I had to say good-bye to my sweet girl Libby on May 21, 2018. She had been with me for 16 years, through graduate school, 2 different apartments, my first teaching job, then getting married, buying a house, and the birth of two babies. She was right by my side as I navigated young adulthood, and we had a very special bond. She could often tell when I was having a hard day, and she would come and curl up next to me and purr and lick my face. When I was pregnant with each of my babies, Libby would lay her paws on my belly and purr. I think she knew. Libby was very smart. She also never knew a stranger. She never hid from strangers or panicked when new people entered the house. She would come out to greet them, and if they sat down to visit, she would often crawl right up next to them and start rubbing on them! When she was a kitten, Libby used to play fetch with her little jingle ball for as long as someone would throw it for her. Her favorite things were drinking the leftover milk from my cereal bowl, sneaking bites of chicken that were dropped on the floor (she used to camp under the high chair just waiting!), and watching birds out the windows. In her later years, Libby slowed down quite a bit due to thyroid problems and arthritis, but she was always loving and social. She loved all of her people, but she and I definitely shared a special bond.
At the end last May, I had to make the decision to have her put down. It was agonizing, but it was time. Her thyroid condition was worsening and the treatments were not working--she was vomiting multiple times daily and continuing to lose weight. Blood work revealed that she was in kidney failure. Additionally, she had a large tumor in her belly that she had groomed at so much that she was bleeding. The vet told me it was time, and I knew in my heart it was true. On her last full day, the kids and I took her outside in our arms to look at the birds up close. We sat in the yard with her and petted her while the birds flew and sang all around. That evening, we tried to tempt her with pieces of roast chicken, and she nibbled a bit, but her appetite was just gone. The next day, while the kids were at school, I took her to the vet and held her in my arms while they gave the injections to put her down. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. My sweet girl looked into my eyes until the very end.
We've since adopted a pair of new kitties, and while they are precious, they will never replace my sweet Libby.
At the end last May, I had to make the decision to have her put down. It was agonizing, but it was time. Her thyroid condition was worsening and the treatments were not working--she was vomiting multiple times daily and continuing to lose weight. Blood work revealed that she was in kidney failure. Additionally, she had a large tumor in her belly that she had groomed at so much that she was bleeding. The vet told me it was time, and I knew in my heart it was true. On her last full day, the kids and I took her outside in our arms to look at the birds up close. We sat in the yard with her and petted her while the birds flew and sang all around. That evening, we tried to tempt her with pieces of roast chicken, and she nibbled a bit, but her appetite was just gone. The next day, while the kids were at school, I took her to the vet and held her in my arms while they gave the injections to put her down. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. My sweet girl looked into my eyes until the very end.
We've since adopted a pair of new kitties, and while they are precious, they will never replace my sweet Libby.
