My Dear Qtip

I wanted my first blog for Blistered Whiskers to be about something very interesting, current, inspirational... but these days, all that comes to mind is my Qtip.

Qtip is my oldest pet kid, he is almost 18 years old, he has been part of our family for 12 years. It sounds like a long time, but it doesn't feel long enough.

Last week he was diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure, his blood & urine tests don't look very good, even after 3 days of getting fluids/potassium with an IV, but he is eating and he looks much better than the numbers do, so we're just going to take it day by day, week by week. And for sure, we are going to spoil him to bits, isn't it odd that his absolute favorite treat is the fish-flavored hairball remedy? We have a couple of extra tubes handy now.

Qtip's life with us is full of happy, funny and first moments, so I get to cry and laugh as all these stories rush to mind.

I love that he always makes a point to sleep on the bed around me... I love that he is such a gentle alpha-cat, he keeps all his brothers in-line, just with a meow... I love how he used to sit down with us to watch T.V... I love how he has welcomed 6 pet siblings that came after him... I love his eyes, they are huge, full of life, and blue and green! ... I love to watch him sleep, belly up... I love how he communicates with us, somehow he lets us know, very clearly, what he wants or needs... I love how he trusts me, even when I have my scissors in hand and ready to cut any tangled hair...

When he first joined the family, the third day he was home, he was still spending nights in his own room because we wanted to give our other 2 cats more time to get to know him and didn't want any incidents while we slept. That night, all of a sudden, I'm sound asleep and I hear a door opening; I was really scared until a moment later when I saw Qtip entering the room and joining us on the bed, just like that, no incidents with his brothers, no hisses, in fact, after a short time, he was best friends with our orange tabby Benito.

Qtip was a big traveler in his youth; he used to live in Scottsdale, AZ... Then he moved with his family to San Francisco and later back to Phoenix when he joined our household. He is the only one of my cats to have traveled in an airplane, and what a wild and stinky ride that was! (They fed him before the trip!).

I admit that when we first talked about bringing Qtip to our home I was a bit concerned, I thought that we had 2 cats already and they were perfect together, what if Qtip did not get along with them? What if Qtip just didn't adapt to an indoors life after being allowed outside for so many years? But it was clear to us that he could be happier in our home, so, we said yes and hoped for the best. And the best indeed happened...

I firmly believe that the easiness with how our first cat trio integrated and how much we came to adore them, gave us the confidence and the need to open our hearts to other cats as years went by. Back then we were new to this wonderful world of cats and now we are a big cat family of 8, they go from 5 months to 18 years old, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

It is not the first time we are facing a situation like this (unfortunately) and it doesn't get any easier, I'm terrified of not being able to clearly know that moment when fighting to keep him with us a little longer is more for my benefit than for his.

I am very happy to have Qtip in our lives all this time and to know that he has been happy with us and that he knows how much we love him and care for him... I sincerely wish that all pets can find a forever home and just be as happy and care-free as my Qtip is, and while they all find their forever families, it’s great that animal lovers everywhere are banding together to help and support groups like Blistered Whiskers that are making a difference out there by rescuing, rehabilitating, spaying/neutering and adopting pets, talk about selfless actions!

Everybody just go and give a big hug to your loved ones, furry and not so furry...

Best Wishes,

Lupemaria