Sylvester 1988 - 2002
Sylvester was born on the mean streets of Chicago in the Spring of 1988. Those who saw him fully grown could not believe that this rather substantial cat was actually the runt of his litter.
I was then a schoolteacher and cell biologist, and at the end of the school year I was offered my choice of one of a large litter of kittens by the grateful mother of one of my students. I selected a calico cat, but the cat I selected wanted nothing to do with me. But a tiny black and white kitten must have sensed that I would take good care of him, and he strolled over and introduced himself. The owner of the mother cat said "I think this one wants you to be his mommy." I replied "How can I resist him?" I took him home for good a few days later.
As the runt of the litter, he was having trouble getting fed properly. I bottle-fed him for a week and then started him on solid food. He more than made up for his initial food deprivation inthe years to come.
Sylvester and I soon became inseparable. Unlike many cats, he seemed to enjoy riding in cars, once he figured out he was not going to the vet. As a kitten, he liked to ride on my shoulder as we drove to various places in the Chicago area. He surprised many drive-thru employees at fast-food restaurants - no doubt few of them expecting a small kitty to be peering intently at them as they handed over dinner.
About a year, after I brought Sylvester home, I received another, much less welcome "guest" - breast cancer. During my long convalescence at home, Sylvester never left my side except for the occasional snack. He cuddled with me so tight it was like he was trying to heal me with his purrs. Had it not been for his unconditional love I may very well not have made it.
The next year - when visiting my family in central Indiana, my mother surprised me with another black and white cat. Much as I tried to resist, this new kitten bonded quickly to me and spent the night sleeping in the crook of my arm. I had to bring him home and I hoped that Sylvester would accept him. It took him a few days to get used to his new brother Felix - although for the next couple of weeks he seemed to delight in nipping at my ankles or smacking me with his paw as I walked by. But soon he and Felix became the best of brothers.
Sylvester was a unique cat, as anyone who saw him quickly commented. For one, he was somewhat larger than an ordinary house cat, eventually tipping the scales at over 20 lbs. He grew fond of foods that cats ordinarily don¹t eat (i.e. ice cream). A friend of mine dubbed him "the oval cat", from the shape he formed when he sat down. It was not just his size that made him special. His personality could quickly win over persons who ordinarily did not care for cats. He was reserved and dignified, but never aloof, but he could be playful as well. He was a gentle, calm, unflappable cat.
His only enemies - it seemed, were the dustbuster and my electric razor - both of which he stalked relentlessly. His only terror was loud thunderstorms - I always made sure to keep clear a space in the bathroom closet for him to hide whenever thunder rumbled. When visitors came by, he did not hide - he walked out to greet them. In some way I felt he was letting them know that he was here and they'd better not get out of line else they'd answer to him.
After I had resigned myself that my life would consist of cats and no men, I met my future husband Andy. One of the reasons I knew he was the special man for me was that "my boys" liked him immediately. The weekend Andy and I were married, Sylvester climbed onto his lap and allowed my him to scratch his back, rewarding him with a loud purr and welcoming him to the family in his own way. Soon his daily back scratch became a part of his normal routine - he appeared for it as soon as my husband finished shaving each morning.
My husband's career took him from Indiana to NY, and Sylvester and Felix came East with us. When we moved to Wilton, CT from a small apartment in New Rochelle, NY, Sylvester really enjoyed the additional room he now had to exercise and play - we joked he was experiencing his second kittenhood. Even as he grew older he remained active, although he maintained his lifelong affection for food as well. We were very fortunate to find a veterinarian like Dr. Belknap who appreciated how much love we had for our kitties and worked hard to keep them healthy as they got older.
Sadly, all the love in the world we had for Sylvester could not stop his illness. During his annual check-up this past June, his blood test revealed that his kidneys were failing.
My husband and I researched his illness and discovered that cats with chronic kidney failure can be managed for several years before a final crisis, and we resolved that we would do what it took to keep him alive and maintain for him a good quality of life. However, in the beginning of August, we noticed he was getting lethargic and not eating. Knowing these were symptoms of kidney failure, we rushed him to Dr. Belknap's and she put him on an IV for his dehydration. She diagnosed that he was in a kidney crisis, but she felt it was possible that he could be brought out of it.
Sylvester endured his treatment with courage and dignity, and we visited him every day. For several days he appeared to be rallying, but then an ultrasound & biopsy revealed the presence of a large malignant tumor on his liver. Little else could be done for him. Dr. Belknap stabilized Sylvester enough for us to bring him home. For several days we did the subcutaneous injections necessary to keep him hydrated. Sylvester was weak and exhausted, and desired little more than to be held and petted as much as possible. On Sunday, August 11, his breathing became very shallow and labored. As he struggled to stay alive, we held him, petted him, and assured him of our love. But finally at 9:30 AM, as my husband was calling Dr. Belknap, his brave little heart simply stopped.
Although our hearts are filled with sorrow, we can take comfort in the fact that Sylvester left us knowing that he was loved, surrounded by his family, with dignity and without pain. Dr. Belknap said that were Sylvester a person, he would be one of those they write books about for showing great courage in the face of grave illness. Throughout the 14 years of his life, Sylvester was always there for me and later, for my husband Andy. We know Sylvester will remain with us forever in our hearts.
Therese, Andy & Felix Curry |
