This may be a bit unconventional, but I have a prayer request. For everyone who prays here, would you please include one of my family's cats in your prayers. His name is Fluffy. I know it's kindof strange to ask for something like this, but I don't care. Fluffy means the world to us, and I don't care about the possible strangeness in asking for this favor. Fluffy is undergoing surgery tomorrow for a blockage in his bile duct. The vets don't know exactly what it is. It's either a benign growth, a tumor or a buildup/blockage. Last Thursday, Fluffy did not seem to be his "normal" self, and he was extremely yellow. His nose was yellow, his ears were yellow -- we took him to the vet. He was diagnosed with Jaundis, and they gave him fluids and antibiotics for two days. He got progressively better to the point where he's been just like normal for the past two days, except for the continuing yellow. A second ultra-sound found the blockage this morning, and tonight he's getting ready for surgery on the blockage. We all get very attached to our pets. Fluffy became attached to us, and vice-versa. We already had/have a cat named Gus, who has always hated every cat he's ever "met" . . . except Fluffy. About 5 years ago, this totally random cat walked into the house and started eating Gus' food. We were taken aback, but he was so friendly with everyone that it was no big deal. Fluffy quickly became a part of the family. He's a Norwegian Forest cat, and he has beautiful LONG hair, and is a big cat (17 lbs -- Norsk Forest cats are on the chunky side), hence the name. He wasn't "ours", but he pretty much lived with us. He'd roam around and always return to us for companionship and food. At first he was just that cat who came around on occassion. When we'd go on vacation, we'd leave food outside for him, but that was it. About three or four months passed and he spent more and more time with us, to the point where he was basically ours. He lived with us, but he "belonged" to a family that lived behind our house. They started getting ready to move, and we were worried about Fluffy going with them. We asked, and they said he could stay with us. They were from England, and when they lived in London they said Fluffy would roam around and "attach" himself to other people. Well, after roaming for six years in London and the Woodlands (where he killed a Raccoon and brought it home, according to his original family), Fluffy had finally found his place to stay. He's been with us ever since as a strictly indoor-cat. To say that he's just an integral member of the family is an understatement. In virtually every way he and Gus are equal to everyone else. This latest sickness has really put fear and sadness into all of us. Fluffy is still a young-ish cat at 12. He's always been in great health, and is probably the most loving creature I've ever met. I can't even imagine life without him. Tonight he's at a pet hospital getting ready for tomorrow's surgery. I would ask that you please keep him in your prayers. If you have pets, you can understand how much he means to us. In some ways I'm ashamed to admit it, but I've been brought near tears several times today. I'm there as I write this right now. Personally, I'm cautiously optimistic -- there's no way it could be something too serious with the health and spirits he's been in lately. All good things must come to an end sometime, but I don't want them to come to such a premature end.
Please don't feel ashamed about caring for another living creature -- it's one of the most noble things we do as humans. I'll keep Fluffy in my thoughts tonight and tomorrow. Please let us know how the surgery turns out.
Dude...don't be ashamed...your story has brought me close to tears. I'm not kidding either. Fluffy has my prayers brother. BTW my wife and I are talking about adopting a couple of kittens from CAP. I love animals and the loss of a pet is a very sad thing. That's why this story touched my heart. I have faith that Fluffy will be just fine.
I had a cat named Fluffy a few years back, the sweetest little thing too. He really kept to himself, but he was very loving. He ended up being diagnosed with feline AIDS and died a year or two afterward...my family just couldn't bring ourselves to have him put out of his misery earlier. Needless to say, one Christmas morning, when he didn't come to the door for his food, we knew that he had probably gone off to a better place. Vengeance - your Fluffy has my prayers tonight. Like others have said, there's absolutely nothing wrong with shedding any tears over a cat, because I know I am right now myself. Good luck.
Vengeance-- This may sound silly, but could you post a picture of Fluffy? It has been a while since I've had a pet, so I like to smile when I see somebody else's.
Sure thing Refman. I appreciate everyone's wonderful words. I know that with everyone here praying for him, Fluffy will come through this okay. It has given me hope and joy at a time of such uncertainty and fear. Here are a few pictures of Fluffy: There's Fluffy sitting in a sink. He loves to sit there during the day when it's hot. It's a fairly old picture -- the one I took to college. And here's Fluffy sitting on a windowsill , looking outside. Both of the cats spend a lot of time sitting there. And here's the best picture. This is Fluffy (left) and Gus (right) sitting on the couch. When I came to the house tonight my mother told me the most touching thing -- she said that my sister asked that if there was something wrong with the surgery if we could take Gus down there to see Fluffy one last time. It really made me cry.
OMG. The story gets more touching with every post. You simply have to let us know when (not if, but when) Fluffy gets out of surgery and when you take your healed kitty cat home.
I don't pray, but I will definitely be sending my good vibes to Fluffy. I know what you're going through. One of my cats underwent surgery to remove a bowel obstruction a couple of years ago. She was very much near death. Now, she couldn't be a happier cat (though she is a bit heavy). Good luck.
Fluffy will be in my prayers, as well. This also reminds me of my last pet. I know no one probably wants to hear it, but I will post it anyway. He was a dog named Smoky, because he was a blackish color, I think. I got him as a boy. As a boy, I didn't have a lot of friends since I usually stayed at home. So me and him would do a lot of things together. He always tried to protect us too. He would follow me to my school, which was not far away. He also love attacking fireworks. Well anyway, he was a tough dog. He always got in fights. He ended up having half an ear, and a torn tongue. Didn't seem to bother him though. He also had some weird thing happend to his back legs. I don't remember what since its been a while, and I'm 15 now, but they got really swollen and he couldn't really walk. We were going to shoot him, but my mom and I couldn't bare to have that done. After a while, he got better. Then, after a while, he started acting strangely, I think. One day he wasn't in sight. Every once in a while he would do this, so I wasn't majorly worried. But he never came back. We've never had another dog,or pet, since. Well there's my sad story. He was pretty old though. Maybe 12 or 13. I don't remember. Again, good luck to Fluffy.
Don't be ashamed about asking for prayers for animals...Billy Graham was once asked if there dogs in heaven...he said that certainly dogs were a blessing to us here from God, so why should we assume that we won't be blessed with their company there? the great thing about what i get out of the bible (particularly books like psalms and ecclesiaties) is that God wants to hear from you with your REAL emotions...dont' cloud them over with some sort of pious crap...when you're angry, tell Him...when you're sad, tell Him...when you're happy, tell Him. Clearly we grow to love animals...as you have loved Fluffy...tell Him! i'll say a prayer for fluffy, vengeance....and for you! God bless!
Here's my pet story: I had a dalmation who died about two years ago. He was the best dog ever! We got him from 2 guys, who got him from his original owners, who abused him. His name was Firehouse He was like 2 when we got him. The first day we had him, he lunged at my dad, because he was wearing a hat and the guys that abused him wore hats. Soon, however he and my dad got to be best of friends. They loved each other. This dog was great, especially at being a watch dog. (He was sent to the pound twice for "Biting" people that came in our yard.) We were gone both times though. The second time neighbors told us that they say a kid ride his bike in our yard and slap at the dog. Neighbors said Firehouse just knocked the kid off his bike and didnt touch the kid, but he claimed the dog bit him. Even though Firehouse weighed over 100 pounds we kept him inside a bunch. He loved our cats, and would copy whatever they did. He would lay by them, when they would roll over, Firehouse would roll over, etc. He also had this sneezing thing he would do. He would like sneeze and we would fake sneeze back at him. Every time we fake sneezed, he would do it back. Well, when he got to be about 8 or 9, he got heartworms. We couldnt put him out of his misery or seem to find a cure for the Heartworms, and he eventually died at the age of 10.
Good luck with Fluffy. I hope everything turns out good. I will be praying for him since he is obviously very important to you.
Fluffy and I appreciate everyone's prayers and kind words so much -- this morning I told my mother that a bunch of people on the internet were praying for Fluffy, and she was so touched by it. I can't describe how thankful I am for everyone's prayers and stories. Please keep Fluffy in your prayers this afternoon and evening -- when his surgery will be taking place. I trust in God and the power of prayer that He will help Fluffy through this. Next week I want to be posting pictures of a healthy Fluffy . . .
...and we want you to post pics of a healthy Fluffy too buddy...we want that too. It's amazing to me that every time I think about this I get a little choked up. I guess I just know what you're going through.
