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Tuesday 4 December 2012

RIP Smokey

Yesterday was one of those days that all pet owners dread. Our pets bring us so much joy and pleasure yet they also break our hearts. We knew this day would come ever since Smokey was diagnosed with a spinal tumour about 2.5 years ago. He was wobbly for quite a while but with medication he eventually recovered and last year was almost back to normal during the summer, able to jump up on the windowsills again and run around. Then he started to go downhill again and despite upping the medication it was looking pretty grim.

Whilst we were away the housesitters let us know that he'd got diarrhoea so they took him to the vet and got some medicine for him, which did work. They also said he seemed more wobbly. We think he caught an infection from our new kitten (an abandoned kitten adopted us a week before we went away - will tell all about her in another post!) and in his present state his immune system was very low. However he made a good recovery from that .... and then the kitten got diarrhoea.

When we got home Friday morning it was plain to see he'd gone downhill some more but the main change was that he wasn't a happy bunny any more. You just know when there is a change in your pet and the only thing that seemed to interest him was food (didn't think that cat would ever lose his appetite!) although he did attempt to play with the kitten once or twice but not for very long. He didn't even want to be stroked.

The main problem though was the accidents - he no longer would go to the toilet outside even though he'd go outside for a wobbly walk, but he couldn't get into the litter tray easily, or just missed it completely and got cross if we tried to help him into it. After a number of accidents we had made our minds up. Cats are fastidious and he could no longer groom himself and I'm quite sure he was not happy about not being able to go to the loo in the right place either. He may well have been in some pain too but it's hard to know that.

So the deed has been done and and we are heaving sighs of relief as we'd pretty much decided this had to happen by Saturday afternoon, so spent a horrible two days before taking him to the vet yesterday afternoon. He's been buried in the garden and in the spring I will be buying a Smokebush 'Grace' to plant on his grave. Having the kitten helps enormously and she really appeared at the right time, so we do not have an empty house which is what we dreaded.

RIP old fella, we've had 13 years with you and we miss you.








And in his younger days, photos scanned.








12 comments:

  1. Aw - very sad. What a beauty he was! x

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  2. You have some great memories with all the lovely photos you have. He had a piercing stare but looks like he was a cuddly boy once upon a time. RIP Smokey. ♥

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  3. I'm so sorry to hear about Smokey - from the photos he looks to have been a lovely cat. Thank goodness for the kitten. My new ones, Claude and Grace, have certainly helped me not brood about Daisy and Harry too much. x

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  4. I hope that if I ever get to a state where I can't clean myself or get to the loo, someone will be kind enough to put me down humanely. Very hard for you, though. What a nice idea to plant a smokebush in his memory.

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  5. Sad times Mandy but it sounds like Smokey has passed on the baton to the new kitten and life (as they say) goes on. Let smokey live on in the new kitten and enjoy every second of it. XX

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  6. Thanks very much CC, Kim, Sandra, Rachel and Carl.
    Having the new kitten makes a sad time much easier to bear - thank god she found us! I'll have to live here forever now that I have 2 cats, a duck and 2 chickens buried here in the garden.
    xx

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  7. Very sorry to hear about Smokey, he certainly had a wonderful life and you did what was best for him at the end of his life.

    Philippa xx

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  8. It's very sad when a beloved pet has to be put to sleep, you have some beautiful photos and no doubt lots of fond and fun memories which you will always remember.xx

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  9. I have tears in my eyes after reading this, Mandy. I am so sorry for your loss. It seems as if he left you with many memories. And good thing you have the kitten. Take care...

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  10. Thank you Philippa, Mumma Troll and Michelle. Michelle don't start me off! Hallie is keeping us amused and occupied with her antics but a new kitten doesn't (yet) replace that big empty space of 13 years of a much loved pet. She will, of course, in time..... xx

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  11. It looks like Smokey had a great life Mandy, my thoughts are with you.
    Steve x

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    1. Thanks very much Steve. He did have a good life and we'll always remember him. The kitten is filling the gap thankfully so no empty catless house which would have been awful!

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