~Gandalf March 30, 1995 - November 3, 2008~Well after taking Gandalf to the vet for an exam on Saturday for a problem I had noticed with his hips, they asked us to bring him in today for x-rays of his pelvis and legs - they thought there might be something wrong with his knee as it crunches a bit when he walks. We brought him in this morning and the vet called a few hours later with their prognosis: his knees were OK, but his hips were the worst they had ever seen. He had arthritis and possibly a genetic disorder in both his hips, causing the hips joints to basically disintegrate. He hasn't really shown any sign of it as cats are quite adept at hidingpain and illness until it is too late and they are in absolute agony. Although we could put him on medication, with the possibility of having surgery to remove his hip joints, there would always be problems, even to the extent of destroying his kidneys. In the end, there was really only decision to make.
At 3:40PM today, Gandalf went to Kitty Heaven. He was a wonderful cat, full of love and purrs. Always happy to sit on a lap, sleep on my tummy, and eat any bit of fluff or bug he could find on the floor, he is survived by his canine friend,Arwen, his mom, dad, and Grand-monna and Grand-papa.
He was 13.
He will be greatly missed.
Many tears have been shed, and many more are still to come, but ultimately he is free of pain, free to chase any bird, bug and squirrel and free to visit his first canine companion, Willy. He will always get his girl, and will always be able to sleep in, on and around any and every shoe he wants. He will always have as much food as he can eat, without having to worry about someone saying he is a little on the heavy side.
Goodbye my fuzzy little buddy, my handsome little man. May you give head-butts to other friendly faces, may you impress everyone with your giant thumbs. We love you, miss you, and wish you well on this, your final journey to the litter box.
Thank you for being my bestest furry little guy. Mom will always love and remember you.
My heart is broken, but I know it was for your best happiness.
Meghann
Oh Meghann, he was such a beautiful boy, I am so sorry! It's a terribly hard thing to have to do, but I am sure he is thanking you for your help. Maybe he'll run in to our Raffi over the bridge. A friend sent me this poem once -
ReplyDeleteBEYOND THE RAINBOW
As much as I loved the life we had and all the times we played,
I was so very tired and knew my time on earth would fade
I saw a wondrous image then of a place that's trouble-free
Where all of us can meet again to spend eternity.
I saw the most beautiful Rainbow, an on the other side
Were meadows rich and beautiful - lush and green and wide
And running through the meadows as far as the eye could see
Were animals of every sort as healthy as could be
My own tired, failing body was fresh and healed and new
And I wanted to go run with them, but I had something left to do
I needed to reach out to you, to tell you I'm alright
That this place is truly wonderful, then a bright glow pierced the night
"Twas the glow of many candles, shining bright and strong and bold
And I knew then that it held your love in it's brilliant shades of gold.
For although we may not be together in the way we used to be
We are still connected by a cord no one can see
So whenever you need to find me, we're never far apart
If you look beyond the Rainbow and listen with your heart
That was beautiful, thank you so much. It made me cry (again) because I know it is true. I know he is happy now and pain-free. :)
ReplyDeleteOh hun, I am so sorry. It's never easy to say good bye to our fur babies but it's something that we've all had to do. Reach out for support if you need it. We all understand. Take care of yourself.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. It does feel good to be able to talk about it. He was great and deserves to be remembered. Thank you for your kind words. :)
ReplyDeleteOh Meghann, I am so, so sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is to lose our furbabies but the sorrow can never erase the wonderful memories you have of Gandalf. I'm sending you my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteSharla
Thank you for your thoughts Sharla. May there always be kitty fur on your couches and a warm purry friend on your lap ;-)
ReplyDeleteMeghann, so sorry to hear about Gandalf. I know it's really hard to say goodbye - but it sounds as if he had a wonderful life - thanks to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteBest to you and yours -
Katie
Thank you Katie. I like to think that I helped him be happy - I certainly let him take over the bed enough times, and didn't mind him snoring louder than mu husband!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your loss. What a beautiful cat he was.
ReplyDelete