RIP Leviathan
Don’t know even where to begin.
So me and the girl were having a fight. Things were going great for a few days, and a hypoglycemic episode ensued. I didn’t know what to do, so I was just like, “Hey, relax, I’m going to get some food.” Can’t get the car started so come back inside and ask her how to work her ignition (was some weird prob). Not as hostile as before, but not exactly inviting, so I sigh and open the door to go back outside. But this time there was a little kitty cat mewing right outside the door.
The cat immediately ran up to us and was rubbing his head against our arms and just being an adorable purr-box. The girl saw my face glow and already knew my next question: “Can we keep it, can we keep it!?”
We went to Harrisburg that night and brought him with us. Along the way he decided to have a disgusting accident in his carrier. Had to stop at a place on the turn pike (wtf are those called?) and clean both the cat and cage out. Gross as hell, but I still loved that little cat. We get back to Harrisburg, and he’s more energetic, still a bit exhausted it seemed, but was eating and drinking a little bit. Had some diarheea and mewed a lot while using the litter box (his nickname was “Poopscream”). He had some strange quirks to him, but if they were of any concern, we figured the vet would figure it out the next day.
His vet visit went great; didn’t have FIV, leukeimia, got rabies and distemperment shots, he was all good. Figured he wasn’t eating/drinking much because of the shots, as that usually knocks them out for a day or two.
A day goes by and he’s still lethargic. Getting worried, I call around to the vets and tell them the story, each has a different opinion. Nothing seemed that serious, though.
This morning, I go to his room and he’s just sitting in a corner, looking forward. Not even turning his head towards me to look at me. I hop around, try to get him to play a bit. Nothing. I check his food and water, as I haven’t been at the house for a day. Hasn’t eaten anything. I rush downstairs to look up the closest vet.
I find the Germantown Animal Hospital is only a few blocks away, so I run upstairs to put him in the carrier to take him. He doesn’t budge and can barely move. How did this happen so fast? Fuck the carrier, I scoop him up in my arms and dash outside. Breathing slowly and not moving from whatever position I put him in my arms, I get to the hospital.
I get in and retell them the story and when the doctor comes out, he immediately just sighs and says “Awww.” Fuck, this isn’t good. I say he hasn’t been eating or drinking, and he’s skinny as is, and he explains how dehydrated he is, judging from the elasticity of his coat (I think?) and his eyes. And a fever as well. He explains the options of giving him treatment and pumping fluids into him and giving him antibiotics, but has a low chance of survival. Would be $200 for that, plus $80 to put him to sleep if the treatment doesn’t work in 3 days. I’ve known this cat for 5 days, and already spent $150 on vet visits and food/litter.. I can’t afford this..
The doctor says the best thing to do is to just put him to sleep. Debating it, I go outside to make some calls and get some advice. This cat was like my sign of hope. Right now, I don’t have a job, no school, not even a place to call home in the area, and recently separated from the girl, but when I saw that cat, he just resonated with me that everything will be okay.
Everything will be okay.
So now my sign of hope, my good omen, my angel was literally dying in my arms. After deliberation, I signed the papers to have him put to sleep. Kissed my boy on the head and told him goodbye.
Went outside behind a bush and broke down over a cat I never knew.
He didn’t have a name officially. But I called him Leviathan. See you in the stars, boy.
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I just realized how meaningful it was that you’d been calling him Leviathan. Really sorry for loss after loss this summer, dude.
I love you. And would’ve loved Leviathan, too.
You did the right thing in so many ways.
First off, you told this story insanely well. I’d heard what happened to the cat, but I read this and started crying in the labs.
Second, you’re a great person for taking in a lost animal like that. Were it healthier you would have treated it well. I agree with Conor though; you did the right thing.
“See you in the stars, boy”
dammit, I’m tearing up again.