This is the story of a Siamese cat called Keilor Chocolate Teddy. He was born in our Cattery on the 17th March, 1989. He had a heart murmur which sometimes results from a close mating, which Teddy was. He was a Mother to Son mating. All cat breeders go close sometimes with mating their cats. It is allowed in animal breeding. He always was the one to put his little head up to me when he was only about 4 weeks old. I was hooked, and then when I found out about the heart murmur, I knew I would keep him as my pet.
At about 9 weeks old he started this awful vomiting a few hours after he ate and it really smelt awful, but I loved him so much by now. I just put up with it. The vets checked him out and did some tests, to no avail. Couldn't work out what was causing the vomiting. They even wanted me to put him to sleep, but no way. I loved this little kitten so much. I was horrified. The vets also told me he would only live until about 3 years. Many times over the years I loved him I would be in tears cleaning up his vomiting. It was only the great love that I had for him that kept me going, because it was horrible to watch. People will probably say I should have put him down. but we always got a warning when he was going to be sick so could be prepared. He didn/t vomit on a day to day basis, sometimes it would be a week in between, and as you can see by the photo's of Teddy, he was a very healthy cat. The years went on and on and I lived in fear of the day I would lose Teddy, because I knew it would be a very sad day in our house, He was so loved by Keith and I. He just became more and more affectionate and loving, would follow me everywhere He followed me to bed every night and in winter loved to sit inside my cardigan to keep warm. He would sit like that for hours if I would let him. I even had to go into hospital for a couple of operations, the second one being a total knee replacement, and I was in hospital 12 days. When I came home the look on his little face was something to believe. Keith said towards the end he was fretting for me. On 21st October, 1999, I woke up to see Teddy having little sick ups, a funny gray colour, not like normal. He didn't look sick or anything, but I did notice he wasn't eating. By night time he had done it a few times. This is what I can't forgive myself for, I should have taken him to the vet that night, but didn't, I just thought he would be alright the next day. I heard him being sick a few times during the night and thought to myself, I must get up early and take Keith to work, so I could have the car to take Teddy to the vet. Well I slept in and when I got up Keith had gone and Teddy looked terrible. I rang Keith and tried to get him to come home. He said he found Teddy had a couple of really bad teeth, another thing I can't forgive myself for.We have to put our breeding cats first with vets expsenses being so high.
Teddy was trembling, I had never seen him look so sick, I had to ring Keith so many times to get him to come home, I understand he was reluctant, as he has to keep his job too. Finally we got Teddy to the vets at 11.30AM Friday 22nd Oct., Bill the vet said he was a very sick boy and would have to stay and have some tests done. Well I burst into tears and walked out without saying goodbye to Teddy. Little did I know that was the last glimpse I would see of my darling Teddy. His little face when I walked out will haunt me until the day I die. I thought he was going to be alright, the tests showed nothing conclusive and they were going to take his teeth out on the Monday and we were going to pick him up and bring him home. I asked Jim the other vet could he come home Saturday afternoon, as I was worried he would be fretting by now, but Jim said he was handling it OK. Monday 25th Oct., Keith rang the vet at 9.00AM to find out how he was and was told Jim didn't think he was going to make it, they thought he had Meningitis from his bad teeth. The infection must have gone in through those teeth. Keith then had to ring me and tell me, well I screamed and screamed no it can't happen, I went screaming through the house, I was in a state of complete shock. They had to put my beloved Teddy to sleep without Keith holding him and either of us being able to say goodbye. To this day I will never forgive myself for neglecting his teeth. I also have been through the tragedy of losing my beautiful little son David, a long time ago with Cancer at 2 years old. People may think this is stupid, but I can honestly say losing Teddy, my beloved pet broke my heart nearly as much. The vets all said he wouldn't live past 3 years,but Teddy proved them all wrong. With the love and devotion he had from me and his love and devotion to me kept him alive for 10 years and 7 months. He is buried beside his little mother in our garden with red and yellow rosebushes.
DARLING TEDDY YOU ARE MISSED SO MUCH BY YOUR HUMAN MUM AND DAD. |
