Miles, the 2000 year old kitty, is having her last day on this earth.

[Raven]

It's been 3 weeks since she was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in her jaw. The Vet wanted to do all sorts of things like morphine and some cancer drug that would ruin her already compromised kidneys. I said no to all of that..took home some specially pured food and decided that her last days would be good ones. They have been. We've cuddled a lot and she's purred a lot. she's even ventured outside to revisit her old stalking grounds. Yesterday I noticed that her jaw was quite swollen and then she stopped eating. We're spending her last day together and I'll bring her to the Vet in the morning.

21 years...longer than most marriages, certainly mine. More than 1/2 of Will's life. Miles has seen me through many transitions, happy times, sad times. She went from a city cat to a country cat and loved it. She saw me through 1/3 rd of my own life with a purr and a kind, loving look.

Miles, the cat with the boy's name (thanks to Will) who could fly.

[LaurenG]

1. I am saddened to hear this Raven

but very happy that your kitty had a nice long life with people who loved him. I hope you have a good day together. :cry: :hug:

[Raven]

3. Thank you Lauren. I notice you said "him"...poor Miles, always

having to explain the name Will Pitt gave him...er, her.:-)

[LaurenG]

4. Oh Miles the girl kitty.

I'm sorry. :hug:

[raccoon]

2. Sorry to hear that. I think you made the right decision.

:hug: BTDT. :hug:

[Raven]

5. I do too. For the last 3 weeks, she has insisted on breakfast in bed,

really! Pretty funny but typical Miles.

[MiddleFingerMom]

6. I'm actually crying a little bit here....

.
.
.
.
.
...but smiling at the same time at your beautiful and loving tribute
and because of the love you're so obviously demonstrating with your
recent decisions.
.
You've both been undeniably fortunate to have each other.
.
.
Sorry for the loss you're experiencing... joyful at the love you've had.
.
.
.
:hug:
.
.
.

[Raven]

7. Thanks MFM,

[Call Me Wesley]

8. Safe passage to her.

May she be free from suffering. Peace and comfort to you and yours, Raven. :hug:

[sinkingfeeling]

9. So sad when we must stay while our beloved pets travel on without us.

[Flaxbee]

10. Sweet Miles-girl

Sounds like she had a wonderful life, and a peaceful last few weeks. It is so hard to let them go. Peace to Miles and comfort to you when she's gone.

Will wrote about her a month or so ago -- was he able to get up to see her?

[Raven]

11. No. I thought she might make it to this weekend when Will and Cailen

will be here but things have gone downhill pretty fast in the last 36 hours. I'm giving her rubs for Will.

[pgodbold]

12. I am literally in tears for you Our dearest friends are not bipeds A great mystery in life. Hugs nt

[rubberducky]

13. One of the hardest things ever is deciding when our gentle fur babies have suffered enough.

My thoughts are with you. Had my sweet "Heidi" 19 years. When it was time to make "The Decision", it hurt like hell. Pet loss.com helped me to deal with my very heavy heart.

[guitar man]

14. awww...so sorry to hear that

It's a really tough thing to do, peace be with you :hug:

[peacefreak]

15. Peaceful passge to Miles...

the kitty-girl who could fly. Thinking of you, Raven:hug:.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. Ah, my dear Raven...

What a beautiful and moving tribute to your wonderful cat Miles...

It brought the sting of tears to my eyes...

Yes, it's time. Good on you for realizing this...they rely on us for knowing, and for taking good care of them when they can no longer do so...

Safe passage to her!

May she fly, forever...

:hug:

[mike_c]

17. Error: You can't recommend threads from this forum

:hug:

[Heidi]

18. Love and comfort to you and Will, and safe passage to the beautiful Miles.

Just lit a candle for the three of you. :hug:

[Bertha Venation]

19. What a wonderful life you must have shared with Miles

I am very sorry, Raven. :hug:

:cry:

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. Raven, I am so sorry. *hugs* I am glad you had each other for so long.

[foxfeet]

21. I wish her a peaceful journey to the Otherworld.

May you find each other and love again.

[haele]

22. That type of cancer takes them so quickly - both my boys went that way -

About three-four weeks after diagnosis, which was about a week after we noticed there was a problem each time. At their age, the vet didn't really want to do anything but pain management, because any surgical or medical option would be too hard on their systems and would only give them an perhaps an extra month or two - in discomfort.
When they stopped eating even baby food or tuna water and start looking for a place to hide, we knew it was time and called a recommended vet that specialized in geriatric pet home visits. It's always so painful.

