Unconditional Love

How do you explain death to a child? How do you explain why you are crying and not in the mood to play? Our family has lost one of it's own. Newton is now at peace. No more suffering, no more pain. He was the glue to our unique family. This new year brought failing health and discomfort. We had to make the tough decision to put him to rest. The last week was the hardest. He wasn't eating very much and slept all the time. He wanted to be affectionate, but we could tell it was difficult.  He would jump into my lap and I would pet him, but after a few minutes he would reclaim a spot on the floor. He would run up and down the stairs like a kitten, but contact seemed painful. He lost a lot of weight, which the vet suspects is due to his thyroid. He was a fighter and as stubborn as the rest of us. Looking into his eyes daily was getting hard. I couldn't tell if he wanted us to give him a last final fight or if he wanted us to help him find peace. In the end, we chose peace. He had the biggest heart and showed us unconditional love. We owed him peace, love and respect. We have cried and buried him next to Lizzy so he will forever be in good company. We gave him some last wishes and topped it with some lovely flowers. It was very difficult to go through; I only hope he knows we meant well, that we love him, and that he went pain-free. He was a member of our family and he will be truly missed for all the happiness he brought our way.

Let's celebrate his wonderful life!

Before he became a part of our family, he was a stray for 5 years. Who knows how many little Newtons are running around Indiana. I hope many. We first met at the Bloomington Animal Shelter in 2009. Joe and I knew we wanted to get a pet - we chose a cat. We would go there often and scope out and play with all the kitties to get to know them. We narrowed it down to a little orange kitten and Newton (Blue Boy at that time). I was constantly drawn to Newton because he was such a gorgeous cat and his scar intrigued me. Every time I would visit, he would jump down from his chosen spot and greet me. He was definitely the alpha in the room and showed me often. I continuously visited him and he would hang out with me. It was very comforting and I knew we were meant to be together, I was routing for him the whole time! He didn't like anyone else- I found out from the staff later. When we adopted him I actually had to get him down and put him in his box because he wouldn't let the staff. I thought it was funny. He confirmed our decision when we brought him home. He meowed and tried to escape the entire ride to his new home. We barely made it inside when he punched through the side of the box, extended his claws like Freddy Kroeger, and tore a hole back through the box to make his escape. He didn't sleep for two days - and neither did we really because of it. We knew we made the right choice - no regrets.

Many more memories to share. I hope Joe and I can add some together.

In the meantime, find peace my friend.