It's been a while since I posted here, but since my last visit, we have had to say goodbye to 2 of our 3 fur babies. In April, our 13 year old Himalayan Tara made the bridge crossing. She was diagnosed at the very end of 2018 with cancer and Polycystic Kidney Disease. We gave her a lot of love and hospice care for 3 and a half months, but the combination of PKD and aggressive cancer ruled out the possibility of chemo for her. So on April 11, we made the call to help her across the Bridge to the place where cats feel no pain or sickness...
Then on July 28, our beloved Gray Grimalkin, Skye, passed away naturally at home. She was not ill, nor was she having any health issue whatsoever beyond some mild arthritis. For her, her time had simply come, and she passed away peacefully at home in her sleep. She was healthy and happy until her last day, even having an excellent physical exam with wonderful blood work numbers a week before. Then she became very slow on that Sunday evening, did not want to eat, her breathing began to change a little, and we just knew, her time had come. She wasn't suffering or struggling to breathe-- it was just... different.
We had it planned to escort her across the Bridge first thing the next morning-- but she had always done things in her own way, on her own terms. We assisted her with feeding, and she willingly accepted some tasty soft canned food from a feeding syringe, but would not go to the bowl on her own. No problem, if this is her last day, we will do anything possible for her before we take her to her familiar veterinarian to do the final kindness.
She was napping quietly in her favorite spot when we decided to go out to grab some takeout burgers for dinner, and before we left, we gave her a stroke and a kiss as we always did before we would go anywhere. She lifted her head and was purring at us, and gave her signature little chirp, and a yawn, and stretched back out again to resume her nap.
When we returned less than an hour later, she had passed away in her nap spot. As she lay still and lifeless, it seemed as though she was simply asleep when we came in from behind. But her eyes were open, as if she had met the Warriors of Star Clan come to carry her to the Eternal Hunting Ground where it is always sunny and warm, with endless prey, and no cat feels pain or fear. There was no expression of distress, merely a look, if she was still in this life, of, (shall I say?) keen interest. I wrapped her body and prepared her for the final trip to the vet, and she like Tara was cremated and their ashes were returned to us...
Our Gray Grimalkin... Skye (Skystar, our beloved Warrior, and leader of our Clan)
Rest in peace, fur warriors. You walk with Star Clan now.
Then on July 28, our beloved Gray Grimalkin, Skye, passed away naturally at home. She was not ill, nor was she having any health issue whatsoever beyond some mild arthritis. For her, her time had simply come, and she passed away peacefully at home in her sleep. She was healthy and happy until her last day, even having an excellent physical exam with wonderful blood work numbers a week before. Then she became very slow on that Sunday evening, did not want to eat, her breathing began to change a little, and we just knew, her time had come. She wasn't suffering or struggling to breathe-- it was just... different.
We had it planned to escort her across the Bridge first thing the next morning-- but she had always done things in her own way, on her own terms. We assisted her with feeding, and she willingly accepted some tasty soft canned food from a feeding syringe, but would not go to the bowl on her own. No problem, if this is her last day, we will do anything possible for her before we take her to her familiar veterinarian to do the final kindness.
She was napping quietly in her favorite spot when we decided to go out to grab some takeout burgers for dinner, and before we left, we gave her a stroke and a kiss as we always did before we would go anywhere. She lifted her head and was purring at us, and gave her signature little chirp, and a yawn, and stretched back out again to resume her nap.
When we returned less than an hour later, she had passed away in her nap spot. As she lay still and lifeless, it seemed as though she was simply asleep when we came in from behind. But her eyes were open, as if she had met the Warriors of Star Clan come to carry her to the Eternal Hunting Ground where it is always sunny and warm, with endless prey, and no cat feels pain or fear. There was no expression of distress, merely a look, if she was still in this life, of, (shall I say?) keen interest. I wrapped her body and prepared her for the final trip to the vet, and she like Tara was cremated and their ashes were returned to us...
Our Gray Grimalkin... Skye (Skystar, our beloved Warrior, and leader of our Clan)
Rest in peace, fur warriors. You walk with Star Clan now.
RIP SWEET KITTIES
