Remembering Sasha

One year ago I had to make the difficult decision to put my baby, my cat Sasha to sleep. It was one of the hardest things I've had to do.  I had no idea when I took the mean nasty cat home from the shelter she would turn into the most loving, most affectionate lap cat I'd ever met.

When I saw Sasha in the shelter she sat up and meow at me and of course I was like awwww she's so cute! Then I picked her up and she BIT ME! WT...The worker explained she had issues and not to put my hand in front of her face. I know most people would probably take another one without issues, but it made me want her even more. I didn't think anyone else would take her so I decided she was the cat for me.
I got her home and found out she had far more "issues" than I was led to believe. The first night I let her sleep on my bed and she attacked me in my sleep. So began our fear/hate relationship - I feared her and she hated me.

This went on for a few months until one day she bit me and I picked her up and put her right up to my face and told her she could make us both miserable but I wasn't getting rid of her. Of course cats don't understand English, so yeah that didn't help at all, but it did give me the idea to call my aunt.  My aunt would always go on and on about these class she was taking which basically would help animals with behavioral problems work out there issues. I always thought it was a little strange but I was desperate so I called her. Luckily she had a friend who lived in Phoenix who came out to see Sasha. This lady could barely get close to Sasha. She fought her with everything she said but finally the lady was able to pin her to the ground and worked her magic. I can't explain it and I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it but Sasha was a completely different cat after 1 session with this lady. It took me months not to jump every time Sasha turned her head but she became the most loving lap cat I've ever had.

We had almost 7 good years together and it broke my heart to have to put her to sleep. I think she knew and she was trying to make me feel better. When we were waiting for the doctor to come check her out at the emergency vets she was pacing and wouldn't sit still for anything. After I made the decision to put her to sleep, of course I was crying my eyes out, but she jumped up on the table, laid down in front of me and started purring. I kept telling her I over and over again that I was so sorry and she just laid there purring away as if she were telling me that it was okay and she understood that I loved her. Then the doctor gave her the injection and she was gone.

I never really appreciated how much of a presence she was until I walked into my place, sat down, and there was nobody to greet me. She left a huge void in my life. The place felt so empty without her. I didn't think anything could fill that void but much to my surprise Oscar, my other cat, was up to the challenge. I think Oscar was just biding her time waiting patiently to be top cat. She wasn't a people cat at all - she had no use for me before Sasha died.  I'd try to hold her and she'd just run away from me - little brat. I don't think it was even two days after Sasha died that she started coming around wanting attention. I don't know if she was trying to make me feel better because I did a lot of crying but she wouldn't leave me alone. I remember thinking it will never be the same, you're not Sasha. Of course then I felt bad for loving Sasha more, but now I can't imagine life without her.  I still miss Sasha but I'm grateful for the almost 7 years we had together.