My Family: Animal Friends

My Family: Animal Friends

You warm my lap you purr with glee
Your soft gray fur feels silky to me
when we share time lives intertwined
a gift from God lasts a life time

your girl friend Luna you groom so nice
Her gold coat shines bright in sunlight
together you sit enjoying the day
at night you run and enjoy your play

another cat who’s in my life
is Snowball who is mostly white
he’s my cousin's very best friend
visiting me time and again

Smokey all grey friendly to all
Luna golden white on her paws
snowballs long hair silky to touch
We love these cats very much

Bella my service dog so true
helps me day and night to do
tasks I need no matter the time
She never complains she won’t wine

Holly and Bonnie birds I love
They enjoy the things from above
Orchid eighteen her friend is gone
Ripley left us struggles are gone

I’ve been richly blessed knowing them
I’m glad to have these awesome friends
when we leave earth and go above
God welcomes us with all his love

Ripley and Orchid are Chelsies cats which consist of part Jungle Cat and part Domestic Cat. They were three months apart in age and Ripley died at the age of a few months past eighteen years old. Orchid is now about eighteen and a half years. Both cats have/had chronic renal failure. Ripley, on Friday 7/10/15 developed a very, very severe eye infection which by Monday &/13/15 was completely healed so that no one would suspect this had happened to her. The CRF and eye infection was enough to ravage her to the point of not eating and being in major severe pain. Tears stream as I write this; I miss her very, very sweet kisses and loving personality. I miss her antics. Sadly for me I had to help her transition from this life on earth to her eternal life with Heavenly Father and all the other animals who are waiting for their animal friends and people to join them. After her death I wrote about her that day and am going to add this to information to this page. I do not know when or if I will be able to edit this, however comments and suggestions are welcome for I want to honor my animal friends will well written word art. Below is more information which I may not be able to edit.
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February 22 1997- July 13 2015
Ripley I love you and miss you, yet we will be reunited again in heaven to be with our families and rejoice in the presence of Heavenly Father. Orchid will be with you eventually and meanwhile will miss your friendship and company as I do also. She is about the same age as you May 19 1997, so is close to where you have been with the CRF. I didn’t want you to suffer and arduous slow death, so for your sake and that you would not be in pain and so very, very sick did a kindness as Jesus would and let you go to Heavenly Father who is the great physician and your created. You deserve the very best. You have great value to me and God. You are so very precious and awesome, as most precious as all my animal friends have been. I remember and appreciate all your love and kind ways, being patient, loving, friendly to everyone you met, enjoying life to the fullest. giving life everything you had to five and more. All this you did out of affection and love. I treasure you and all your animal friends. I will be thrilled to see you again in the proper time my feline friend. Safe travels and many blessings my love.
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I wasn’t able to read this without tears starting again. My chocolate lab, Bishop, died 207 and I still have moments when I struggle dealing with not having him with me. I love all of the animals who have been in my life. There have been however two who for reasons I can not put into words and explain, that affect me and seem to cause me more difficulties after losing them and having to deal with life without them. Ripley and Bishop fit into this situation.
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Why and how I wrote this poem (above) I’m not sure because many hours have passed since I started this process and now if is evening. The animals I mention are still with me either in my heart (Ripley) or actually here on this earth. Orchid is struggling although still enjoying life, with CRF (chronic Renal Failure). She is still active, eating, and drinking however I keep close watch for any signs of pain and possible medical issues. I have watched several cats die of this medical life taking diagnoses, so know that medically there is very little that can be done. Keeping the animal as comfortable, happy and healthy is the best that can be done for them. Usually the animal will let you know when it is time and that they are ready to go. It is painful to watch the progression of this disease, yet it is beautiful to watch an animal enjoy life to the fullest for as long as they are able. I know in the future I will have to do for Orchid what I did for Ripley. I do not want any animal to loose their life sooner than they should nor do I want an animal to suffer. It is a delegate balance to manage this process and have assurance that the timing of things is correct without second guessing. Watch the animal very, very closely, know the symptoms and the changes as things progress, know the animal in close detail, learn the language-vocalizations meanings, body postures and movements, eating amounts and frequencies, drinking habits and durations, and everything you can so that you are able to know when something isn’t right or when the animal requires help and medical intervention or something else. Because Orchid is very much on the wild side, about 75% wild and she is about 18.5 years old, plus CRF isn’t something that can be reversed or cured, I am going to take care of her at home and allow nature to take it’s course. She is terrified of strangers, a one person cat and will bit or rip strangers apart, and I know her ways and body language to be safe with her when medical attention is necessary. It will be a great challenge for me to administer medical care if needed, however this opportunity to be very careful and give her treatment without fear is one of the very best gifts I could give to her. When we first met 10/2000, I didn’t really know what I was getting into. Ripley is a second generation F2 breeding and Orchid is a first generation F1 breeding. Ripley was very, very people friendly while Orchid was not, even to the point of not wanting to interact with people at all. As I learned about Orchid, I was scratched, bit, growled at, and jumped at/on claws digging with all their might into my head. Of course all of this took place over a little more than a year. After all of this and me learning how to work with her, I found she had a very loving heart and respect for me in her own way. Orchid was not a cuddly type of cat ever, for all of her life. She would sit in my lap and allow me to rub her belly after about 2 years of knowing each other and this was only when she was in heat. Eventually I was able to rub her belly any time and touch her face and head because she enjoyed rubbing on me. Ripley was a major up close kisses love bug kitty. Actually all of their lives I have called them kittens. They will always be my kittens. My animal family friends are to me puppies, kittens, or burdies.
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Poetry is still very much a mystery to me. I know I should read poetry to learn about it and practice writing poetry; I do this as much as possible, however I have a very long way to go. Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you.