Oh Smokey Cat...

I was home yesterday afternoon due to a migraine.

On the way home I was thinking about Smokey Cat. He stopped eating on Saturday. He stopped drinking a recognizable amount of water Sunday night.

He's only 10 years old and he's been under my care for 7 of those. He was a semi feral. One of the neighborhood cats. We think he's related via mom to our other three cats. He was people shy, but he eventually (over 9 months) warmed up to me and we brought him with us when we moved. He had a broken tail and had never been to the vet.

The tail healed on it's own. He took to his first vet visit like a pro. ( He is the BEST cat at the vet. ) He's a complete love now. Likes to cuddle. Wants to spend time inside with us at night. Would meow, LOUDLY, to come in.

Last spring he got into a fight with another cat/animal and we didn't know. We didn't find out till I noticed one day before Memorial Day weekend that the left side of his face was completely swollen. I SHOULD have noticed it sooner.

He got brought inside for the long weekend. We didn't think he'd make it and still didn't know he had an abscess till it ruptured on it's own Sunday night. It was disgusting, I walked in and there was blood everywhere (in the laundry room thank goodness). We spent the next hour draining it and kept an eye on him all day Monday and Ken took him straight to the vet on Tuesday morning.

We got that taken care of and found out his kidneys were starting to go, most likely because he had the infection for so long.

So we tried to change him to special prescription food. Ha! He wouldn't eat it. Switched him back to the normal food and made sure he had plenty of water around the property.

Then we come full circle to this year's visit. He got sluggish the day before it. Just sat and stared at his water dish out front. That was three weeks ago.

We brought him inside permanently. Spent two weeks trying to stabilize him and he was eating, mostly, and drinking, but he wasn't happy. So back to the vet for more antibiotics and asked about quality versus quantity and I was willing to say goodbye if not ready.

We brought him home and moved the dogs into the kids room, and Smokey into my craft room. I brought in his condo and a new kitty Kuranda bed, which he loves. And he has seemed happier for the past week, but he is still losing weight.

Then he stopped eating and now with the not drinking.

So he got lots of cuddle time yesterday with me while I slept off the migraine. And he is first priority at home for whatever time we have left with him. If we make it to Saturday we will be saying goodbye then, else it will be sooner.

It seems that the animals that had the most to overcome starting out are the ones that get to spend the least amount of time with us. I know that my Herky kitty and Slugbo's Houston kitty will probably be there to help guide him across 'the bridge' but I still hate to see him go.

I'm going to miss you Smokey Cat. You overcame so much to become a really good cat and I hope you were happy with us. If nothing else, you got a whole lot more birds to stalk at the new house all these past 6 years. You are my bestest kitteh boy and you have the softest paws ever.

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We are saying good bye to Smokey Cat Thursday at 5 pm. :-(