Rest in peace Piggy
Seventeen years ago, when I was much younger but still very good looking, I came home from a visit to the animal shelter with a surprise. My soon to be wife wanted to know why there was a lump in my jean jacket making a faint meyowing sound. It was a little black kitten that I saved in the parking lot from making it all the way into the SPCA. I had always wanted a cute little black cat, and then I had one. We flea dipped him about 5 times (he was infested) and I put a little collar with a bell on it around his neck and named him Jingles, because that was the only way you could find him at night.
Some days later, as it happens, we found a peculiar “personality trait” in Jingles. He was an absolutely veracious eater. He was the kind of cat that could hear food fall through the air and time warp himself into a place where he could be there to get it before it hit the ground. We started calling him a little piggy, because that’s how he acted, and the name just stuck. Jingles took his own name, Piggy.
Piggy was always true to his name. He was somewhat aloof to strangers, but very loving to his family and quite tolerant of my daughters pulling, poking and prodding as she was growing up. He had his own special separate bonds with my wife and I. He was always my pal and would like to crawl underneath my covers and nap with me when we were alone. He loved for me to rub his belly and he liked to “hold hands” with me. He was my wife’s buddy and constant companion and liked to park himself on her hip while she was sleeping, keeping her warm.
These last few months have been hard on Piggy. He started to go slightly senile due to old age, and when he started slobbering, we took him to the vet and found that he had cancer in his mouth. We got him on some meds that seemed to help out a bit and made him feel more like himself and decided that we would let him tell us when it was his “time”.
Well, all that changed tonight. He was eating in his usual spot and fashion on the counter and jumped down when he was finished. As soon as I heard him hit the ground he started screaming and ran into the hallway. He continued to howl and paw at his face and he was bleeding pretty badly. I let him calm down for a few minutes before going to take a look at him. His jaw was pretty swollen and he was still bleeding a bit. I knew he was in pain a decided to take him into the vet. I was under the assumption that because his teeth were shifting around due to his cancer, that maybe he bit himself or broke a tooth or something.
A trip to the vet revealed that the impact likely broke his jawbone, which was weakened due to his cancer. We had to have him put to sleep just a couple hours ago. He was in considerable pain, had no chance of healing and would no longer be able to eat. I got to “hold hands” with him as he made his journey. I will miss him greatly as will the rest of my family. It’s very hard to lose a close family member like that. Goodbye Piggy. I love you.