My beloved Tommycat is fading...

Here he is, helping in my husband's workshop:


And here he is, breaking in a box so it's nice and comfy, also in the workshop:



I met him 10 years ago when my husband and I got married; he is the kitty love of my life. He's about 16 now, maybe older because he adopted my husband one day back in 1993 and we have no idea how old he was then. I have never ever known another creature so affectionate and loving. He has beautiful amber eyes, to match his burnished fur, he has the cutest 'snaggle' because he's missing both his upper canines. I love him so much. He's been in renal failure for a while, and despite subcutaneous fluids and pills for the last six months, he's fading. He stopped eating 3 weeks ago, and my husband and I have been hand-feeding him baby food (and the occasional shrimp, when he's interested). For a while, Tommy still seemed to be there, but he's not so much anymore, and a very hard and awful decision lies ahead.

But I just wanted to post some pictures of my Tommylove. I am going to miss him so much and I am just torn up inside. I sit here holding him and crying.

He's had a great life, full of love, fun and affection, hugs and kisses and good food. We have six other cats who are wonderful, but Tommy's my baby, and it hurts to see him go.

Send him a thought or two if you can to ease these last few days. Thanks.

:hug:

I hope his last few days are tender and gentle and full of love. I hope he goes easily and peacefully into the long sleep.

Please, I hope you and your husband are well too. :hug:

I'm not handling this well at all - I have never had to make 'the decision' - last time we had an elderly pet, I was 17 or so and still living at home & it was my mom's "job".

I keep hoping he'll just go to sleep dreaming of the log he loved to walk on and not wake up, I really really do not want to euthanize him, but it might be the kindest thing to do if he doesn't go on his way soon. I know you faced this recently, and I thank you for your thoughts. :hug:

How are you? Are you and Jennalaw and family heading to the Outer Banks soon?

edited - spelling

heading back home tomorrow. :(

This has been a wonderful vacation. Very calm, relaxing, enjoyable. I got to play with the dogs every day, and play cards, and use a hot tub, and share a vacation home with really good people, and eat good food, and be social. :)

I wish we could do this for another week.

O8)

I appreciate it.

to watch a loved one fade...
(((()))))'s to you and your beloved cat.

and is an indoor cat. He was indoor/outdoor when we had a few acres in Virginia, and I think I'd just keel over and die myself if he wandered off, never to return. It's hard to watch this, but at least he'll be either with me, or snugly asleep on his heating blanket, when his time comes.

It's always a tough situation. Good vibes for a peaceful passing... :hug: for Tommy and you.

I think he is deciding it's time to go. I will not let him suffer, but none of our vets make house calls, and I really, really do not want his last memories to be of the drive (he's afraid of cars) and the stressful smells and sounds of the clinic. So we're hoping for a peaceful passing at home.

:loveya:

There's a part of you both in him, rest assured. It is so hard to say goodbye. :cry: :hug:

glows, he is a deep, burnished orange, almost copper.

I know he lives as long as I remember him, I just will miss holding his sweet, warm little body.

Is it just me or are they the sweetest cats of them all?

:pals:

Can't have and love animals without this time coming, it just sucks.

BTW, we are in Florida this week and a cat sitter is taking care of our trio. Sonia has been very friendly to our cat sitter! Who would have ever thought, scared little Sonia could open up and be so friendly!

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

and told her so, in a very nice way, of course.

Hope you and yours are enjoying your holiday!

some of these vibes are getting through! He won't have much longer no matter what because of his age, but every little bit of extra time I have with him without him suffering, I'll gladly take.

TommyCat....

:hug:

:hug:

so I just wanted to offer :hug:

I wish peace for both of you. :hug:

Tommy and I will take those hugs and try to find some peace. He'll probably be happy to go, or at least has made peace with it, it's just me dealing with my grief that is so hard. I know this time would come, but now that it's here, I just feel so deeply, deeply sad.

My old guy's going to be 16. I know exactly how you feel about your Tommy. The pain you feel is in proportion to the love you give and get from him. I guess what I'm saying is that, like you, I wouldn't miss a minute of the love.

Hold him close.

:hug:

yes, you're right. Huge love, huge pain. Wouldn't substitute the love for anything, so I guess I'll just deal with this pain right now. He's frail, and fragile, but we cuddle and I shower him with kisses and he purrs.

Your Tommy gave you as much as you gave him.
In spite of the sadness, your story is very sweet.

these cats are our family, our children, and Tommy's just always been so close to me. It is so hard to see him go.

little love Diamond, to be there to welcome TommyCat when it's time...
Losing a beloved animal companion is so tough...
:hug:

sweet NeenerPea who died about 3 years ago. :hug:

I am sending good vibes to your sweet Tommy.

we are just so connected - he always was near me, always knew when I needed a kitty on my lap. Thank you for the vibes. Is is an incredible sweetheart who charmed everyone he met. But he loved me best, and I am so sad to lose that.

