I need some wholesome shit right now.
My cat is dying. She stopped eating her dry food over a month ago. I tried some canned food we had, but that was too solid, so I bought some liquid food. She licks a little bit, but never finishes it.
Hey ability to make it to the litter box is gone. We now have piddle pads all over the house.
Just the other day she wanted to go outside, and she spent longer out there than she had ever spent, and slowly made her way out of the yard, further than she has ever been.
She can't walk that well now, she can only make it a little way before she needs a break.
I think she only has a week or two left, and I want to spend as much time as I can with her.
I just want to hear some good stories from you guys about the last few times you had with your pets.
My parents were watching my 13 year old dog that I'd had since I was 12 while I was on my honeymoon with my wife literally right after our marriage. While I was gone she had a huge seizure for about 5 minutes straight and they didn't want to ruin my time away by calling and telling me, and it was so bad that they chose to have her put down. Even after moving out, she would still spent alot of time at their house so I wasn't going to pick her up until after work the first day I got back home but I had left my work keys over there. I swung by in the morning to get them and the second I walked through the door my mom looked right at me and said, verbatim "We had to put your dog to sleep while you were gone". Talk about getting hit with a ton of bricks. She explained to me how she didn't know how to tell me and how painful it was to watch and how obviously animals have no clue what is going on when they have strokes and seizures. They didn't want to see her have to go through anything like that again. Ultimately, it was my dads call. I was pretty upset.
But I will tell you this: as much as it hurts that I didn't get to formally say goodbye, I have absolutely no memories of her being anything but happy. The dog I will always remember is wagging its tail and howling at sirens and putting her paw out for me. It seems you have some time with your cat. Make the most of it. Think about the things that make her happiest and, if possible, spend time giving/doing those things. And find comfort in the wonderful life she's had with you. She is a part of your life but you are her entire life. Judging by how much you care, she has probably always been fed, always had shelter and always had love. That's all our pets ask of us and if we've provided those, we've earned the unconditional friendship that they have given us in return.
Also, after giving yourself an ample amount of time for healing, if you feel up to it, there are always more animals that are looking for that loving home it sounds like you have. And if you choose to go that route, don't think of it as a replacement; obviously one pet can never replace another. But think of it as your cat now would want another cat to experience the same blessings she has...and would be proud that you've chosen to give that to another animal. Peace and strength be with you my friend.