Poor Kitty

(Moose at 6 weeks)

Poor Kitty

It's one of those nights
time just needs to pass.
My daughter's cat was spayed.
She's home from the vet
still a little drunk from anesthesia.
She won't listen to my daughter
trying to follow instruction for her care.
Keep her quiet,
keep the collar on,
so she can't bite at the stitches.
Give pain med in the morning.
"Mom," she yells.
I go in her room.
The cat is on the top bunk
with her collar off,
growling and twitching her tail.
"How did she get up there?"
My daughter has tears in her eyes.
"She just climbed up there. She won't listen,
and she won't let me help her."
I pushed the collar over her head,
lifted her down and put her in a dog kennel.
She worked the collar off again,
pawed the door,
upset about being confined.

I have this
indescribable discomfort,
a misplaced guilt,
that doubles as responsibility,
to do the right thing,
and lack of control
to make Moose comfortable.
Our poor sweet kitten;
she trusted us,
and we've suddenly turned to torture her.
Her blue eyes stare,
her body seems weak.
We are all miserable,
watching her through the door of the dog crate.
And I paid money for this.
I want to return for an undo,
just give us back the other cat.
You can keep the money.
She can have kittens
until our house if filled with cats
and they in turn may have more.
That's the way nature intended.
We are sorry Moose,
time just needs to pass.
When Christmas comes,
we'll buy you a sock full of toys,
by then we'll all have forgotten.