Page 83 - July ONLINE VERSION

Pet Philanthrophy tonitis (FIP), a type of feline coronavirus considered to be euthanized for fear he had contracted rabies.

By Emily Pruitt non-treatable until very recently and almost always We also had to get rabies shots. Ollie had been found
fatal. It all started when he started losing weight, outside in the wild; thankfully, he didn’t have rabies at
then urinating on the floors, and finally, not walking. all; this didn’t make Ollie’s loss any easier to grieve.
I remember my first cat, part so much that I even started doing it for Bella and It was hard to see Ash go; he was such a lovely and At least with Bella and Daisy, they lived into
Lily, in 2018 and my first Daisy, too. I still do it with Phoebe and Lily to this friendly cat, especially to Bella. I still miss Ash so old age. Daisy died of a heart attack a little over three
dog, Phoebe, in 2019. Now, day. “Wow, this must be what motherhood is like!” I much. weeks before her 12th birthday; Bella died of a stom-
I’m no stranger to having thought to myself. And I loved every minute of it! It did not get easier with Ollie. I only got to ach mass when she was fourteen years old. We always
pets around the house. I’ve Unfortunately, that feeling couldn’t last forever; know him for a week. It all started a few months after wish for more years than given. When Bella died, my
been very close with all the death is an inevitable part of life, after all. I learned Ash had died. My sister and I had just started our mother was intensely depressed, very similar to how I
pets in my life, Bella, Dai- that the hard way early in 2016 when Charlie started summer vacation in late May when my mother came felt when Charlie died several years earlier. She didn’t
sy, Ash, and Charlie, who getting sick and throwing up. On his final day, we home for her lunch break and told us we had compa- know how she could live without a dog because she
was originally my sister’s had to take him to the hospital to see what was going ny. That was odd; we usually didn’t have any com- had loved Bella and Daisy like they were her children.
but ended up being mine on. I found him hiding under my bed. I guess he had pany during Mom’s lunch break. But my sister and I Honestly, I didn’t know how to live without them ei-
for personal reasons. Our trusted me long enough to do that. I gently coaxed walked outside our house and saw a brown cardboard ther. So, a little over a week after Bella died, a person
sweet little Ollie lived for him into the cat carrier and tried to comfort him as box with a tiny orange tabby cat inside it. We were on Facebook was looking to rehome some puppies.
only a month. But when Lily and Phoebe came to live much as possible during the emergency trip. But it both in awe and filled with joy at the sight of the cute My mom and I flipped a coin: heads = puppy; tails
with me, I felt something else, something deep in my was too late; Charlie was gone. Everyone in my family little kitten! We carried the box into the house and = no puppy. To our surprise (and our joy), the coin
heart where only the most profound love can hit you. cried, but I bawled as I had never bawled in my entire let the kitten out of it, wondering what to name it. I returned a ‘heads’ verdict. And that was how Phoebe
I don’t know whether to call it maternal instincts or life. During those few years, Charlie had been in the was suggesting Graham so that I could call him the came to our house.
not, but their kindness inspires me to rekindle my center of my heart, and that was the kindest thing nickname “Graham Cracker.” My mother, sister, and So, what does this have to do with the power of
kindness. anyone or any animal could ever do for me. I came up with several names and disagreeing with kindness? Phoebe and Lily provided purpose in my
I should start when I was only six years old A pet’s death, sadly, soon became normal for them all. Until I suggested the name “Oliver.” To my life. I cared for them, loved them, and in return, they
with my very first dogs Bella and Daisy. I didn’t have me. Let’s start with Ash. It was September 8, 2016, surprise, my mother and sister liked the name, so cuddled and loved on me; it all cheered me up. Again,
a whole lot of responsibilities taking care of them. the best day of my life so far. I had just been accepted Oliver, or Ollie, it was. I don’t know whether to call it maternal instincts
Don’t get me wrong, I loved them a lot, but it wasn’t into my high school’s beta club. I was over the moon Like the others, I loved caring for Ollie, even or not, but their kindness inspires me to return the
like they were mine. Neither was Charlie at first; he with happiness. As soon as I walked into the house bathing him because he kindness. I care about them just like they care about
was my sister’s when he first came to live with us; I and announced the good news to my family, my would get pretty messy me. That’s what love is. That is the power of kindness
was in the fourth grade. I mean, I played with them, sister told me to come to the den couch because she from the cat box. Okay, a pet gives you. That is how a pet’s kindness goes so
petted them, and loved them to the moon and back, had a surprise for me. I sat down next to her, and she maybe that last part far. Whether that pet is dead or still alive, whether it
but I didn’t have an obligation showed me a tiny silver tabby with long gray fur and wasn’t the most dignified lived a long life or died very young, that kindness will
to care for them. That was until only one eye, my little Ash. I was consumed with love part of taking care of a always remain in your heart. I should know because
my sister started having some and admiration, but I was also cautious. It hadn’t even cat, but it was still an im- the kindness of all my pets has stayed warm in my
problems when I was in the been a year since Charlie had died, and Ash only had portant responsibility that heart.
eighth grade. It wasn’t good one eye. What if he didn’t live very long? I took on entirely. I still
then. fondly remember when
Consequently, when my he learned how to climb up the stairs and how proud
sister eventually moved away we all were of him for doing so. He was such a fast
to my father’s house, I ended up having to care for learner and a sweet little boy. I couldn’t wait to see
Charlie. I didn’t know much about taking care of a what else he would learn! But then, on a day meant to
cat; all I knew was playing with him, petting him, and be a peaceful Saturday, June 1, 2018, it turned out to
picking him up made me feel good. Now, all of a sud- be anything but peaceful. Ollie was shaking, scratch- I’m just an autistic person
den, I had to feed him and give him water. Being an ing at his face, and we thought maybe some litter got who likes writing, reading,
eighth-grader, I didn’t think much of it, but I found it “Don’t expect him to live very long,” my moth- in his eye. So, my mother tried to wipe his eye with drawing, and Eurovision.
enjoyable, and Charlie enjoyed me. I found it ironic er had told me. Luckily, he made it to his first birth- a wet wipe gently, but Ollie wouldn’t allow it, and he
that Charlie would enjoy my company because I was day, and you better believe I celebrated it in July. I scratched her. That was when we realized something
rough on him when he first came to our house. How- took care of Ash just like I had taken care of Charlie, more serious was happening. We drove him to the
ever, my favorite part of taking care of Charlie was playing with him, petting him, feeding him, and com- emergency vet. We were upset and praying that Ollie
feeding him and announcing to him which flavor of forting him during his final days. Yes, Ash had final would make it through, but it was no use. Ollie had
food he was going to have for the night. I loved that days; he was diagnosed with Feline Infectious Peri-
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