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My Spanky Baby
by Janine Byers
One day when I was nine years old, my sister and I were at home as my parents ran out for a few minutes. It seemed like only seconds later they were arriving at home with 2 little furry faced grey tabby kittens. I went to grab the biggest one but my sister decided to grab her first. Not making any complaints, I proceeded to grab the tiniest, cutest little kitten that I have ever seen. She was so small and just filled up my two little hands. I quickly came up with a name for her. "Spanky" I said..she seemed so mischeivious and rotten! "her name is spanky because she is a bad kitty." I proceeded to tell my parents. My sister named her kitten Rub-a-dub after a Cat my mom had when she was alittle girl. These Kittens quickly turned into cats but always remained playful...They were definately part of the family....Spanky was always very friendly and she loved everyone where as rub-a-dub rarely ever came around anyone but my sister. Spanky really liked to be outside...to rub up against your legs, and to cuddle up on the couch beside you...it didn't matter if you were a stranger or not. Everyone loved her. If you were to open a can of tuna...you knew spanky was running to the kitchen right behind you. She had the cutest little way of making people love her even if she was meowing her head off! One day around May or June of 1999, Spanky became very unfriendly and started losing a lot of weight. We took her to the doctor and found out she had kidney disease and the food she was eating had too much protien in it which was making matters worse for her. The doctor suggested a different kind of wet food that was low in protien. After the diagnoses, spanky got better! I was so scared! Spanky continued to live her life as a normal kitty cat...pawing at my mom every night at supper. Never letting anyone eat with out meowing.."I want some people food" She was never a fat cat either...! She was a beautiful baby! This year around May (2004) I noticed Spankys belly seemed to be getting bigger and bigger but she kept getting skinnier and skinnier. We took her to the vet once again. He proceeded to tell us that Spanky had Cancer. She had a tumour in her belly the size of a golf ball and was getting bigger by the day. There is nothing we could do but let her live her life. As days went by, spanky began to get bigger in the belly but skinnier everywhere else....we took care of her the best we could. She still ate well and still wanted attention and was very affectionate. After a little while it was harder and harder for spanky to walk up the stairs and to lay down because her belly was so big. My family decided it would be best to put her down since we didnt' want to wake up and find her gone one day. My mom, dad, sister and I went to the vet to put her down on a saturday afternoon so we would have the weekend to recover. We brought her in and it was like she knew what was going to happen. The vet came in and spoke to us and told us that we had made a good decision as we didn't want to see spanky suffer any more. He explained that he was going to give spanky a needle to relax her a little bit befor he gave her the needle that would end her happy kitty life. He gave spanky the needle and she was very upset but quickly relaxed. Her eyes became bleek and she seemed to look drunk. It was actualy scary to see. I just began to bawl. My babygirl was being taken away from me. I wouldnt see her pretty little face anymore. we pet her and held her and told her we loved her. The vet came in and shaved up her arm with an electric razor. He then gave spanky the needle. The nurse checked her pusle and told us she was gone. We all wept...as tears fell on her furry little belly we held on to her and didn't want to let go. Its been over a month now and I still miss spanky with all my heart. I still look for her when I come home from work...until I go to the kitchen only to find one bowl of food for rub-a-dub instead of two...I am now looking into getting a new kitty. I know I will never forget my spanky girl and no other kitty will ever replace her. She will always be a member of the family. Her ashes now lay in an ingraved box on top of my piano until the summer when we will spread her ashes outside...where she loved to be. I know she is in kitty heaven. I love you spanky girl...I miss you.
Comments would be appreciated by the
author, Janine Byer
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