I lost my best friend today. [View all]
Last edited Sun Mar 6, 2022, 09:44 PM - Edit history (2)
We had to put my cat, Chairman Meow, to sleep this morning. I suspect he had a stroke yesterday since he suddenly had trouble walking, eating, and drinking, so it was time to say goodbye and let him go.
I found him as a stray kitten in the summer of 2006. I'm 99% certain he was part of a litter that someone didn't want, so they just dumped the kittens somewhere. I made kissy noises at him and he started following me. The girl I was dating at the time insisted that I retrieve him and take him to a shelter. I wrapped up him up in a bath towel to make sure he didn't bite/scratch, and when I got him upstairs and let him loose, he immediately ran over to me and climbed up into my lap... so I decided to keep him.
He was with me through a lot over the years. He was there when that girl dumped me, something I took very hard. He was there when I started a new relationship with the woman who's been my wife for over 10 years now. He was hyper-jealous of her. He was the vanguard of my move to Canada, making the move two years before I did. He was there through my struggles with substance abuse. He was there as I built a career and helped me relax after a rough day.
He was diagnosed with diabetes in 2017 because he was kind of a little sausage roll. My fault, I suppose, for letting him graze rather than feeding him at set times. The vet this morning told us that ordinarily cats only live 1-2 years after that diagnosis, so I suppose we did okay taking care of him.
He came into my life wrapped up in a bath towel, and he left it the same way. I held him in my arms as the vet gave him the shot and bawled my eyes out. My heart is breaking all over again as I type this. It's hard knowing that when I wake up tomorrow morning, he won't be sitting outside the bedroom door waiting for his breakfast.
Love your fur babies, folks. In a just world they'd live as long as people do, but unfortunately that's not the case. They give us all they have to give, and all they ask in return is a little love and a little kindness... and some treats here and there. They'll be gone before you know it.
A friend of mine said this when I talked to her about my loss, and I think it's rather beautiful, so I'll share it. "Grief is love with nowhere to go."
ETA: Thank you, everyone, for the kind words and good wishes. One of the greatest things about DU is that we're a family, and we share our joys and our griefs with family. Thank you for helping me through this rough moment, I appreciate it more than words can tell. Please give your fur babies a hug from me, in memory of the Chairman.
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