Over Two Years

 Again, it's forever since I've come in. In now to post a few recipes so I have a link for pinterest to help a friend with cooking.

Ah, updates. The only change is the household has gone up by one and down by that same one since I was last in. This old guy came to live with me.

Believe me when I tell you, this is about the best he looked. He was a feral where I work. He'd been there at least 20 years!! It's fairly self-contained so it's safe for the colony there, for the most part. He was injured by, we think, razor wire. The skin on the top of his skull was ripped back and it wasn't healing, even with vet care. So I brought him out (I'd wanted this wild boy for years! He was finally old and getting kind of friendly!) 

These were the stitches he ended up with to close everything. He was FIV+, but I already had one who was positive, so I wasn't worried. He healed well and was home with me pretty quickly. Then, a small, unhealed spot started getting worse.

This ended up be cancerous. It was removed, but the muscles/nerves to that eyelid were damaged so it never worked properly again. Never seemed to bother him. He stayed friendly and SO sweet!! The only difference was he didn't want to be near the other cats since they were able to "sneak" up on him with his poor vision. No problem. He had a whole room all to himself.

Then there was an abscess under his jaw. This led to several teeth being removed. No problem. Moving on.

Then, another abscess at the back of his jaw. Unknown reason. I figure he must have clawed or scratched himself and it got infected. This is where I think the FIV finally got it's grip. The abscess took two drainings and some tubes and the entire time, he barely ate. My 13 pound big old man was dwindling. By the time it was healed, he was only about 8 or 9 pounds and he wasn't at his best anymore.

He was getting really skinny and seriously picky about what he ate. He no longer wanted his prescription food. His kidneys were already an issue, but it came down to letting him have whatever he wanted, if only he would eat!!

This was the last walkabout he did in the house. He'd finally adjust to his impaired vision, but now seemed to just pee wherever he felt like it so there was no letting him loose in the house. His bedroom was still his, pee pads, litter boxes, and all. There was always a selection of 2 to 5 kinds of food to tempt him, mostly to no avail. He's about 6 pounds here. Less than half what he was. He'd made 22 years and time was beginning to catch up. 

See the spot on his right leg? Some kind of sore I played hell keeping clear. It finally reached the point I was losing the battle so I had his other mama (my contact at the rescue that took care of him, Cat Around Town Project) take him to the vet to have it looked at. I didn't go, figuring it was just a check. Nope.

Next message I got was it was time. He wasn't healing and he'd lost even more weight. Instead of having him come to spend a last night with me, I asked her the biggest thing you can ask. Let him go. Don't let him suffer any more. If it was time, me having one more night wasn't for him. 

She sent me several photos from the vet's office. This one is my favourite. The expression on his face is the most like his old self he'd looked in over a year. The sad eyes and tilted ears were his signature look that he'd lost for so long. This was my old man's goodbye. 

But his son is still here! So I have his attitude still in the house and will always remember having my baby daddy around to love on, even if only for a short period.