It Never Gets Easier….

What a week we have had here!  I have lots to post—but for now this is probably all I can do…

We have an appt with Mouse at the vet at 4:30 today and I highly suspect we will be putting him down.  He is about a month shy of being 17 which is very old for a cat, and he has had a good life—seen a lot of states, and been a great companion!  He is the last of our “kids” from before we had kids, and I rejoice in knowing he will be reunited with Flop, Sassy, and Shirley—but man does it hurt!!

I noticed several days ago that he wasn’t eating—or eating very little!  I was really keeping an eye on it and as usual put food for him out at night.  I got up early the following morning and was anxious to check on him to see if he had eaten.  I was excited to see his food was gone (although, I suspect it wasn’t him that ate it—we have since put him in the garage to be able to know for sure what he is or is not eating).  I was excited at first thinking he was eating and was going to be good to go.  I could not find him however.  I was looking around and went down to the pool area and saw the worst sight ever!!  He was in the pool, barely alive—on the ladder.  I  could see he was trying to move his head to keep it above water, but was unable to move much.  I quickly scooped him out and hugged him close.  He would meow but it was a gargle!  Got him inside and on our counter.  His eyes were completely clouded over and he looked awful!!  In fact, Lucy had slept on the couch and I woke her up yelling for a towel.  She was clueless—came running in completely out of it and handed me one little paper towel.  I instructed her to get a kitchen towel and to then go upstairs to get me big towels.  She did but when she came back down she asked me what it was on the counter!!  She didn’t recognize him!! 

As I was rubbing him down and talking to him, he threw up a TON of water!!  I don’t know how he survived quite frankly, and I realize he was only minutes away!  I do thank God for getting me out there when He did, even though the irony is that I saved him, only to turn around and probably have him put down a few days later—but he will go in my arms, in a nice way—not the trauma of the drowning.  I also don’t have to look at the pool as the place of his death.  Although I do see the image of him on that ladder—but I know we will have so many good memories there that it will not last—beside, it is rejoice that he came back and we had some great time with him since then….

After he spit up all the water he was purring.  OH how sweet is that??!!  We moved the kittens out of the garage (that is another post---yes we have kittens here that were dumped!!)  They are upstairs in my closet (which is basically a room) now, and that freed up the garage for Mouse.  There is no doubt that he is not eating.  A bite here and there, but not nearly enough to sustain life.  He is drinking plenty though—but he needs food.  He does not appear to be suffering—but I will not allow it to get to that point!

 

This picture above is the night of his near drowning.  He wanted to be on me the whole day, which I was happy to do…  That evening he purposely went to Mike and climbed up on him…I actually believe he was saying good bye…

My heart is breaking and many tears have already been shed.  We love you Mouse and will see you again one day!