We are about to lose our calico Clementine. We think she's about nine, because the starving sweet "kitten" we rescued on our porch at an apartment complex in late 2001 was actually about a year old, the vet said. She was a wild thing at first, but settled in quickly. Our other cat was the one who called her to our attention. He ran from window to window and meowed excitedly. Usually he hissed at other cats, so clearly he thought this one was special.

She has an unknown ailment, probably pancreatic. We didn't do an expensive test to learn, though blood work showed an infection that was treated. Symptoms persist, she is anorexic. She was fat, now thin, so fatty liver disease might be a part of it, but we can't get past the initial illness that still plagues her, and now she is incontinent. This is the cat who always followed behind her pal to bury after he went into the box; to have no control now is as low as can be.

So, I've told the kids, and that's why I'm posting anything at all. I wouldn't start a thread because a pet is dying. She was a pet, and I don't believe in getting overly sentimental about all of this. The kids need to understand that we usually outlive our small animals, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't love them while they're with us. I'm the grown-up here, and have to make the decision, so my college daughter is coming down this evening to say her good-byes, and I'll take the cat in to the vet tomorrow after picking up the 16-year-old from school. I was going to drop her off in the morning, but as I write here, I realize that is too hard on my son, to go through the day at school like that.

My son is saying his good-byes. This afternoon he took her out on the sunny front porch to hang out in the sun a little. She tried to get on the sunny windowsill in his room but can't jump or climb much now, so he'll have to lift her where he thinks she wants to go. I'll give him the room for his goodbyes, and my daughter this evening, and I'll just be there to help where I can. This is a private thing for each of us, even if we are together in our saddness.

SRS