Peaches

June 28, 1986 - December 2, 1999 Peaches came into my life as a skiddish little kitten.  She spent the night she came home with us underneath the entertainment center.  I was three and she was the cutest thing I had ever seen. Peaches and I grew to have a love-hate relationship.  I loved her, she hated me.  I can't blame her though, I was little and she was fun to dress up in doll clothes.  She was the typical cat though, wouldn't come near you unless you were reading something, then she wouldn't leave you alone.  She especially loved people who hated cats.  She would purr and rub all over them. Peaches was euthanized at the age of 13 1/2.  I don't know what was wrong, but she suddenly became very ill and within a matter of three days was dying.  It is suspected that she had a brain tumor that ruptured.  She had never been sick a day in her life.

On Sunday we were playing and she suddenly stopped and walked behind the couch where she stayed all day Monday.  We figured she was having an off day, but Tuesday morning Mom felt her and she was ice cold.  Mom took me out of school and we rushed her to the vets.  They ran tests, but nothing suggested anything wrong.  Wednesday we visited her and she wasn't acting like herself still.  Thursday Mom called me at school from the vet's office.  Peaches was having a hard time breathing and it was only a matter of time.  The vets were leaving to go on their farm calls and wouldn't be back until that night.  It was either put her out of misery now or wait several hours when she would probably die in the meantime.  I chose to end her suffering humanely.  I told mom to tell her I loved her and that I was sorry she was suffering.  Mom said that she whispered it in Peaches' ear and it was the only time that she purred that day.  It was her way of telling me that she understood.  She gave me some great memories that I will cherish and keep forever.

Unwrapping her catnip toy