Burrito

This is Zelda.

She doesn't get featured around these parts much. She's not a goofy clown like our pug, Truman, and she's not the dynamic powerhouse of human growth and developmental milestones that M is. She's just... Zelda. Steady, even, stable. And the best fucking cat in the whole goddamn world.

I got Zelda back in 1996, when I was working on my Master's degree in English at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan. I found her, as a kitten, galloping around a nearby farm with about a half-dozen other equally adorable furballs, but Zelda stood out to me immediately. She wasn't afraid, or timid, or skittish. She ran right up to me when I called and clicked my tongue to get her attention, batted playfully at my fingers when I held them out for her to sniff, and then joyfully flopped down on her back directly atop a nearby ant hill, squirming her body back and forth and side to side on the unsuspecting (and now thoroughly squished) colony like a kitten-shaped rolling pin OF APOCALYPTIC ANT DOOOOM!!11!!!! She had the same sweet, guileless spunk that she still has now, thirteen years later. I fell in love with her immediately, took her home, and named her after my favorite Fitzgerald (the crazier one, natch).

And though I of course love all of our pets, I can't deny that Zelda is special to me. I've known her longer than most human beings in my life -- longer than Jamie, longer than most of my friends, far longer than all of you lovely folks from the internet. She's witnessed almost every important and significant day of my post-college, adult life. She's snuggled under the covers with me over the course of more consecutive years than any man has. And now, as an elderly, old lady of a kitty, she's adopted my daughter. M calls for Zelda and she comes running like an eager and well-trained puppy, and the two of them now sleep cuddled up together every night. M adores her, just as I do. Zeldito Burrito. Or, sometimes, just Burrito.

If you were on Twitter yesterday evening you know that last night I had to rush Zelda to the animal ER when, after a day of her being unable to keep any solid food down, I began to notice nickel-sized droplets of blood trailing behind her wherever she went. Yeah, that's never a good sign. But in all honesty what scared me the most was the thousand yard stare she'd get on her face now and again -- something I'd never seen before, and found utterly terrifying. I knew, just from that look, that something was horribly wrong. And, after consenting to $400 worth of tests and xrays at the animal hospital, it turned out that she had what amounted to the worst UTI ever -- so bad it had inflamed and thickened the walls of her bladder to 4 times their normal size. It cost another couple of hundred dollars for intravenous fluids to combat dehydration and the medication to cure the infection and ensure that she was free of pain in the meantime. All told, about $700. This, for a thirteen year old barn cat from Michigan.

Best $700 I'll ever spend.

Comments

[Bryn]

My cat, Carl is 18 years old. He is the filthiest mutherfucker that you've ever seen. He has not cleaned himself, ever (I asked the vet once if this was okay, and she shrugged and said that some cats are just dirty...). If Carl was a cartoon cat, he'd be a hobo and he'd have stink lines coming off of him. I am also quite sure he'd smoke, if he had fingers. He'd be down on the corner scrounging for butts...
When I was a teenager, Carl was super jealous of my boyfriend, Mike. One time, Mike was sitting on (ok... in) my bed and Carl marched right up on him, stared directly into his eyes and peed on his chest.
I was Carl's woman, dammit.

Since I've had Tallulah (my 3 year old Tibetan Terrier) she's been more of the focus of photos and conversation. But Carl, he's been through everything with me, and he's still my man...

[Reada]

Glad to hear that Zelda is okay. I know what it's like to spend insane amounts of $$$ to help and care for our furry friends. and you're right - it's worth every penny.

[bad penguin]

Poor thing -- you and Zelda both. I went through this with my 15 year old beagle this summer and it was terrifying. He had a seizure and a UTI and they thought he had a tumor. Many hundreds of $, about 7 different vet visits and some antibiotics later, we found out he was going to be ok. Absolutely worth every penny. I hope Zelda makes a speedy recovery like my Seamus did.

[missbanshee]

My Stewie has cost me so much money from all the random things he eats I can't even begin to count. I'll sell a kidney if I have to. He's part of the family, for chrissakes.

