Junes and Me 2011
Phinny was my teacher- the spectacularly smart talking cat who reawakened my fascination with all things feline, and inspired my career path. Juno is my “kid”, my juvenile delinquent, my first behavior case at the shelter, and my heart.
Writing this now, a sleeping Junes in my lap, it’s hard to believe how far we’ve come. When I first met him, Juno was a “stray” from the city shelter, lucky enough to be transferred to Bideawee and given a second chance. Thin, sickly, and mad as hell, his history was a true mystery. He was picked up from one of Manhattan’s last “transient” hotels when his owner was taken to the hospital and never returned.
Juno was aggressive when handled and seemed to have no interest in humans at all, but he did respond to play. We developed a routine. Several times a day I would crumple up some extra crunchy paper and we would have a rousing game of “baseball”. Bit by bit he began to trust me, even gazing longingly out the window of the cat resort when I would leave work each night.
Then came the diagnosis of early stage chronic renal failure. Although our vets had caught it very early, this, combined with his behavior issues and age(around 8), would make him tough to find a home for, despite being a gorgeous seal-point Siamese.
He was my cat. Everything for a reason. I was overjoyed when my husband agreed. and he came home to be cat number three, with Phinny and feral Phil as brothers.
He thrived. His kidneys remained static for 5 years- twice as long as any of the docs thought he would live. He became a devoted, near obsessive, companion- full of affection for both of us, and the other cats. He saw me through a layoff, start of a business, and the death of my beloved sage, Phinaeus.
Now here we are, in the end stage of kidney failure. This previously “nasty” cat stretched out on my lap full length, frail, but purring. He takes his sub Q fluids like a champ, growling in protest, but without lashing out at me. His kidney values are very high, yet he still nibbles at his food and even bounds around a bit. Now he is my teacher- facing this new reality with spirit and love.
I don’t know how long we have, but, for now, we’re happy.
