Troy was nearly 6 and my only cat, his brother Barnaby was knocked over 2 1/2 years ago. Troy was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in heart failure at Bristol and after a short stay with them came home on 5 different medications which I had to administer three times a day. He had 2 vet visits since January as he had fluid build up in his chest. He just sat still whilst the vet drained fluid (550mls) from him. The vet said he was the best behaved cat she had ever treated. As he was now an indoor cat I saw a side to his personality I never saw before. When I came home from work I would call out "Mammy's home" and I would hear the satisfying thud of him jumping from the window sill and rushing down the stairs to greet me. When I was on the toilet, he would fling open the door and proceed to shuffle in his tray and join me in a wee or a poo and he would start nagging for me to go to bed once News At 10 came on. Last night he seemed fine, he had a brush before bed but couple of hours later he was crying loudly and gasping. Straight away I phoned the emergency vets, got dressed put him in his basket and drove off. Less than 3 minutes into our journey my partner said "He's gone". My heart was ripped out. I have been waiting for the inevitable since January, the vet said cats with this condition only last 6 months, but at least the decision was taken out of my hands and he died with us both with him and not alone. I feel totally numb. I no longer have him to lavish love and care on like I have. He is buried near the hedge he used to shelter under, in view of the patio doors and next to his brother.