:hug:

we appreciate it, Tommy and I.

make the journey peacefully. Hug to both of you.

But am steeling myself if it is otherwise.

My thoughts are with you both.

:hug:

all peaceful thoughts and wishes deeply appreciated.

:cry:

Wishing you all strength of spirit and the peace that comes with knowing that love endures at this difficult time. :hug:

I've been :cry: all day. Can't eat. Love does endure, thank you for that.

I'm so sorry to hear about your Tommy. My heart is with you.

I have a 14-year-old ginger ringtail tabby boy that I almost lost five weeks ago who is also sweet and adorable, so I know the kind of affection Tommy has been bringing to your life as well as the fear of losing him.

The feeding is so hard for CRF cats. I lost two elder cats to that several years ago. I tried everything to get my beloved Chester to eat. A couple of things that worked at various times were tinned sardines (stinky, but it can attract them), and that high-protein paste that comes in a tube (pet stores have it). You just tuck a glob of that paste inside the upper lip and they get it down. I also made chicken broth and fed it to him with an eyedropper. Chester would not let me do the sub Q fluids. Sigh. The memories still hurt.

May I make a suggestion? I did one thing that has brought me a lot of comfort. I clipped a bit of hair from Chester's belly before the end, and put it in a pretty little tin. I'm so glad I have it.

Savor every bittersweet moment.

I don't know what it is about him, but he's just *mine* and this hurts so bad.

He was such a good boy with the fluids, such a good sweet boy. We stopped them a week or so ago at the vet's suggestion, and are just keeping him comfortable.

I have a few of his claws that I caught before he shed them, and some fur from his brush; I'm also going to snip a little of the burnished gold at some point soon.

Thank you for your understanding....

I know so many here have gone through the loss of one of their beloved animal companions, and I thank all of you for your kind words. I've spent much of the last few hours with him, humming to him and brushing him (he quit doing too much grooming in the last week or so).

I love all my kitties, but Tommy and I bonded on some basic level - don't know how else to put it.

:hug: to everyone, from me and Tommycat.

What a great testament to a beautiful, steadfast friend; may Tommy will cross the rainbow bridge knowing how much you have loved one another. :hug: :hug:

:hug: :hug: I know he has no doubt how much my husband and I love him (I think my husband might even be a tad bit jealous how much I love Tommy and Tommy loves me - he and my husband were bachelors together for 5 years before I showed up...). Tommy's presence in this world has just been so soothing to me, I'm not only losing a much loved friend, but a creature who has brought me great comfort in times of stress and sadness. I feel like I'm losing a major coping mechanism.

But he'll cross the rainbow bridge, and I hope I see him again one day. Thanks for the candle.

What a wonderful cat; and how amazing you must be to have been one of his people. You're right to intuit that he had a good life with loving people and a good home. That is what really matters, IMHO.

In a nutshell, I have been where you are. Just love him forever. That's the only rule worth abiding by, or so says me. Take care, Flaxbee, and peace to you and yours in this trying time. :hug:

All my babies are special, but Tommycat's just burned a permanent mark on my heart. I think I'd convinced myself he would be here forever. But as you say, at least I can love him forever. :hug:

but sometimes that is all we have.

Take care, Flaxbee. It does get better with time. For example, I only remember good things now. And my girl, well, she could be a handful. But she's still with me, and I know it. Would not trade a moment.

Peace to you and yours.

He looks a lot like my most beloved Felix who I had to have put to sleep in August '07 because he had difficulty breathing and could not take a few steps without collapsing and could care for himself...A stray kitten I found in 1990 and took home even though my apartment complex didn't allow pets...A real character he turned out to be, I had to rescue him many times from trees, when he fell out my second story window, somehow he'd find his way into neighbor's houses and couldn't find his wy back out, etc etc etc

I"ve got a little shrine for him, his ashes and a picture in another room...sixteen months have helped but I do miss him still...



Im so sorry that your beloved Tommycat is nearing this mortal coil but it is part of life after all, and I am very sympathetic, if that helps at all.

My TommyCat was once a TomKitten. He's OK today. Had a very bad day on Saturday, but today - a little sunshine, and he licked some broth from his favorite canned food. I'll take all the wonderful last happy moments with him I can get.

I really do appreciate your sympathy, TK. I posted here because I know so many people have felt this same pain, and would understand.

Felix was a beauty - some serious cat there! :hug: to you for loving Felix so much.

...saying goodbye.

:cry: :hug: :cry: