Ode to Bisbee

When you get a pet, the last thing you want to think about is losing them. You build a life with this amazing companion by your side, all while knowing they won’t always be there. Having lost pets in the past, the reality was always on the back of my mind with our oldest cat. Bisbee was the very first pet I ever helped pick out, and I was blessed to be there by his side for the rest of his life.

Shortly after losing our last cat before him, we wanted to fill a hole in our hearts. We went to PetSmart and looked around. This guy came right up to the gate for attention and started purring. I knew we found the one—or that he founds us. His name was Pips at the time, but we shortly changed it to Bisbee.

Bisbee, the cuddle bug.

Bisbee came from a hoarding case of over 70 cats and developed health issues soon after we brought him home. Because of poor nutrition as a kitten, he ended up losing many of his teeth. We often called him “Toothless” because of his sweet, half-toothed smile.

We got to spent over a decade with him. He welcomed everyone who came over by plopping right down for belly rubs and curling up in everyone’s lap. Everyone who met him, loved him. He was such an amazing cat, and so different from any other cat you’ll ever meet.

As my husband and I got older, I started hoping we would have a child soon so they could experience how amazing Bisbee was. I knew he would be incredibly patient and just excited there is another human being giving him attention. When I got pregnant with our daughter, I was over the moon knowing she would get to meet and love him too. As she grew, I think he loved her too, even if he was a little stressed and perhaps a bit jealous of the attention this new little human was getting. He cuddled with us while cuddling with Zoey often.

At the end of last year, Bisbee really start showing how sick he was because he started getting incredibly picky about food and started pooping around the house instead of the litter pan. We took him to the vet, but thet could not find anything definitively wrong with him. They gave him some fluids and a steroid and we went home thinking it was just a behavioral/stress issue. He got a little better and was eat again, but never got back to what he was.

In his final couple of weeks, things took a turn. He started pooping right where he was sleeping, so we made another appointment to see if the vets could find a clear answer. This time, the only red flag was a very low red blood cell count. An ultrasound showed no signs of cancer, which was a huge relief, so they sent him home with steroids and antibiotics. I remember thinking, “Okay, he has bounced back from health issues before. Maybe this is what will finally kick whatever is going on.”

But on Monday morning, as I was laying in bed with our daughter, my husband came in to tell me he was taking Bisbee to the emergency vet. He was barely able to walk. Even the ER vet couldn't find a definitive answer, so they gave him fluids and a B12 shot to see if it would perk him up. When he got back home, he couldn't stand or move much. I think his body was just slowly giving up on him, and he didn’t make it through the night.

I don’t want this whole post to be entirely overshadowed by sadness, because Bisbee brought so much joy into our lives. He was there through us dating, being engage, getting married, job loses, new jobs, pregnancy, the birth of our daughter, Zoey teething and getting over illnesses, and so much more. We will miss Bisbee forever. I am not sure if this hole will ever be filled.

Thank you, Bisbee, for choosing us to spend your life with.

Now for a trip down memory lane…