My family has a hole right now.
I always knew Bubbles was going to die someday, but it felt like this crept up so suddenly. She's been struggling with her breathing for several days now.
Caitlin and I took her to an emergency animal hospital yesterday afternoon where they ran x-rays that showed fluid around her lungs, about 7 ounces of fluid crushing her tiny little lungs. We had them take the fluid out and the doctor was very realistic and compassionate. It was congestive heart failure instead of the cancer she had suspected (she tested the fluid).
The fluid would have filled up around her lungs again within a couple of days at the most and we just couldn't let her suffer. I can't imagine suffocating to death with her little lungs wheezing to catch a breath. So we gave her hugs, told her we loved her and that we would see her again, and let them put her to sleep. She was at least 16-years-old, likely somewhere between 16 and 17, a ripe old age for a cat.
But it doesn't make losing her any easier. She was an integral part of our family unit and my dad said last night that "he felt a presence missing" from our house. And he's right.
We're in talks about getting new cats. Caitlin wants to wait on getting a cat for her until she has her own place. But I'm considering getting siblings for me. Whenever we've lost a pet in the past, the best way to help heal is to have another pet.
I expect to see her around corners and think I hear her coming up the stairs. I look at her favorite corner of my room where she used to curl up and she's not there. My poor, sweet baby. How I miss her.
Sending you hugs. It's so hard to loose a beloved kitty :(
ReplyDeleteThank you. This has been one of the hardest weeks of my life so far.
DeleteI'm so sorry, darling. I'm crying from afar.
ReplyDelete(( hugs and prayers ))
Thank you. I know you've been there many times too. It never really gets any easier yet we still choose to love them while they're with us, even knowing the pain we'll have when they go home.
DeleteAwww, hugs. Having just been there myself, I know how hard this is, and I know the feeling of that hole. Glad she had a good long life with you guys. My thoughts are with you.
ReplyDeleteIt's never an easy thing to lose a much loved pet. Bubbles was so much a part of our family unit. I did think of you yesterday, knowing you so recently experienced your own loss. Now we have to decide if and when to get another cat, when the timing might be right, etc. But for now we're just remembering her and talking about her. That seems to help . . . the talking about her part.
DeleteOh dear :-( I'm so sad for you! Losing a pet is always hard, and it feels to me like the longer I have a pet, the harder it is to let them go. Sending you virtual hugs.
ReplyDeleteYep, it is hardest when you've had a pet for almost half your life. In my sister's case, she had Bubbles more than half her life. So it's been tough and we really miss her, but every day feels a tiny bit better. Thanks for the virtual hugs!
DeleteI'm so very sad to hear this... A pet really can be such a big part of your life and family.
ReplyDelete(I know this is a late response, but I'm very much behind in my blog reading)