In
my last blog entry, I told you about the amazing bond I had with my first cat,
Pookie, and how only a few days after her death, she showed me “signs from
Heaven” to let me know that she was still with me.
Now,
I’d like to tell you about my second cat, Buddy, who showed me "signs from Heaven" on the very same day he left the
physical world this past January. He was
a 16-year-old orange tabby who had a personality that was larger than life,
even up until the end. I wasn’t looking
for a second cat, but Buddy found me at just two weeks of age. He was so small and helpless … he fit in the
palm of my hand. I became his foster
mom, and he became my bottle baby. Needless
to say, it was a bonding experience, and there was no way I was going to give
him up after I’d fostered him because he'd found a place in my heart.
I
knew Pookie wasn’t crazy about another cat moving in, but Buddy was there to
stay. Pookie was nine months old when
Buddy arrived, so luckily, she hadn’t had me to herself for too long. It ended up working out fine. Buddy knew he was in “second place,” and we
were a happy family of three.
Buddy
was such a character. He grew from a
tiny kitten into a fairly large 20-pound cat.
He had big saucer eyes, an inquisitive face, and very unique
vocalizations. Buddy had a wide variety
of meows. There were times he’d actually
say, “Meow,” and other times he’d sound like a dolphin. He was very friendly and loved to play, even
in his final days. Buddy charmed
everyone who came into the house, rubbing his chin on them and meowing his way
into their hearts.
At
the end of his life, Buddy weighed less than 8 pounds. He still looked okay on the outside, but
inside his kidneys were failing.
Unfortunately, Buddy was not a cat who willingly tolerated any
treatments. While he was sweet and
loving at home, he turned into a hissing and growling monster at the vet’s
office. Those vet visits would be
extremely stressful for both of us.
Buddy
had been diagnosed with kidney disease in early 2014. It’s a very common disease in older cats, and
it causes them to become very dehydrated and lethargic. Their kidneys gradually lose their ability to
flush the toxins out of their bodies. I
had read that the “end stage” was gruesome so I wasn’t going to let it get to
that point. I wasn’t going to let Buddy
suffer. As long as he had a quality of
life, I would do whatever I could to help him.
The
vet told me that cats could live with kidney disease for a year or more if they
received regular subcutaneous fluid injections.
Since I knew Buddy wasn’t going to sit there while I stuck a needle in
him, I figured his days were numbered, but the vet prescribed a powder called Epakitin
to lower his phosphorus level, and it seemed to work like some sort of miracle
cure!
For
many months, with only a few visits to the vet, Buddy continued to have a good
quality of life. You never would have
known anything was wrong with him. He
was doing just as well as my other cat who was receiving fluids every other
day! I firmly believe that the Epakitin
powder kept Buddy alive for almost a year after his diagnosis.
There
would be times I’d take him to the vet thinking it was the end, and he would be
hospitalized for two to three days with IV fluids and would make a remarkable
comeback. As I mentioned, Buddy was
hospitalized on several occasions. The
fluids would flush the toxins out of his system, and his blood work would
return to normal. While I hated to put
him through the stress of the vet visits, it was worth it to have the
additional time with him and to see him retain his quality of life.
In
January, Buddy didn’t make a comeback from his hospitalization. His blood work was virtually unchanged, the “miracle” powder wasn’t helping, and he didn't want to eat or drink. I knew it was time to make that fateful call
to the vet, and I reluctantly made his euthanasia appointment for the following
day. That night, I told Buddy about the
“signs” he could show me, and I told him he was going to Heaven to be with
Pookie.
The
next morning, I put Buddy in the carrier for the last time. On the way to the
vet, there was an unusual silence. Buddy
normally cried every time I took him to the vet, but this time he didn’t make a
sound. When I took him inside, it wasn’t
long before the familiar Buddy came out … the growling started. He was not going to go willingly.
The
assistant suggested she take him back to give him a sedative, and I
agreed. I didn’t know they were going to
give him THE sedative. When she brought
Buddy back into the room wrapped in a heated towel, he was out of it, but he
was still breathing, and I knew he could hear me, so I told him how much I
loved him, and I prayed to the angels to keep Buddy calm and to give him a
smooth transition to Heaven. I also
asked Pookie and my parents to greet him, and I asked my mom to hold onto him
for me. It wasn’t long before the vet
came in to administer the final shot. I
was ready, and I truly believe Buddy was ready.
He had fought a good fight, but the time had come.
After
the vet said Buddy had passed, he told me to take as much time as I needed as
he closed the door. I leaned
over the table covering Buddy’s lifeless body with my chest, and I softly
cried. I continued to tell Buddy how
much I loved him, and I continued to pray to the angels. I must’ve stayed in that position for at
least 45 minutes, all the while talking to Buddy and praying to the angels
while tears gently streamed down my face.
When
I got home, I decided to sit outside on my balcony near my hummingbird
feeder. I don’t normally ask for signs,
but when I sat down, I asked aloud, “Buddy, will you bring me a
hummingbird?” No sooner had I gotten the
words out of mouth when a hummingbird appeared!
I couldn’t believe it! Then, I
realized I didn’t have my phone with me, so I quickly went inside to get my
phone so I could take a picture. I love
to document signs when I can, and I knew this wasn’t a coincidence.
I
sat back down and said aloud, “Buddy, I want to get a picture of the
hummingbird. Can you bring it
back?” Again, immediately, the
hummingbird showed up, but this time it didn’t go straight to the feeder. It stopped in front of it and hovered. It was looking right at me! As it went to get a sip of nectar, I asked
aloud, “Buddy, is that you?” The
hummingbird quickly flew onto the nearby tree and started a very loud
chatter. The chatter must’ve gone on for
at least two minutes! I just knew it was
Buddy telling the other birds, “I did it, I did it! I let my mom know I was still here!” Not only did I get pictures of the
hummingbird, but also I got video! Although
it was a sad day, I was absolutely ecstatic with delight at that moment!
To
top it off, I received a message from a close
friend who’s psychically gifted, and she told me that she saw my mom holding
Buddy, that Pookie was sitting next to her, and that my dad was standing next
to my mom with his hand on her shoulder.
This was an unexpected and wonderful validation. My heart was so filled with love.
The
next morning, before I left for work, I asked aloud, “Buddy, will you show me
the word “cat?” About halfway through my
commute, I saw a truck several lanes over that was towing a
“Caterpillar” construction vehicle, and there on the side of the vehicle in big,
bold letters was “C-A-T!” I was even
able to get a photo! I exclaimed, “Thank
you, Buddy!”
Since
then, Buddy has shown me all the signs I’d told him about without me asking for
them. These signs have included the
numbers associated with his birth and transition back to spirit, his name
(which I’ve seen and heard on numerous occasions), our word, “always,” and pictures of orange tabby cats.
Again,
I’m sharing this story with you to let you know that your loved ones, including
your beloved pets, are still with you in spirit. We’re all part of one
consciousness where love keeps us connected forever and always.
With love, light, and angel blessings,
Michelle
