Posted on by larrypaulbrown

Good-bye, Max

Our cat, Max, returned to his creator this morning. I held him in my arms for the last few hours of his life and watched him take his last breath. I found the following prayer online as I searched for comfort.

“O God, as we have taken care of Max in life, we ask that you watch over him in death. You entrusted Max to our care; now, we give him back to you. May he find a happy new home in Your loving embrace. As we remember Max , may we love each other more dearly.”

Lord, I am tore up over this; Max was my companion for 17 years. He had learned to enjoy a bath in the tub. I bathed his body for the final time this morning since he had given up grooming himself. He enjoyed riding aside me in my truck even when it was a trip to his doctor. I gave his body a final ride in my truck to the vet’s office for cremation.

His last response to me was at 7:00 AM while I held him wrapped in a towel. The towel was to keep him warm and catch his urine; he had become incontinent several months ago. He was purring when he turned to face me, gazed at me with his big, beautiful yellow eyes and let lose with a series of yowls. He then stretched his legs and neck as if letting go of his spirit, endured the death rattle, and…..Max went home.

He grew up as a trucker cat lazing on the semi’s dash on adventures across the country, east to west and north to south. He learned to accept walking on a leash at truck stops and parks. Many drivers looked at us with a smile, “Cats just don’t do that,” they would comment. At a military installation where we frequently loaded and unloaded, the guard checking IDs and credentials remembered those two drivers with two cats on board…..they did not need IDs or paperwork.

Lord, I pray that I have been a worthy steward of your creature. I’m not sure if there will be another cat to fill the void, but if so, I pray that I have learned from Max how to be a good parent. After all, they are not pets; they are family.

9 Replies to “Good-bye, Max”

  3. Awwwwww … I’m so so sorry about Max. Our furry family population has dwindled from 10 to 5 over the past several years, and each one held a very special place in our hearts, so I know the heartbreak you are going through. Hugs, my friend.

    Like

    Reply

  4. In 2016, my feline child, Spider, moved on. A poem called “The Rainbow Bridge” brought me comfort. (https://www.rainbowsbridge.com/poem.htm)
    I entered a post called “Requiem”.

    A few days later, a friend who had read my posting sent me e-mail telling me of a cat who had lost her last human parent a month earlier. Dorothy needed a new home. She was living with her human sister … her former parents daughter … but was not happy. Two other cats and a small dog already lived there. Dorothy spent most of her time hiding.

    I had not been thinking about having another cat living with me. The pain of loss was too strong. Nevertheless, I agreed to meet Dorothy. As soon as we met, she came over and rubbed against my leg. I melted. At that moment, I knew that a tiny angel named Spider had brought us together.

    Dorothy and I will be keeping Max and you in our thoughts and prayers.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment