In Memory: Chase Monster

Chase Monster Cat came into my life 16 years ago in 1996. Funny thing was that I was actually a little scared of cats and I was afraid that this cute little kitty would scratch me in my sleep. Little did I know that the kitty would become a 24 lb cat that slept with me for 14 years.




As a kitty, Chase Monster would always want to be in the bathroom with me. If I closed the door, he would stick his kitty paws under the door. This continued his whole life. It was inevitable that Chase would find his way to the bathroom while I was in the shower or getting ready for the day. If I was there, he was there with me. At night, as I got ready for bed he would meet me in the bathroom and I would brush him there each night. We had our kitty rendezvous in the bathroom every evening.



Chase Monster was a big boy, he wasn't just fat, he was big boned. He definitely loved to eat. Every now and then he would like to have some Cheez Its or tuna. Any time I opened a can, he came running begging for a little.



At his heaviest he was 28lbs and I did put him on a diet where he maintained at his regular 24 lbs. He was a lazy cat, definitely not an active cat, no matter how hard I tried.



Chase Monster also loved to sleep. He loved to sleep at night with me on my head or near my head and he did this up until 2 years ago when he could no longer jump onto the bed. He also enjoyed sleeping on the couch and had his spot. I tried to get him his own little bed and Baby Bear actually picked out a nice pink kitty bed for him, but he preferred the couch.





Between him and daddy, they took up most of our large couch.



Chase Monster wasn't the most affectionate cat to others. But he loved me. He loved his mommy. Chase had an attitude and didn't like to be bothered for anything. He was so good with Baby Bear. When she came home from the hospital, he wasn't quite sure why we brought his screaming baby home. But he was so good with her. He watched her from a far and never bothered her except for a sniff here and there. When she became mobile, he stayed clear from her gated area, only entering the area once she was asleep or gone from the house. When Baby Bear had free reign of the house, he tolerated whatever she did to him. Baby Bear loved Chase Monster too.



Chase loved to lay on our clothes dirty or clean. It was always a challenge when I would try to put laundry away.







No matter what, Chase will always be my sweet kitty. He was always there for me, there before daddy or Baby Bear came into my life. He moved with me 6 times before getting married. He listened to me, he comforted me, he loved me. In turn I loved him. I will always love you Chase Monster, you are forever my Baby Cat.



RIP my dear Chase Monster.

Saying Goodbye Chase

Last Saturday I brought Chase Monster Cat to the vet. The night before, he dragged his back legs when he was walking. Something was wrong. I knew he wasn't totally himself since he wasn't really eating a whole lot. My Chase loves to eat. Chase has always been a big cat around 24 lbs. At his biggest he was 28 lbs. But for the most part he maintained his weight around 24 lbs. At his last vet visit in July, he was down to 18lbs.

A photo from 2008



Our regular vet was closed on Saturday so we brought him to a different vet that had Saturday hours. That morning, his back legs were okay, but he was still kind of staggering.

They examined him. He was down to 14.4 lbs., he had lost some considerable weight in the last 6 months. He was dehydrated, which was surprising since he would drink lots of water. It was a possible sign of some kidney problems. The gave him fluids and cortisone for his legs. They did some blood work and the results would not be available until Monday morning (Christmas Eve). They fed him some wet food and he devoured it. So that was good to see his appetite back.

I brought him home with some of the food they had given him and he ate that weekend a bit more. He seemed to be doing okay. A little slower and sleeping a lot, but he is a 16 year old cat.

Chase didn't eat on Sunday evening, which worried me and he vomited late Sunday night. The morning of Christmas Eve, he still didn't eat. I sat with him in a quite house while everyone was still asleep. We just sat together while I brushed him and petted him. I left for Crossfit and when I got back he was still in the same spot and daddy told me he had vomited and hadn't moved from that spot. I hadn't heard back from the vet and because it was Christmas Eve I knew they had reduced hours. I decided to wait until 10am to hear back from them otherwise I would call.

They called around 9:45am. He had kidney issues and diabetes. I had to make a decision. Over the phone it sounded like I could give him insulin shots and do an out-patient thing to keep him home for Christmas. I explained to the vet his behavior that morning and that he hadn't eaten in 24 hours. Either way I had to go in, I wanted to have Chase home for Christmas before having to make further decisions. Baby Bear was so sweet and drew Chase a couple of pictures the other day that she taped onto his carried. A picture of me, that she taped backwards so that he could see the picture through the holes and a picture of him, so other would know what was in the cat carried. As we began to leave, Baby Bear looked into the cat carrier and said goodbye to him and told him to feel better. Little did I know that was her final goodbye to him.

Chase and I got to the vet. Chase was not himself. She examined him and took some of his urine to test it. I had two choices. He would have to be hospitalized for a minimum of 3 days to try to control the diabetes. There was no guarantee that after 3 days he could go home especially with his weak kidneys. Or I would have to let him go. Either way bringing Chase home to spend Christmas with us was not an option.

Making that decision was the hardest decision I had ever had to make. I looked at him and he was so tired and he was not well. I could not let him suffer and spend Christmas alone in a hospital. I had to let him go, I had to let him rest in peace.

Chase Monster did not fight it and I knew it was the right decision. I was there with him as he finally went to rest holding his paw and talking to him. He was always there for me. I will always love him. He will always be my Baby Cat, my first pet, my first baby.

Christmas cat

Chase Monster loves our Christmas tree too. I brought Chase home 15 years ago in December. He has always loved Christmas trees. My sweet kitty is my Christmas cat.

Our fat monster

Just had to share a picture of my first baby, Chase Monster Cat. He is a good "meow meow," as Baby Bear calls him. He allows Baby Bear to pet him for a little bit before he gets up and moves away. He will always be my baby cat, all 25 pounds of him!

I have a fat cat attached to my hip

The last few weeks of pregnancy Chase Monster has been pretty clingy. As I am typing, he is actually cuddle up next my leg right now. It is really sweet but very unlike him. I have heard that pets sense when you are pregnant, it may be my smell that has changed or possibly my attitude that has slight changed. Whatever it is, I am sure that Chase Monster knows.

It also seems that other babies know. I may be imagining this, but babies look at me more or maybe I am looking at them more. The other day at a friend's party, I took my friend's baby who is 13 months. She slept on me and had no issues at me taking her from her daddy. Her daddy said that Baby E usually doesn't let other hold her, so he was quite surprised that she did not make a fuss when I took her. Hmmm, I know from past research that babies can differentiate the smell of their mom from other mothers, so maybe Baby E could differentiate that I was a mommy-to-be. This is just the developmental psychologist in me curious about this and the research behind it.

Whatever it is, I am glad that babies like me. I hope Baby Bear likes me. And I am glad that Chase Monster loves me. I hope to have a smooth transition when Baby Bear arrives. It may be a little hard for Chase Monster, since he is used to being the baby of the house. He will have to learn to be an older sibling :)