I'm new to the forum and I wish I had found it earlier. I lost my friend UMI Tuesday evening and just wanted to share his story with some fellow feline lovers. Support is a wonderful thing and I guess I just can't get enough right now. This was a difficult loss for many, many reasons. I do have two other cats, but he was the king of the castle. The following is a copy and paste from a sports board I frequent.
We lost our feline friend UMI ( pronounced ooome and named after the initials of my business that he found his way to ) last night. Here's a bit of his history with us. He was in terrible condition when he found us, severely dehydrated with an infected wound to boot. It took weeks to nurse him back to health, feeding him pedialite through an eyedropper and soft food by hand, but what a specimen he turned into. He was 17 pounds of true alpha male with claws that could make a wood scratching post splinters in a matter of weeks . He was a silver tabby with markings that would rival a work of art. He was fiercely independent and although he was an inside cat, there was a wildness in him that couldn't be tamed. Trust me, I tried for years and just finally gave up. If he wanted to do it, he did and damned the consequences. There was also something very regal in him. The way he walked and especially the way he laid on his belly with a front paw extended and his chin held high. He reminded me of a male tiger overlooking his territory. However, he was also affectionate. In fact he could be just as affectionate and gentle as he was independent.
Last Friday evening we noticed his breathing was a bit rapid but he otherwise seemed fine. By Sunday morning he was showing signs of discomfort so Sunday afternoon we brought him to the vet school at UF. A chest x-ray showed a mass of fluid in his chest cavity that was compressing his lungs. We knew then that this was serious and given his age, cancer was probable. They did a chest tap to remove as much fluid as they could and we got him back on Monday morning and advised us that they could not get him to eat or drink. Back at home he continued to refuse to eat and drink and even growled at me for trying to feed him. It was then that I knew instinct had taken over. He knew he was dying and was acting to bring his last breath sooner. I spent all night Monday comforting him as best I could. Again, instinct took over, and while he purred when I touched him, he moved away after a short period. I knew that his death was inevitable and I prayed for God to take him while he was in his home and amongst friends. It wasn't to be. We brought him to the vet Tuesday morning where they hydrated him and gave him nutrition. he was alert and holding his own. We were scheduled to pick him up at 5 and bring him home where he would be more comfortable. We received a call at 4:45 that he had collapsed from a massive heart attack and was gone. His pain was finally at an end. While we grieve his passing, we are thankful that his suffering was short.
We don't really know how old UMI was because he was an adult when our paths crossed. He was with us for 11 great years and we feel fortunate he came into our lives. So long old friend. Thank-you for everything.
Thanks for listening, guys.
We lost our feline friend UMI ( pronounced ooome and named after the initials of my business that he found his way to ) last night. Here's a bit of his history with us. He was in terrible condition when he found us, severely dehydrated with an infected wound to boot. It took weeks to nurse him back to health, feeding him pedialite through an eyedropper and soft food by hand, but what a specimen he turned into. He was 17 pounds of true alpha male with claws that could make a wood scratching post splinters in a matter of weeks . He was a silver tabby with markings that would rival a work of art. He was fiercely independent and although he was an inside cat, there was a wildness in him that couldn't be tamed. Trust me, I tried for years and just finally gave up. If he wanted to do it, he did and damned the consequences. There was also something very regal in him. The way he walked and especially the way he laid on his belly with a front paw extended and his chin held high. He reminded me of a male tiger overlooking his territory. However, he was also affectionate. In fact he could be just as affectionate and gentle as he was independent.
Last Friday evening we noticed his breathing was a bit rapid but he otherwise seemed fine. By Sunday morning he was showing signs of discomfort so Sunday afternoon we brought him to the vet school at UF. A chest x-ray showed a mass of fluid in his chest cavity that was compressing his lungs. We knew then that this was serious and given his age, cancer was probable. They did a chest tap to remove as much fluid as they could and we got him back on Monday morning and advised us that they could not get him to eat or drink. Back at home he continued to refuse to eat and drink and even growled at me for trying to feed him. It was then that I knew instinct had taken over. He knew he was dying and was acting to bring his last breath sooner. I spent all night Monday comforting him as best I could. Again, instinct took over, and while he purred when I touched him, he moved away after a short period. I knew that his death was inevitable and I prayed for God to take him while he was in his home and amongst friends. It wasn't to be. We brought him to the vet Tuesday morning where they hydrated him and gave him nutrition. he was alert and holding his own. We were scheduled to pick him up at 5 and bring him home where he would be more comfortable. We received a call at 4:45 that he had collapsed from a massive heart attack and was gone. His pain was finally at an end. While we grieve his passing, we are thankful that his suffering was short.
We don't really know how old UMI was because he was an adult when our paths crossed. He was with us for 11 great years and we feel fortunate he came into our lives. So long old friend. Thank-you for everything.
Thanks for listening, guys.