Damn you kidneys! :(

[Providence A's]

Around 4:30 PM EST yesterday I had to put one of my cats to sleep. Essentially, his kidneys were failing and I didn't want him to suffer. He was at least 15 years old. His age is somewhat unknown because we originally rescued him from a pound in 1997 and the vet thought he was about 3 years old or so. He most likely was 100% Maine coon cat, but because we got him at a pound we'll never know.

I don't know why I'm posting this. I'm just sad that I had to make that choice today for the first time in my life. He truly was a wonderful cat. The most gentle cat I've ever had; he would have been the perfect therapy animal for nursing homes and such. I know some people think they're just animals, but when you've had one for over a decade you know they're much more than that. I will miss him and his buddy Cyan (purebred British Shorthair...the gray one) will miss him as well.

RIP Taz AKA Mr. T AKA T-bone steak

[NYgiantsfan5689]

RIP

I'm sorry for your loss man. One of my dogs is getting up there in years and although she's still incredibly active, I know the time is going to come sometime soon where I'm going to get that phone call from my mom. I'm not looking forward to it.

I guess the thing with pets is not to mourn their loss but to remember and celebrate and cherish all the great times you had with them.

[Providence A's]

I guess the thing with pets is not to mourn their loss but to remember and celebrate and cherish all the great times you had with them.

Thanks. I know. It was just tougher because the vet I use is a traveling vet (he has an ambulance type vehicle and makes house calls) so it was done right here...which I guess was good in some respects as I didn't have to bring him somewhere and was with him the whole time, but I did carry him out the van after to put him in a bag for cremation. He was sedated, but it was still hard to see exactly what their body goes through when they euthanize them and to watch him pass right in front of me, but I know he's better off.

[missionhockey21]

Sorry to hear about that Prov. He looked like a great cat and for him to live so long makes the time you guys had together all that much better as I do think the relationship of a pet and an owner really changes if they are together that long.

He is no longer in pain though and it was better to end that pain than prolong it just so you could spend more time with him. We had to put the cat my brother and I had down as his little heart was giving out. And even though he was only three and really one of the coolest pets I've ever been around (anything stereotypical about cats, pretty much wasn't him) and I would have liked to keep him going for a little bit more, it was the right thing to do for him.

(Great pictures BTW.)

[NYgiantsfan5689]

It sounds like you're handling it very well Prov. I respect that a lot

[Providence A's]

thanks again guys.

as far as the pics, Mission, those are only a few from my digital camera that I've only had for 2.5 years or so. I've got some other good ones from regular cameras when he was younger. He was pretty much always the same size since we had him though. I wish I could have seen him as a kitten. I've had the other one since he was 12 weeks old or so.

and you're right mission, the bottom line is you have to do what's best for your pet. I didn't see the point in prolonging it because a) he was at least 15 and b) it would have just confirmed that it was his kidneys, which there is nothing you can do about anyway That seems to happen to a lot of cats that grow really old.