Yesterday afternoon, while getting ready for Christmas, the vet from a local clinic contacted me about Teaky, a rescue that had come into care on Friday, Dec. 18. Teaky's rescuer had been feeding her for over a year as the previous residents of the house had left her behind when they moved. Though the rescuer tried, he couldn't find a home for Teaky and recently reached out to Regina Cat Rescue (RCR) for help. The vet was concerned by the fact that Teaky loved head scratches but got very upset whenever someone would touch her body and suggested x-rays and blood work.

The call that came an hour later was not good news. The x-rays showed a tumour in Teaky's bladder as well as one in her abdomen, and the blood work showed that her kidney's were shutting down. Sadly there was nothing that could be done to "fix" these problems and Teaky was obviously in a lot of pain. With all of this information the difficult decision was made to end Teaky's suffering and help her over Rainbow Bridge.

I met Teaky today for the first time when I went to the clinic to be there for her crossing. She was a beautiful cat, and still young at 10 years of age. During my time with Teaky she gave me head bumps, purred and loved it when I scratched under her chin. She gave slow eye blinks and even rolled over to give me her belly at one point. My heart broke for this beautiful girl whose life was being cut short and who had been, only a year earlier, abandoned by the people who were supposed to care about her.

Though it's not easy being there for an animal's crossing, I felt that Teaky needed someone from RCR with her during her last moments, someone who would tell her she was loved and would be missed when she was gone. In the 30 minutes I was with her, Teaky helped me to remember to give my 12-year-old cat a big hug tonight when it's bed time, to snuggle my three-year-old cat even when he's in the way, and to appreciate my five-year-old cat who likes to play shy from time to time. She reminded me to give each of my foster kittens some extra patience when they unroll all my paper towel or when they pull over the garbage can to see what's inside. Most of all though, Teaky taught me that even though every rescued cat doesn't get the forever home and the "happily ever after," what RCR does is important and Teaky, who would have continued to hide her pain, it now pain free and playing over Rainbow Bridge.

Thank you for the lessons, Teaky. My heart both breaks for what I couldn't give you and is filled with joy that you are now happy, healthy and pain free. Someday we will meet again, but until then, enjoy laying in the sunshine and following butterflies around the beautiful garden I'm sure you now call home.

~Jaimie~