My poor old lady - she passed away tonight

[Marlinspike]

I posted a month ago (that was a Thursday night as well) as it was supposed to be my poor lady's last night. She was weeing blood and her kidneys were failing. She rallied after that scare, and she has had a lovely month in the sunshine. She has been much more active these last few weeks, and has spent lots of time sunning herself in the garden.

fast forward to last Sunday. She spent the afternoon pottering around the garden, even nearly running up our patio steps (which are quite big). Then she disappeared. She just must have wandered off. As we haven't lived here very long, and she hasn't been going out a lot, she just doesn't know her way around. We scoured the streets and asked neighbours to look in their garages, but to no avail. She was missing all night.

The next day I called the vet...and lo and behold someone in the next village had contacted them as he had found a stray cat wandering around. I called him, and could hear my lady shouting in the background (she was always a very vocal cat, and as her hearing declined her voice got louder!). I was delighted and went to pick her up. She seemed fine, her feet were swollen as she had walked a good half a mile - a fair distance for a 22 year old! A bit like the queen running the marathon

Anyway last night she went really wobbly. Her back legs were giving way. Today she spent the day asleep in her favourite spot in the sun infront of the window. She didn't eat or drink anything all day. her breathing got shallower, then at about 7.30 she shuddered a few times and passed away. My DH and DD were with her. Call me sentimental, but I was out at the time, and I remember looking at my watch at 7.30 and seeing a beautiful double rainbow

I am sad, but also so pleased that we didn't have to make that visit to the vet, and that she died peacefully in her own home. We all miss her dreadfully, but she had a lovely, full life.

[CeliaFate]

Aw Marlin, sorry for your loss. I'm glad your cat had a happy ending to her life and died where she felt safe and loved.

[futurity]

That sounds like a lovely end for her and a cracking age to get to..you should be very proud of her and her long life. x

[alegre]

So sorry for your loss. At least it's some comfort that she died at home, in her favourite spot, surrounded by loved ones. x

[ShirleyKnot]

She had an adventure before she moved on! So sorry for your loss, but what a lovely peaceful end for her. x

[Marlinspike]

Thanks to you all for your lovely comments. It feels very quiet here tonight - I miss sitting down and having her cry to be picked up and put on my lap (she stopped being able to jump on the sofa about 6 months ago, and used to place one paw on your knee whilst staring balefully into you face and meowing pleadingly!)

I took her to the vets to be cremated this morning, and we shall bury the casket and plant a tree or rosebush to mark the spot.

[ShirleyKnot]

I planted a rose bush over my last dog (called Rosie - unoriginally)and it blooms every year.

So sorry.

[LoveInAColdClimate]

So sorry for your loss. Have welled up! Sounds like she had a lovely life.