I am grieving today and for me, the best way to deal with it is to get support. Already so many friends and family have commented on my facebook posts. What I’d like to do here is to post a gallery of photos of my darling cat who passed away overnight last night.
We adopted Fritz about a week or so after our last cat Clyde passed away from cancer in early 2010. Fritz was a rambunctious little boy, always playful, cuddly and lovable. He was a great hunter and would spend entire nights outside from spring through fall. He almost always came back. Once he was gone for 48 hours worrying all of us!! But he returned and looked a bit disheveled and we believe he got in a tussle with a fox that had been seen roaming the neighborhood. In fact, my neighbor saw the fox chase poor little Fritz up a tree! But Fritz got away from the fox! I always assumed that Fritz would meet his end out there in the “hunting grounds”. Indeed, just this year he was treated for not one, but two abscesses! Instead he met his end in a bizarre fashion, something I will never forget.
I woke up around 3:00 a.m. because of the rain and immediately went to get Fritz inside. But hubby had already let him in and I found him under the dining room table. He wasn’t able to move his back legs at all and was yelling out in pain! Horrified I found the number to the University of Minnesota’s 24/7 vet clinic and we went right then, about 3:30 this morning. The vet on duty couldn’t have been more compassionate and helpful but she had no good news for us. She asked if he had a heart murmur and we had been told that in the past but it wasn’t always heard and no other vet seemed alarmed by it. She told us that he very likely had a condition called Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and this likely caused a blood clot to lodge at the base of his spine paralyzing his back end. She told us the prognosis was not good and told us our options, none of them good ones. While we were there Fritz continued to go downhill so we did the humane thing and put him down. The jury’s still out on whether it’s easier when pets go quickly or when you try to treat them and they die within a year. It’s all hard no matter how you slice it.
I’m thankful for many things today. The wonderful and compassionate vet that helped us through a difficult night. That the U of MN has a 24 hour clinic. That this didn’t happen to him while he was out on a hunting mission which means we may not have found him. That it didn’t happen while we were in Spain earlier this year or at the cabin this summer. Most of all I am thankful for the 6 plus years we had with our darling Fritz. Rest in peace my dear boy. You are out of pain now.
travels with toby 
What a beautiful cat. So sorry. Indeed it’s hard to know whether one’s actions are the best, but I think you had good advice. RIP Fritz.
Thanks so much. He was such a darling boy…..heavy sigh.
So sorry for your loss, Toby. Our pets are part of our family. All the best to you and yours during this time.
thanks so much. yes, tough day here :(
So very sad… at least he doesn’t suffer now.
exactly. thanks so much for your comment.
Enough character for three cats, that one…! Aw, who’s going to supervise your work now?!
I’m so sorry, Toby, what an awful day for you and your family :(
I would have made the same decision. There’s no joy for anyone, watching a beloved pet suffer for an extended period of time, least of all for the animal. And not when there’s so many kittehs locked up in cages at shelters desperately looking for a home like yours. It’s too early to think about that, I realise.
Hugs,
S.
actually, we have typically gone right out within a week or so and adopted another cat. but the timing is not so good this time with junior graduating in two years but I guess we’ll see lo que pasa…..after we made the decision the vet said she would have done the same thing. It was the right decision. His meow those last few hours was hard to listen to :( Thanks so much for the support. I appreciate it greatly.
He was a great kitty for you, Toby!
He was! And I miss him dearly :(
Oh, Toby, I am so sorry — it is so hard to say goodbye, whatever the circumstances. I am glad you were home when it happened, as well. RIP, Fritz.
Thank you so much
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Awwww…. I also lost a kitty this year. He was a black sweetie who looked a lot like yours. It’s hard to lose our fur babies.
It is for sure. Sorry for your loss :(
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