Yesterday was a sad day here, as L. Whale suddenly became very ill. He had been very fussy about eating for about 3 weeks, not eating any biscuits. Yesterday morning though he suddenly ate his AND Alfie's, so I thought oh good, he's back to normal. When we got back from a couple of hours in Hay-on-Wye, we found L. Whale's breathing was very laboured and so we took him straight down to the vet. They put him on Oxygen and I left him to have an X-ray. The results were not good. His heart beat was very rapid and his lungs surrounded with fluid - congestive heart failure. There was only one decision to take. Fortunately Tam was here - he was her special cat - and we both went down to give him such love as he passed from this world. He was 16.
It is hard to remember a time without him. He was one of three kittens born to a stray, Miffy we called her, who had lost an eye in an accident before we got her. Danny named him Jarvis, but he was always a well built cat and soon became known as Little Whale. His black and white brother, Tippy, was sadly poisoned by a Gamekeeper on the next property over. He and Alfie would hunt rabbits, and sometimes L. Whale would be gone for a fortnight, feeding himself. Tam reminded me of how they used to play hide and seek together :)
They carried on hunting rabbits here, until the rabbits got Myxi, and then they gave it up as a bad job.
He leaves a gaping hole. With his claw operations this year he has had lots of extra love and cuddles, and slept close to me on my bed every night. He liked to sit out on the little lawn where I have my patio set, soaking up the sunshine, brother Alfie nearby. Rosie has been putting her arms gently round him, and kissing his head, and telling him how much she loves him, bless her.
I am not fit to be seen, as crying has made my eyes so puffy I can barely see, and a cold flannel isn't helping much. I will need to keep busy today. I have had to cancel the wet felting I was going to go to tomorrow, and won't go to the History society talk tonight either.
So sorry to read that,it is heartbreaking to lose a cat,but you have good memories of him x
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteHuge hugs J x it swipes the ground from under us when we have to say goodbye x Have a quiet few days x x x Danette
ReplyDeleteSad news for you all. You have some lovely photos of him there.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for you, it is so hard losing a loved pet. We had to have our dear old cat Bo put to sleep at the end of last year, she was 20. The home is just not the same without her. Thinking of you. Sue H
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so sorry to hear this. You will all be devastated, and he will leave a huge, Whale-sized hole in your family. He did live the good life, and 16 is a decent life, for a cat. Our darling cat got progressively thinner and less mobile, and I now wonder how high the quality of life was for her in the last couple of years. Now is the time to share the memories, and to grieve and to remember the good times. X X
ReplyDeleteSo, so sorry to hear your sad news. Little Whale will live on in your memories and in your heart.
ReplyDeleteI can see he was much loved and had a wonderful life with you All the best to you and yours T.
oh no! I'm so deeply sorry to hear this...such a sudden and unexpected loss. Sending lots of love to you and your family (two- and four-footed). ~ Melanie xo
ReplyDeleteIt is very miserable when a beloved pet dies but Little Whales had 16 years of a good family life and you should think on that. He was well loved.
ReplyDeleteOh how my heart goes out to you.
ReplyDeleteTake care x
Alison in Devon x
So sorry, they give us love and we do our very best for them, but their time with us is far too short. You gave Little Whale a great life and you were there as he moved on, you could do no more, you gave your best and he knew it.
ReplyDeleteI am so very sorry; my heart aches for you.
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't have done more to help him over the years. xx
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry. I know the heartbreak you feel sending love.
ReplyDeleteLizzy d. ///gone to the beach
Take care of yourself, it's so difficult to lose a beloved pet. They do leave a huge hole in our lives when they depart as we grow to love them so much. L. Whale was lucky to live out his life with you x
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear the sad news about Little Whale. It is heartbreaking when this happens to a much loved pet. I am sure he had a happy life and I hope in time you will remember the good times.
ReplyDeleteOh bless him, he looks like a portly gentleman at his club. You gave him the best life and he must have passed over the rainbow bridge knowing how much he was loved. Sending hugs. Xx
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your loss xxx It's always hard letting go of a pet, I call mine my babies.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear of your loss. The death of a dear pet is a heart-wrenching thing to have to deal with.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear your sad news. Grief when their short lives end is the price we pay for loving our pets.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about Little Whale. My heart aches for you.
ReplyDeleteSo very sorry to read this. You gave him a wonderful life and he knew you loved him.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I am so sorry to read this. I know your heart is broken right now.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone, for all your kind comments. Sadly, we had no other option, it was just the shock of it all being so sudden. If I had suddenly found him dead, that would have been easier to cope with, but when you have to do the right thing and take them to the vet to be pts, it is so very much harder. Keith would come with me in the past, and stay with them for the final injection, as I found it so traumatising.
ReplyDeleteI am missing him so. This year there will be no Whale-shaped patch of lawn, cooked brown where he sat all day long, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.
I'm so sorry. Tt is a hard decision to make.
ReplyDeleteJennie, Hugs and so sorry. I know how much you loved the boy. He had been with you a long time. At least he is not hurting or being stressed. It is always a shock to loose a much loved animal even when it is expected. He made you happy and he was most definitely loved and in a wonderful home. Thinking of you Tricia xx
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear this, he was an absolute beauty and sounds like such a character from all your tales of his escapades. They take a little piece of our heart when they go don't they. xx
ReplyDeleteThank you all. Gardening didn't seem the same today, without him sunbathing in his favourite spot.
ReplyDelete