:hug: - to you, and to Will.

Haele

[Raven]

23. Squamish cell cancer is what the Vet said. Very aggressive which

seems to be proving correct. Here is the link for anyone interested. Not as fatal in humans.

http://www.suite101.com/content/cancer-in-pets-dogs-and-cats-a283339

[haele]

26. That's what they both had.

:( Safe passage to Miles. You would rather they pass in their sleep, but it's just too much discomfort over too long a period of time to put them through, even with a cancer that is that aggressive, even if it's caught early.

The vet would have had to remove and replace most of Willy's jaw for him to survive, and she wouldn't do that unless the it was a young cat with a chance to recover - he was 16. Like most cats, he showed no discomfort, no indication that there was anything wrong for what she figured was about a month and a half past onset - until the lump became noticable during the evening chin-scritches and it got to be almost too late to do anything.

Haele

[lukasahero]

24. I'm so sorry for your loss

I hope you can find peace knowing you gave her a long and love-filled life.

:hug:

[fizzgig]

25. rest easy, old girl

:hug: to you, raven.

[Iggo]

27. Happy tears for a happy story.

:hug:

[lillypaddle]

28. so so sorry

:cry:

[soleiri]

29. My condolences

We also made the decision to let our precious kitty go. I watched her mom give birth to her almost 17 years ago, and on Saturday, I held her in my arms as the vet administered the dosage. She also had cancer, and her kidneys were failing. I miss her, but I know that it was the right decision.

[redwitch]

30. I am sorry Raven.

She has had a great life with you, no cat can ask for more than that. :hug:

[Generic Other]

31. That cat lived a very long life

You must have been dearly loved. So sorry for your loss. Take care.

[Raven]

32. I want to thank everybody for all the kind words and hugs...

it has really helped me to get through this awful day. Not sure what I'd do without you guys. :hug:

[kimi]

33. Ah, I'm so sorry

Our loving companions see us through the happiest and saddest times in our lives and are always there, no matter what, with a purr and a cuddle. That love will help you through the sad times ahead. I really do believe that they stay with us, in some way, after they're no longer physically with us, just my personal feeling. In any case, I wish your sweet Miles girl a safe passage, and many hugs and peace to you, Raven. :hug:

[Ikonoklast]

34. Thank you for giving Miles such a good life.

Safe passage into the arms of Bastet, Miles.

[frogmarch]

35. Ohhh. My condolences.

I too have loved treasured pets long and well.

My thoughts are with you. So sorry.

[Skittles]

36. so sorry Raven

:cry:

Grieve not,
nor speak of me with tears,
but laugh and talk of me
as if I were beside you.....
I loved you so --
'twas Heaven here with you.

--by Ilsa Paschal Richardson

[KatyaR]

37. I'm so sorry to hear this, Raven.

I'm glad you've been able to have this last time together. It's never easy, but at least she knows she is loved. I know you will miss her.

Big hugs to both you and Will.... :hug:

[Curmudgeoness]

38. I am so sorry. I had to do this for my 18 year old kitty, also

with squamous cell carcenoma---hers was of the salivary glands. The euthanasia was much easier for her than I expected and I have never been sorry that I did it that way for her. She went very peacefully. Just hold her tight the whole time and tell her how much you love her.

[applegrove]

39. vibes to you at this sad time.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

40. I'm sorry.

Your kitty had a great life. It's so tough when this has to happen -- I lost a kitty to the same disease a few years ago -- it came on really fast; finally, when he couldn't really eat any more, I had to do the right thing for him. He spent his last night sleeping on my head, purring.

RIP, Miles. RIP, Teddy.

[Hayabusa]

41. Sounds like she had a very loving companion.

I'm sorry for you loss.

[emilyg]

42. Safe journey.

[grace0418]

43. Hugs to you Raven. I know how hard this is. My little man is 17 but I already had

to go through that with his brother 7 years ago.

Miles lived an amazing life and was loved utterly and completely by her family. What more can anyone desire?

:hug:

[Systematic Chaos]

44. Wish I could rec. this. It about made me cry.

RIP awesome kitteh!

[WillParkinson]

45. Safe passage...

For in your arms I have always felt the safest.

[LiberalAndProud]

46. Raven, I'm thinking of you in these small hours of the morning.

Sendings vibes to comfort you. I'm so very sorry.
:hug: