Our wonderful cat Taz has died at age 16 of HCM and congestive heart failure. Taz was a loving, affectionate cat who loved to have his people around. He was very interactive and he was opinionated about when, where and how he wanted to be played with, scratched and fed. Like most cats he liked the schedule to stay the same, but he would sit in different places to indicate where he wanted to be fed.
We got him when he was 10 and affection starved, he immediately flopped open for belly rubs and started licking us lots. One of my favorite memories was when we gave him his first xmas stocking. We called him over, he jumped up and sat while we took everything out.
He went to my husband and gave him about 5 head butts, and did the same to me. Normally we would only get 1 or 2, so he was so thankful. My husband was just telling me about how he'd still been waiting by the door for me to get home from work at 6:30, and ask him "why isn't she here" and sometimes walk away dejected if I was kind of late. So adorable.
We didn't know how much time he had left and lately after work I'd come home and have him beside me or on my belly for hrs at a time. At night he'd often hold my hand with his paw for a while before we both went to sleep. Maybe guess he knew he might not have much time left.
On wed he was breathing a little heavier and started coughing, we took him into the emerge vet and he went into the back. The vet came out and told us he was really struggling and we had to decide quickly whether to drain the fluid from his lungs or euthanize him. She said his lungs could fill up again in 1 or 2 days, and suggested 2 wks at the outside. We didn't want him to have to die a painful death (with possible blood clots) alone when we were at work or asleep, so we choose to put him to sleep. We said our goodbyes and Taz stared intensely into my eyes without blinking as he went. The love we have for Taz is profound and this has been one of the most important relationships of our lives especially since we live so far from family. One thing that was sad was that Taz hadn't given up on life, he was fighting hard and I could tell by the look in his eyes he didn't want to die but his body was at the end of the road.
Someone told me Taz was sensitive and that's how I used to think of him (as well as saucy and regal) but he was a tough cat too and survived HCM for 2 yrs and IBD for one year, as well as a few homes, a kill shelter, and getting lost thanks to my parents. Taz you have been a magical cat, we love you.
We got him when he was 10 and affection starved, he immediately flopped open for belly rubs and started licking us lots. One of my favorite memories was when we gave him his first xmas stocking. We called him over, he jumped up and sat while we took everything out.
He went to my husband and gave him about 5 head butts, and did the same to me. Normally we would only get 1 or 2, so he was so thankful. My husband was just telling me about how he'd still been waiting by the door for me to get home from work at 6:30, and ask him "why isn't she here" and sometimes walk away dejected if I was kind of late. So adorable.
We didn't know how much time he had left and lately after work I'd come home and have him beside me or on my belly for hrs at a time. At night he'd often hold my hand with his paw for a while before we both went to sleep. Maybe guess he knew he might not have much time left.
On wed he was breathing a little heavier and started coughing, we took him into the emerge vet and he went into the back. The vet came out and told us he was really struggling and we had to decide quickly whether to drain the fluid from his lungs or euthanize him. She said his lungs could fill up again in 1 or 2 days, and suggested 2 wks at the outside. We didn't want him to have to die a painful death (with possible blood clots) alone when we were at work or asleep, so we choose to put him to sleep. We said our goodbyes and Taz stared intensely into my eyes without blinking as he went. The love we have for Taz is profound and this has been one of the most important relationships of our lives especially since we live so far from family. One thing that was sad was that Taz hadn't given up on life, he was fighting hard and I could tell by the look in his eyes he didn't want to die but his body was at the end of the road.
Someone told me Taz was sensitive and that's how I used to think of him (as well as saucy and regal) but he was a tough cat too and survived HCM for 2 yrs and IBD for one year, as well as a few homes, a kill shelter, and getting lost thanks to my parents. Taz you have been a magical cat, we love you.
