A Toast to Min

Min left us today.

I made the call.

It was hard.

I stayed with Min when she was injected. I felt it was my duty. I asked for it, so I felt called to witness it and be with her at the end.

I'm not a cat fan, but Min was my cat.

She was the cat Carrie entrusted to me while we were still dating. Min had been spayed and she had to separate Min and Max. She asked me to watch over her at my apartment. I remember reading all sorts of articles on how cats think online (since I had no clue). She used to sleep on me at night and I trained her how to jump up and turn off light switches.

That faded over the past several years as I developed my cat allergy. I didn't pet her as much, because it left me with a burning/itching/tickling sensation in my nose for the next day or so. I started to tell Shane Min was his cat and hoped they would bond as he grew up with her. I told Carrie it would be nice if we started leaving his door open at some point, so she could sleep with him (she'd have loved to sleep in our room, but I'm allergic).

There's no chance of that now.

It was over so quickly. It surprised me. There was no dimming of light in her eyes or any visible sign. She simply stopped at some point. I didn't even notice. I realized she wasn't moving or breathing and wondered "When did that happen?"

I don't want to do that again, but I guess it's part of the responsibility that comes with owning a pet. You see things through. The vet would've done it without me as a witness (Carrie was crying in the waiting room), but Min knew me and I believe if you make the call you should face it. It's not meant to be easy. It's meant to teach respect for what a gift life is.

Thank you, God, that I got to know Min. I pray that I made the right call and that it was by your will she passed. I will hold my son and wife closer in her memory.

Good bye, Min. You were 'only a cat,' but you were still part of my family.