ages, getting tickled because the ball swung out and then back. He loved to lie on his back in the sun, and was an avid sun-worshiper.

He would come up close to our chair, meow loudly, then wait for us to pick him up and love on him. He was also an unabashed lover of his humans.

I noticed he was having trouble with his food rolling out of his mouth; he had always been a healthy eater, and he was a very long bodied big cat. We took him to the Vet, who thought it might be a broken tooth, but sedated him and examined his mouth, finding a tumour under his tongue. After calling us, he did laser surgery to remove it.

We were feeding Junior with a syringe for 2 weeks, and would have kept doing so until he got better.

We went to bed on Tuesday night, about midnight Junior squalled loudly 3 times, and I jumped out of bed to go care for him.  He wanted to be held, so I wrapped him in his blankie and held him most of the night.

I believe now he was saying goodbye in his own way.  He had snuggled under my chin and slept, with constant petting and us talking in our own way.

I went to feed him, saw blood coming from his nose, went ballistic.  I called the vet and we were on the way, and rushed out the door. I guess the cancer had spread, I have no idea if the surgery helped that along or not, but I choose not to go there.

Junior passed away in my arms, with Dad holding his head, and we both wept.  He was just so lovable and affectionate, and I could not bear to have Junior put in the ground here, because we may move one more time, so we had him cremated. He will always be with us.

His ashes came home Oct. 2nd, and will go on a special mantle shelf in the den, where he loved to lay and nap with us. I am having pictures made to go on one side, Junior, and on the other side 3 candles, in his honour.

After this much time, I still cannot talk about my beautiful boy without crying.  I miss him so much. We loved him so much, and I would have spent any amount of money to keep him with us, but we could not make him suffer and die in agonizing pain.

No tribute to Junior would describe how we love and miss him, he was a joy.  I thank God for sparing Junior and letting us have him for 18 beautiful years.

Thanks for letting me share my sorrow and my joy with you about Junior Khan.

DarleneKhan

6^th October 2013 

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