Close Call

Last week my pure white 15-year-old cat Makia had an emergency operation on her mouth. She had infections in the nerves below her gums. This infection was eating into her jawbone. Here I interview Makia on her experience.

Laura: Makia, when did you know that something was wrong with your mouth?

Makia: I didn’t know that anything was wrong with my mouth because the pain was so great it just made my whole body feel bad. Mostly my back and my stomach hurt but, also, when I would open my mouth I would get a sharp pain all through my body. I was not sure if it was my neck that was causing the pain.

In the days before your operation I knew you were not feeling well but I didn’t know the severity of it. Why did you not tell me to rush you to the vet?

I don’t like going to the vet because I get sick in the car. I felt that either my thoughts and the angels would heal me, or I would die in my sleep. I sort of thought I was dying and I would rather die at home than at the vet’s.

That makes me so sad to hear. How do you feel now, one week later?

My mouth on the left side really hurts. It gives me a bit of a headache and I still can’t eat on that side. It feels better than it used to because the sharp pain doesn’t go all the way deep inside of me. I want to get better. I feel like I am getting better slowly.

It is going to take a while. What should people tell their animals when they are in situation like this?

People should tell their animals, “Be brave and strong, and know when you are sick. You can do this by staring at me and looking like you are going to pass out. Sometimes you feel like you are dying but you just need an operation. Please be honest with me so I can help you.”

Is there anything else you want to tell people?

I think it is so important for animals and their people to think positively. For instance, the doctor told my mom I might have cancer and my mom said, really firmly, “Makia does not have cancer. It does not feel true to me. She has an infection.” My mom believed this deep inside of her. I don’t know if I had cancer or not but I believe my mom’s belief would make the cancer go away if I did. I am very positive. Everyday I tell myself, “I am beautiful. I am healthy. My body works properly.” I also tell myself, “My food is nutritious. A divine light guides me. I am loved.” I believe this is what made me not feel the pain for so long.

I recently heard a holistic veterinarian say, “Illness in animals is a family disease.” I have been thinking a lot about this. Do you feel your illness is a reflection of our family in someway?

I do, because I think a lot about how our family eats. I feel like we have been eating more purely. I think the bacteria from all the bad food has had a chance to get out of my system instead of being clogged inside. Also, I feel it is important to talk about issues that we have with each other or the world, and I feel like I have not spoken enough about what is bothering me. Those feelings got trapped inside of me and made me sick.

What have you not spoken enough about?

I feel like we should write stories together, because I have a lot of insight that can help the children of today. I want to tell the children to feel confident in who they are regardless of what their parents and teachers say. I want to do this so that when the children grow up they can change the world rather than being sad inside. Too many grownups are sad inside because of what people believed about them when they were young. I also want to tell people that animals have feelings, and when you talk badly about them even jokingly, they hear you. Animals are important, and I have a voice.