Death Watch
Well, I am sorry to say that I am on a death watch for one of my oldest friends. I am a cat person. I have had one of my cats since grad school. He has moved many miles with me and has been one of my closest friends for years. I suspect that he may die soon.
Scooter is a locally much loved character. He used to be large (25lbs), friendly and charming. When I got back from my recent trip, he had had a skin infection and lost both fur and weight. He has been to the vet several times, as he has continued to slip down hill. He has an infection in his liver and seems to be getting frailer by the hour. He has a strong dose of an anti-biotic, but it does not seem to have helped much.
All I can do is cuddle him and try and persuade him to eat and drink. As he gets progressively weaker, this is getting difficult. There is a chance that he still may turn around, but realistically, given the speed of the decline, this is a longish shot. I will keep nursing, but it also makes me very sad indeed.
Update Although I know that few people read this blog, or could give a proverbial rat's arse for a cat they have never met, I still want to express some thoughts about this evening. Scooter got weaker and weaker. He got too weak to walk. We cuddled for a while in our traditional spot, probably for the last time. I put him back in the nice cosy bed I made for him, with a heating pad (his temperature has been low). He was a bit distressed for a while, but eventually got comfortable. I have been with him since, until he fell asleep. He seems peaceful now. Somehow, I have doubts about whether he will make the morning. It is 3 am, so I should have tried to sleep hours ago. However, I believe that animals one loves deserve all the comfort and kindness possible, at such times.
Last year, my family had to go through the death of my wonderful aunt. I could not be there. So, in someways, this whole experience is doing a kind of double duty. However, Scooter is peaceful and if he dies tonight, he will have done so with dignity and comfort. I cannot think of anything more to do. This has been a tough night and a tough few days.
The CP
Scooter is a locally much loved character. He used to be large (25lbs), friendly and charming. When I got back from my recent trip, he had had a skin infection and lost both fur and weight. He has been to the vet several times, as he has continued to slip down hill. He has an infection in his liver and seems to be getting frailer by the hour. He has a strong dose of an anti-biotic, but it does not seem to have helped much.
All I can do is cuddle him and try and persuade him to eat and drink. As he gets progressively weaker, this is getting difficult. There is a chance that he still may turn around, but realistically, given the speed of the decline, this is a longish shot. I will keep nursing, but it also makes me very sad indeed.
Update Although I know that few people read this blog, or could give a proverbial rat's arse for a cat they have never met, I still want to express some thoughts about this evening. Scooter got weaker and weaker. He got too weak to walk. We cuddled for a while in our traditional spot, probably for the last time. I put him back in the nice cosy bed I made for him, with a heating pad (his temperature has been low). He was a bit distressed for a while, but eventually got comfortable. I have been with him since, until he fell asleep. He seems peaceful now. Somehow, I have doubts about whether he will make the morning. It is 3 am, so I should have tried to sleep hours ago. However, I believe that animals one loves deserve all the comfort and kindness possible, at such times.
Last year, my family had to go through the death of my wonderful aunt. I could not be there. So, in someways, this whole experience is doing a kind of double duty. However, Scooter is peaceful and if he dies tonight, he will have done so with dignity and comfort. I cannot think of anything more to do. This has been a tough night and a tough few days.
The CP
posted by The Combat Philosopher at 10:07 PM
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