Took Simon to the vet today.

[piddyprints]

Don’t know how many of you remember MissHoneyChurch. She fell in love with baby Simon kitten while visiting us in early 2007. Of course, we kept him here, as she couldn’t ship him and quarantine him. He was such a tiny thing. Every time she visited, he acted as if she had never left… until last year, when it was just too long for him to remember.

He has been in kidney failure for about 2 years. He stopped eating yesterday, so I took him to urgent care today. His weight is still good (almost 12 pounds!) but he just wasn’t feeling good. Doc gave him some different shots to help him feel better. But he is definitely on borrowed time. He’s sitting next to me for “wine time” now, looking like he might be interested in some supper in a few minutes.

Many of our pets were born in 2006 and 2007. Simon is the last one of that batch. We had to say goodbye to 17-year-old Sarabi in May. I have a 21-year-old cat who came to me separately. She is also in kidney failure, but doing well so far.

It’s hard. Just saying… I love them all and wish they could live forever. Just glad we have an excellent vet care here and we’ll do what we can to make them comfortable and happy.

🥰

Here’s to all the wonderful DU pet lovers.

[montanacowboy]

1. I had a cat in renal failure

for nearly 2 years, I gave him fluids twice a day until it just wasn't working anymore.
Sorry to hear about your Simon kitty. We just do the best we can when we can for them. Hugs.

[piddyprints]

4. We did that for our first cat.

He lived to be 19 years and 3 months. In the end, we decided not to do it again. We do the best we can, don’t we?

[Walleye]

2. So sorry, I know it hurts so bad

[piddyprints]

6. It does.

Still, we can’t complain. My daughter’s 3-year-old kitty died suddenly last Christmas… complications from urinary blockage. That was tragic and he was robbed. Simon has had a good long life. Sad, but not tragic.

[Karadeniz]

3. Bless you! Your energy is improving earth energy for everyone!

[piddyprints]

7. Thank you.

We are fortunate that these fur babies love us and want to be with us.

[slightlv]

5. Last year was the year

I lost cat after cat after cat. I didn't think I'd live through it. Like you, it was a "batch" of rescues that came in one or two at a time over the course of a couple of years. The oldest was 22. The youngest was around 15. Lost one who had adopted me in my new city and hadn't been with me but for a year or so. No information on him, no one laying claim to him. But egads, I adored him. And he'd lay with me in bed, crooked in my arm... turning his head such that it was like he was staring into my eyes as he fell asleep. I lost him to a diabetic crisis, but we had no idea how old he was. He could have been in his teens for all we could guess. Losing him, and losing my little japanese bobtail just about took me down. I cried for months, and still can't think too long about losing either one of them without getting weepy. I've loved 'em all, but there are just some that worm their way into special places in your heart. Right now, I have triplets from the same litter, and 2 from the same mother a generation prior. They're about 5 years old now. That'll be the last "batch of cats" that'll all go about the same time. As old as I am right now, I'd like to just travel the Rainbow Bridge with them when they go, rather go through that grieving process again. But that's just me.

[piddyprints]

8. I'm so sorry.

Yes, the hurt is intense. Some of them really do worm their way deeper. But I will take the pain every time rather than not having them.

We are weighing whether or not we want to adopt any more since we don’t want them to outlive us, not knowing if they’d really be taken care of. We just try to treasure every minute with them. Our 21-year-old came from my brother, who died in 2009. The other batches, well, at one point, we thought we could rescue them all. We had to stop at 10 back then.

[slightlv]

9. I hear you! I'm left with just 9 now.

My grandson moved in with us about a month ago... or, I guess I say he is still moving in with us, since we haven't finished reconfiguring the house to adjust to all the new "stuff" (LOL). He adores the cats and there are several who very lovey to him. He needed a home, and it doesn't hurt to have someone help me out here at the house. I told him I'd leave him the house and he promised the cats would always have a home here, so that really relieved my mind a lot.

[Evolve Dammit]

10. It hurts. Know in your heart that you have always done the best you could. It's all we can do.

[Figarosmom]

11. One just hopes for another day

Everyday.