ace-friends

ACE and Friends

Ace

~ ACE ~
ACE HALL was a male feline (domestic short hair) black and white in color.
Some call these “Tuxedo Cats”.
We adopted ACE at our local animal shelter. As soon as we saw him in the cage we KNEW he was the one for us.
We filled out the necessary paper work for the adoption process and soon found
that there were two other families in line for him. SO, we left, prayed a lot and
made a call to the shelter in the allotted time to find out if the other families
adopted him. Much to our surprise, no one had come to claim him..
So HE WAS OURS.
ACE was a member of our family, not our pet. He traveled with us, moved with us
and even rode in the car on errands with us. Short, around the town errands.
ACE has even gone to Las Vegas with us twice --- riding up the elevator in his cage
with the hotel bellman. The bellman looked at me as he unloaded the luggage from
our trunk, when we arrived that one night, and he said, “Ma’m, I did not see that
cat or the pet carrier”, I just winked at him and smiled, and away we went to the
hotel elevator.
ACE has been a real friend and pal to us and we will always hold a special place
in our hearts..
ACE was diagnosed with Kidney failure, a year ago, August (2001). Being a nurse,
I thought that I could easily give him sub Q fluids and IV fluids right in the comfort
of our own home.. But, that was a real challenge for about three to four months for me... Suddenly, I could not put a needle into ACE. ACE’s human brothers, Jake
and Ryan would drive ACE to the Vet’s office everyday, and the Vet or staff would administer the fluids to him.
Eventually, I “came around” and was able to start the fluids to Ace at home.
WHAT a relief that was to ACE, but his human brothers, too.
ACE seemed to do pretty well for several months, then, with lab work, we found
that his lab values began to climb and the last week or two of his life, he began
vomiting and was weak. Even with medication and increased fluids, the blood levels
were too high.
He began sleeping almost around the clock, was weak , vomited almost daily,
really did not eat and drink much, I knew we were in trouble, when I had to dab
water on his nose and the automatic response was for him to “lick” the water off
his nose. He would turn around and just look at me, so sad.

He would not get excited and race for the laser lite as we would point and flash
it around the room. This used to be one of his favorite toys.
ACE spent his last couple of days, perched in the window, sleeping and occasionally opening his eyes and looking around at us and or the scenery out our windows,
of the beautiful trees, mountains, birds chirping and occasionally the ocean, he could see. He began “asking” to go outside, onto the patio (ACE was strictly indoors) but,
I could see that he really wanted out there I opened the door and out we went, I
found that he just wanted to lay, stretched out in the warm sun and when he could
hear the birds or me say his name, he would lift his tail once and put it to rest. I
actually laid down beside him late one afternoon, out there and we fell asleep,
something I would never have done, when he was well and strong, for fear he may
run and jump.... but, we must have slept there an hour or longer....
Somehow I knew we were reaching the end, the time I had hoped would never come
His last night here with us, he came into my bedroom and wanted up on my bed, I
lifted him up and he sat on my chest and I looked at his face in the dark, I told
him that I was so sorry that he didn’t feel good anymore and that I knew that
our time was short... .I asked him to just give me a signal, when he was just too
tired to go on. It wasn’t long and he curled up beside me and fell asleep
It wasn’t long and he jumped down off the bed and got up into the bedroom window..
I could see his figure in the window and he sat there on his haunches, looking out
into the night. He sat there like that for a very long time.. Time, where I too
fell asleep.... I woke up startled and found him gone from my room and I jumped
out of bed and went looking into the living room and found him, squatting on the carpet, crying with a deep, “painful cry” I picked him up and sat him into the
litter box. . .he looked up at me, then stepped out. He walked away very slowly
back to my bedroom, I found him squatting again by my closets... .He was crying
out again... .1 picked him up and held him and looked at the clock, it was 4:30 AM,
all I could think was, “hurry up 7 am”, that is the time our Vets office would open
I sat with ACE and he fell asleep as it was getting light outside, I got up with ACE
and walked over to his favorite perch and way up top sat C-BO, his buddy (C-BO
is 4 years old). C-BO was sitting up there watching ACE and I.. .we walked up to
C-BO and C-BO stood up and bent down to “groom” ACE.. .seemed like forever...
I actually could see that his eyes were watery.

Soon he jumped down and walked away from us.
Finally 7 AM rolled around and I knew that I had to get ACE to his Vet. So, into
the cage he went and away we drove.
We drove up out front of the office and got out and went inside, the staff seemed
to read my face and seemed to know why I was there. .They whisked us off to a
room and Ace’s vet was summoned to our room.
She came into the room and sat down next to ACE and I. She sat there and we
discussed the decision that needed to be made, she too, had tears running down her
face, just as I did. (ACE was loved by everyone that he came into contact with)
She explained the procedure to me and offered for me to be there... but, I knew
that I just could not do it... 1 knew that I had to put my trust in God and into her.
I knew that ACE was in the best of hands and she promised that she would administer the injection as soon as she left the exam room, since ACE would wonder when I
would be back to get him IF she let him sit in a cage. She explained that THIS is
her policy, when this must be done... to do it right away.
I got up and wrapped ACE up and handed him to her, she reached out with ACE in
her arms and hugged me and with tears in her eyes too, she kissed me on my cheek
and said that ACE was in good hands, and I knew that he was... I turned and walked away and quickly turned to look back and at the same time ACE looked back at me
and then turned away. I walked out the door and outside, I sat and cried for a bit
and soon felt a calm, cool , lightness around me @ 9:03 AM.
I drove away.
Our family misses ACE so much, ACE’s cat family misses him too! I know that I
made a right decision on ACE’s behalf, but, it was tough to do....
I am so grateful for the support that is given through the Monday Night Candle Ceremony at petloss.com. What a wonderful group,
folks who truly understand my grief and sadness....
We miss you, ACE!