Orange Kitty Meditation

Anthony came home on Labor Day weekend 2007. My sons and I decided the long weekend was the right time to adopt a new cat since we would be home all weekend, and enough time had passed to allow mourning for our last cat who died early in the summer. Our dog was lonely, too and we thought having a companion would help him as we transitioned back to the busyness of the school year and many hours when he would be in the house without us.

We did not anticipate coming home with two cats, but the adoption center was offering a special and the 8-week-old kittens were adorable! Alex picked out a tortoise shell female from the litter. Andrew wanted one of the orange tabbies that looked a lot like our last cat. Both kittens we adopted brought just what we all needed: energetic play and unconditional love. Well, Anthony brought unconditional love. Charlotte wanted love on her own terms. Anthony might even be partly responsible for my second marriage. Not too long after I adopted him, Nick came over to meet the kittens. Anthony immediately bonded with Nick, and I believe was part of the reason Nick came back for a second visit and stuck around to become my partner.

For the past 15 years, Anthony has been my lap cat and faithful companion. He often slept curled up next to me at night and loved to sit on my lap during my morning meditation. I believe his purrs helped to center me and heal old wounds as much as therapy and yoga have. He even liked to participate in my yoga, often getting underneath me in downward dogs and warrior poses. Anthony especially enjoyed savasana.

Anthony was a stray before the rescue organization took him in, so he came to us loving the outdoors. As a result, our gregarious indoor/outdoor Tom got to know our neighbors, especially the children. When Halloween came each year, we learned that kids from several streets away had a special bond with him and many had created nicknames for him like “Morris,” “Orangey,” or “Fluff.” The twins down the street would toddle up to our door to ask if Anthony could come out to play. He was exceptionally gentle with both kids, even when they were a little clumsy as they tried to pet him. During the height of the pandemic, when many adults started to walk the neighborhood between zoom calls and supervising online learning, Anthony got a bigger fan base. We now have adults who ask where Anthony is if he is not outside when they walk by.

A few weeks ago, we learned that Anthony has cancer. The vet told us that with his advanced age and the location of the cancer, surgery and treatment were not recommended. Instead, the vet suggested feeding Anthony his favorite foods and giving him extra love in his remaining time. I sobbed in the vets’ exam room and cried all the way home where I shared the devastating news with Nick and Andrew. We all vowed to make Anthony’s last weeks as comfortable as possible.

This morning, he was not able to stand when my alarm went off and I carried him to the kitchen for water and breakfast. He had a few laps of water and ate nothing before Nick let him outside on wobbly legs. Nick and I knew it was time to do the hard but right thing. I called the vet, and we made the appointment to end Anthony’s suffering. Normally, Anthony hates the car and cries the whole time at the vet. Today, he was curious as we drove the few miles and looked around as if he was soaking in the scenery. Dr. O’Neill was exceptionally kind to us and to Anthony as he administered the medication and Anthony passed peacefully into a deep sleep in my arms before his final heartbeat.

I will miss my sweet orange kitty, especially tomorrow when he is not in my lap for my morning meditation.