The Cat Who Lived (Pascal 1995 - 2014) We lost our dear cat Pascal on Thursday. He died in my arms and with Jeff right nearby. Our little family feels that much smaller with the loss of this very special cat. I got Pascal as a kitten when I was still in college. He earned his sophisticated name thanks to a French literature class I had at the time. He loved sitting on my books as I studied French and Russian at my desk; he earned the monikers Monsieur Pascal le chat français as well as Черная кошка с золотыми глазами (black cat with the golden eyes); and he seemed to appreciate the classical music I studied to. Pascal was the ultimate jumping kitty; he almost flew, chasing the various spinning bird toys he loved so much. I remember he also used to jump up onto the refrigerator to sleep up high. At only a couple years old, Pascal seemed to be having difficulties breathing and was first diagnosed with heart disease, later corrected to asthma. This didnt hinder him for long. In 1997, Pascal was steadfastly by my side, watching over me as I struggled through my melanoma diagnosis and surgery. In 2001, circumstances led me to hand Pascal off to my Mom and Fred for their care. He was always an independent cat who needed space, and he loved their large home with the creek out back, defending it fiercely (occasionally to injury). My Mom and Fred always said Pascal was the best cat they had ever had. Pascal loved spending time in the garage with Fred, and he even tolerated being fitted for a matching fez hat with Fred. At one point he survived getting caught under the closing garage door! Eventually he underwent radiation treatment for his thyroid, emerging thin and with little hair left on his back. My Mom and Fred were gradually getting rid of all their possessions, and left for their new traveling RV lifestyle. One rainy day in February 2011, Jeff and I picked up a scrawny, scared Pascal (and his heated basket bed) from their just-vacated house. Honestly at that point we figured we would be the hospice care for Pascal, because he looked like he couldnt last long. Little did we know, with loving care, a quiet home, an organic raw turkey diet, and even acupuncture, Pascal would soon recover--and would go on to wrestle the heavier and younger Cooper cat to the ground regularly. Pascal celebrated with us the purchase of our first home last year, enjoying the greater space again. He continued to snuggle right up in my face at night. Pascal then developed kidney disease, common in older cats, and eventually some dementia and hearing loss. Arthritis kept him from jumping at all any more, although he could still make Cooper cry like a baby when they wrestled from time to time. This summer our 18-year old niece Jessica (only one month older than Pascal) came to stay for the summer, and Pascal was so happy to get the chance to hang out in the back yard with us all. In July, he escaped the back yard for a last Grand Adventure, 10 days out in the unknown while we searched and searched for him. He survived lack of food and comfort, returning right when we had pretty much given up hope. He was thin and bedraggled, but did bounce back a bit and seemed to truly appreciate our cuddles (and the butter he developed a taste for). His mind and hearing continued to decline, his yowl was loud and demanding and at times confused, but overall he kept his indomitable spirit, until this week, when he chose his ending. As Jeff says, Pascal was a cat whose respect you had to earn. I felt a special connection with him, and was constantly amazed at his strength, dignity, and how fully he lived of all 9 of his lives. He is deeply missed, and deeply appreciated.
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 05:01:29 +0000
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