I’ve posted about this on Facebook, Lit, AllDeaf, and Twitter. It’s time I shared it here.
We are having Amanita put to sleep tomorrow. My sweet little girl, who I named my website after in 1999, is senile and has kidney failure. She hydrates herself okay, but over time she has forgotten all about the litter box. So she piddles everywhere, and she isn’t suddenly going to get smart and figure it out. She also hasn’t groomed herself in months…after she pees, she sits in it, and then doesn’t wash herself. She’s been completely deaf for years, but now her eyesight and sense of smell are also going. She has trouble finding treats when you hold them in your hand right in front of her. She has been doing “inappropriate vocalizations” for the past several months; we thought it was just the change of house and then wanting to be let out of the bedroom, but I found that it was a sign of senility and since she had never meowed so much in all the years we’ve had her, I suspect it’s related.
It’s so hard to have to do this. Right now she is snoozing with me on the bed, and she – oh, now she is getting up. See, she walks around fine, doesn’t like being held too long, doesn’t like you getting in her face, all the normal cat things. So it just doesn’t seem like she’s really sick enough for this. But she is senile, she is basically a dotty old lady without a clue now. She gets terribly depressed without us, so we can’t give her to a farm or anything like that – and anyway, I don’t want to. So the only place she could live would be the bathroom, and what kind of life is that?
I took today off work to be with her. I’m taking tomorrow off work, and so is my wife, so we can do it. I’m not sure about Thursday. I’ve been crying on and off all morning, I’ve found a place that will cremate her for $150 and we already have an urn (with Wu and Toadstool) to place her in. Once again I am really sorely tempted to buy some kind of cremation jewelry. Also, it’s going to be time for another paw print tattoo, dammit.
Pictures and video .
that so sucks. i’m sorry about your kitty, but i agree, it sounds like she might need to move on. there’s no getting around it sucking though. i’m glad you’re getting to spend some extra time with her at the end.
I’m so sorry … I just went through the same thing with my big boy a couple of weeks ago. It was really, really tough to see him like that.
It’s so hard .. but it sounds like the right thing ..
My condolences during this hard time. I’ve been through the same thing and I know it’s hard. But you’re approaching it the right way and dealing with your grief head-on, and I think everything will turn out OK. My best wishes for your family during this time.
I burst into tears when I read your Twitter entry. I’m so sorry, Meredith.
I’m so sorry… I have several dogs and I know what it’s like to loose a best-friend. Cats & dogs are so special. It’s difficult for people who don’t have one to understand how deep the attachment can be.
I am so sorry to hear about your little girl. I know you miss her terribly. So sorry…