Our beloved Jack (the cat) is rapidly reaching his final days in this world. He's nearly 17 and has had a fine life. We made the wrenching decision 4 years ago to make him an outdoor-only cat after a freak minor accident rendered him totally incontinent. He survived the transition and, until recently, seemed to still have an acceptable quality of life. We have a heated cat house for him on the porch and live in a quiet community with little traffic. In the summers he loved to lie outside in my south-facing garden, under some branches in the sun. He is the most gentle, good-natured, sweet kitty you'll ever know. Always purrs and "stands" up to greet you, beseeching you to pet him. Were he not such a swell guy, we never would have put up with the years of pee stains that "decorate" our front porch. While unpleasant, we couldn't rationalize putting him down because of the mess.
A year ago he lost his lifelong companion, our other elder cat, Clever. We thought Jack could never survive without him, but he surprised us. And over the past summer we were glad to find him every day lounging about contentedly in the yard.
Now, though, he just seems woefully impaired and sad. It seems cruel to perpetuate what has very quickly come to seem like a diminished life. It's cold out, even despite the warm house he has. He can barely see, and walking is much more of an effort than it used to be. He's lost so much weight (although his appetite remains strong).
Even so -- making this so much more painful -- he still L.O.V.E.S being petted and seems to live for the tiny crumbs of attention our busy, kid- and other-animal-full household can give him.
So we need to say goodbye and help him along to his next life. We can't bear taking him to a vet's office. Can anyone recommend vet who will make a house call?
Ugh, I'm SO OFTEN NOT SURE that "to love and to have lost is better than ne'er to have loved at all."
Thanks everyone.
westseattleblog
West Seattle Blog
West Seattle Blog