[Birchsprite]

Glad to hear that she's ok. Puss cats are a neccessity.

[Aunt Becky]

*phew*

So glad that she's okay. My heart was in my throat. Cats man, they kill me with their awesomeness.

[Sils]

I am so glad she's okay.

Right after I graduated from college my cat, whom I'd had since I was 10, got incredibly sick. We had a very long, hard conversation about how he was "Not Allowed to Die, TYVM" because I'd had enough change in the last year. I like to believe he listened, he lived for another 4 years.

His name was Chester and he was one of the best kitties to ever live. He put up with me all through my teen years and never stopped loving me! He is the benchmark for all our other kitties. I am frequently heard saying, "You know, your brother never did that."

(Yes, I am the crazy cat lady.)

[Sils]

I am so glad she's okay.

Right after I graduated from college my cat, whom I'd had since I was 10, got incredibly sick. We had a very long, hard conversation about how he was "Not Allowed to Die, TYVM" because I'd had enough change in the last year. I like to believe he listened, he lived for another 4 years.

His name was Chester and he was one of the best kitties to ever live. He put up with me all through my teen years and never stopped loving me! He is the benchmark for all our other kitties. I am frequently heard saying, "You know, your brother never did that."

(Yes, I am the crazy cat lady.)

[Miss Lis]

In the last 4 years of his life my beloved Stoli cost me upwards of $5000 between vet bills and medications (hyperactive thyroid and high blood pressure, both manageable with meds) I don't regret a cent of it, he was, and remains, the most awesome cat ever.

[Marieka]

Poor Zelda! And poor you!

I'm so glad that everything came out OK.

[RockyCat]

Poor kitty - I'm glad she's okay! The longer they live, the more fierce the love.

[cagey]

Glad to hear that Zelda is okay!! I understand how you feel about her. I feel that way about my kitteh from my Single Girl days - her name is Vanessa and she is my baby.

[AmberS]

I'm glad that Zelda is going to be OK. That must have been terrifying for you. She certainly is a lucky cat to have you to look out for her.

[Carrie @ Who Knew?]

Poor kitty. My cat suffered from bladder infections for a while after I first got her and she always seemed to miserable but she hasn't gotten one in forever.

It's funny; I never had cats growing up and never had any interest in one. The summer I turned 21, I found Greenley while walking to my apartment. I took her in and she promptly delivered 6 kittens on my carpet. But 6 years later she's still my sweetie. I also have one of her babies and my Mom has 3 and my sister has one. Who knew? I am so a cat person.

[Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba)]

I came to see if there was news about your cat after seeing some of your Tweets. Sorry she's so sick, but I'm glad they found the problem and that they can fix it. I hope she's starting to feel much better.

[The Queen of Hyperbole]

Not a Twitterer (Jesus, is THAT a mouthful), I hadn't, until now, heard about Zelda. Glad to hear that she's on the mend.

Oddly, I took our kitten to the vet yesterday, too, also for a nasty UTI. The little thing, she was peeing everywhere. Here's to healthier feline tinkle-parts.

[Pop and Ice]

Poor, poor Zelda! But what a lucky owner she has in you. Some people wouldn't or couldn't afford such treatment.

Our Loki had a reaction to a rabies vaccine 2 years ago on my hubby's birthday and it cost us over a $1,000 between the vet AND the Emergency Vet to save him. My hubby said "You BETTER NOT DIE on my birthday!" and he didn't. *kiss kiss* for Zelda pulling through.

[Alyce]

Damn skippy! Here's to one more thing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Glad to hear Zelda's on the mend.

[gina]

so glad it was something treatable. i lost my Ike 2 yrs ago after 16 yrs, I miss him every day.

[Holly]

Glad to hear that Zelda is ok. We've had a couple of emergency care situations with our oldest cat, Sebastian, including a blocked urinary tract. He's only 10 and he's used up several of his 9 lives at this point. Emergency vets aren't cheap, but our pets are worth every penny.