Punky's Battle is Over

" PUNKY" (1991-2008)

Yesterday (Nov. 22, 2008) in Orlando, FL, Punky had her last ride. Her battle with oral cancer is over, and she is now at peace. She had started to bleed from the tumor again, so it was time for her to go to kitty heaven. Her Pops had given her radiation therapy two different times, once in March/April and again in September. Each time, the tumor shrunk entirely away for a few months, but then it eventually returned each time. She even purred as my son placed her carrier in his car for her last ride, with her probably thinking that she was going back to her home in South Carolina. She loved to ride! She was a well-seasoned little traveler. He said she never took her eyes off him during the entire ride. She traveled with him everywhere he went, as did Scooter.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will remember that Scooter, age 15, lost her battle with heart disease on October 6th of this year. It has been very heartbreaking for my son to lose both of his beloved little girls less than 7 weeks apart. It was a very sad day for our family again, but we know that Punky and Scooter are frolicking together once again.

" PUNKY" in July 1991

Punky was a shelter kitten when he adopted her on July 5, 1991. She was a pitiful little thing with an infected eye with puss running out of it and down her little face. We took her straight to the vet for a checkup and medicine for her eye. She was given a bath to rid her of fleas, as she was loaded with them. Her coat was so thin that we could actually see them crawling all over her bony little body. The vet said her eyeball was even swollen. Our shelter has come a long way since the 90's and has a great staff now. Dogs seem to get priority at our local shelter, though, so we adopt the little cats no one would ever choose. We have found that they are all beautiful on the inside.

Below is a pic of where she slept...right next to Tim's pillow. He said that she actually got on his pillow with him the night before, something she had never done. He took that as a sign that she was telling him something, maybe that she was ready to go. We have found that usually an animal will let you know, in some manner, when they are ready.

As I told my son, she loved him, and she knew that he loved her. They had 17 great years together. We have videos of her that we can watch to keep her alive forever in our hearts.

As my vet wrote in a sympathy card one time when I had to have my beloved Duffy put to sleep in 1996, also, due to cancer: "You have given Duffy one last gift...his release from suffering." So I passed those words on to my son:

"You have given Punky one last gift...her release from suffering."

My last words to you, Punky: "I know you are in a better place now, but you will be sadly missed, my little Punky, and you will always have a special place in my heart....Grandma loves you!"