Shortly after graduating from college I adopted a Siamese kitten who I named Lovey. Shortly afterward, my mom died. Lovey quickly became my source of comfort and my family. A few years later, Lovey and I adopted another cat from the Anti-Cruelty Society. She was a grey and white domestic long hair tabby with stunning green eyes with black eyeliner! We named her Dovey just for fun!

So, there we were, a family tree with two paw prints at the end of it. As a pet owner (and part time worrier) I was always concerned for their health and safety. The one thing I dreaded most was the trip to the vet where I would be told that my friend was terminally ill and should be put to sleep. This never seemed to me like a very fair way to honor or end a long and committed relationship.

The first spot of bad news came when I took Lovey, who at the time was 15 years old. She was diagnosed with kidney disease. It wasn’t a situation that was immediately fatal, but could ultimately be her downfall. So, I decided to look for treatments which might help her feel better. I researched and found out that acupuncture can diminish the symptoms of kidney disease. So, I sought out a veterinarian who provides acupuncture, Dr. Judith Rae Swanson, DVM.  After reviewing Lovey’s health history, providing me with some comprehensive information about holistic care for animals, she began treating Lovey with acupuncture.

The results were amazing! I was so surprised to see the immediate change in Lovey’s behavior.  She was active, happy and playful again. Her health decline was so gradual that I hadn’t noticed that a curtain seemed to be covering her personality. Her kidney functions increased as indicated by her blood work. We had several months of increased health and appreciation for her reemerged health.

One day, while Lovey was eating a morning treat of a piece of bacon, I noticed that she was having trouble eating it. I looked closer and saw that she was bleeding from her mouth. A rush to the veterinarian showed that she had developed mouth cancer. Dr. Swanson continued treating her with acupuncture and we began homeopathy to treat the cancer. The acupuncture clearly helped Lovey feel better, while the homeopathy seemed to irritate her mouth. So, we focused our efforts on helping her feel better. Dr. Swanson showed me how to provide Lovey with fluids as she was becoming dehydrated. She provided me with ideas of how to provide Lovey with some nutrition while not irritating her mouth. Dr. Swanson also educated me on how to understand when Lovey was telling us she was ready to say good bye, the options for in home euthanasia and how I might want to take care of her remains.

When Lovey made it clear to both my husband and me that her time had come, I called Dr. Shanan. I was given Dr. Shanan’s number by Dr. Swanson when I questioned her about at home euthanasia services. Lovey died peacefully at home with the people  that she loved more and who loved her in return.

To honor her journey, I wrote a prayer:
God, guide Lovey and us gently & peacefully in this transition. Send with her all the love we feel for her, peace in knowing that we live in each other’s heart, & solace in knowing that we will be together again. We carry with us the wisdom she has shared with us for 16 years.

Divine Spirit heal the hole that we are left with today and provide a happy soul to my beloved friend, Lovey.

Dovey, unlike Lovey, had health problems off and on throughout her life—a heart murmur, a fatty tumor and most notably thyroid problems that swung back and forth on either end of the spectrum. At 16 years old, she was diagnosed with mouth cancer.

In my own grief over the potential loss of another cat to mouth cancer, I wasn’t ready to simply put her to sleep or to allow her to suffer while I felt that there were ways I could support her in feeling better. Previously, she had not responded well to the acupuncture treatments. I felt that this wasn’t a good option for her, mostly because she just didn’t like to leave home and the trips caused her quite a bit of distress.

I turned to Dr. Shanan for options. First, we discussed the factors that contributed to Dovey’s quality of life.  I was honored by Dovey—I was her favorite person, her favorite thing. If she was able to spend time with me, she was content. Fortunately, my work allowed me to spend considerable time with her. We supported her with pain medicine, a variety of soft foods and fluids. Dovey, like Lovey, made it very clear to me when she was ready to go. Dr. Shanan allowed me to administer the sedative to her prior to his visit. She was scared when strangers were in the house and I really wanted her to have peace. I gave her the sedative while she slept quietly in her bed, which is the last thing she knew. For that, I am grateful.