My cat Trace crossed over today

[Justintyme]

My best friend died today.

He was a 16 year old Tuxedo cat, who was just full of life,  and exuded joy.

 

I am not a young man, soon to retire, and Trace was going to be my retirement buddy. Many a nights we spent on my Lay Z boy, hanging out, watching tv,my pal  contently purring as I would read the latest crime novel or do a crossword puzzle.

 

I got Trace after 911. He kept my other cat Cyrus company for a few years before Cyrus had to be put to sleep from a urinary disease. Trace would always cry when I left for work and enthusiastically meet me crying at my door. On my hour drive home from  work, however grueling my day was I could always depend on him to warmly be there for me unconditionally.

 

When my mother and father passed, he was my sounding board, and when my lady friend died a horrible death, he kept me company and gave me the courage to go on. A few years ago I got a diagnosis that was devastating but he helped me through the scary times, other friends passing, job stress, and horrible anxiety. I loved this little guy.

 

About a month ago, he started limping and the vet said it was just arthritis, and put him on a steroid. A week later he started not eating and right about the same time his 19 pounds seemed to be quickly falling away. I took him to the vet and his blood work was good- no chronic anything diabetes, dental issues, etc, and was given an antibiotic. But he appeared like eating was painful for him and he would  curl his head around, have trouble keeping food in him mouth and had little or no appetite. A couple more vet trips occurred, shots, appetite stimulants, but he continued to struggle. He then started to cry non stop this past weekend, and I held him most of Saturday and Sunday. He seemed to make an odd sound like metal connecting to metal when he was eating. I would massage his gums, and he would let me. He weighed 14 pounds, had lost about 5

 

I prayed to God that he would get better and somehow I knew during this whole month that something was really wrong with my boy, On Sunday night, he stopped crying, and was very quiet and content it appeared. About 3:30 in the morning he jumped on my bed, and snuggled up with me like he had done before, and I noticed when I got up for a bathroom run that he had eaten. I was sure God had answered my prayer. He only stayed a few minutes loving me and then left the room

 

When I got up at 6:30, he was in bad shape, looked confused, would not eat a thing, crying constantly. I called the vet and he said even though they did not know what was really wrong with him, that he was 16 years and he was not going to get that much better, and that putting him down would be compassionate.  I went to the vet and they very sweetly euthanized him in my arms, I couldn't bear to see my friend suffer in this life.

 

I have had many cats over the years and been through this before. But for some reason, this time my heart feels like it is broken. It has only been 1 day, but I cannot stop crying. I went to work after he passed and I cried all day in my cubicle and tonight my apartment feels so lonely. I think he rebounded for those hours to tell me it was ok and to tell me he loved me. But my heart hurts. I never thought a cat could bring me such grief, and also such joy. I want to remember the good times, but the pain is bad and I feel so alone without my buddy.

[Kmaule]

I feel your pain, my beloved little budgie passed away on Monday and I too can't stop crying. It feels like this pain will never go away and I totally understand the emptiness feeling in your house as I am also going through the same. We just have to take comfort in knowing that they are not in pain or struggling anymore and that they had a happy life with us in which they were very much loved by us.

Condolences to you.

[an4rew]

So sorry for your loss, it helps to know others are suffering this heartache and we are not alone.

What can you do, apart from taking the best care of them while they are with us.

Take care.

 

 

[Babyainey]

Dear justintyme,

Your story breaks my heart because I relate to it so very much. There's something unique about your cat, like he was created just to understand you. I feel this way above my recently passed friend, sammy. I've yet to meet a human that has made me feel as loved as he did.

You gave him a beautiful life and he repaid that in kind. In the end you did the hardest thing and put his passing before your happiness. Its the final and most kindest gift we can give anyone, the ability to stop their pain.

I promise you that Trace came to you for a reason...so please be aware that he did what he was here to do...take care of you.

Perhaps in time, you will return his favour and seek another cat in need of you taking care of them xxx