I’m so glad I found this website. This is my first post on here, and unfortunately I am posting with sadness in my heart. I apologize for this long, rambling post but I want to share Bandit’s story….
I feel my dear Bandit (an incredibly intelligent 14 yr old Siamese with a beautiful, beautiful, soul) is in the process of dying. Its difficult to write this as I know what needs to be done… but nonetheless it breaks my heart.
Bandit’s story….
I inherited Bandit along with two other cats from a very, very close friend who passed after a protracted battle from colon cancer 2 years ago. She was like my sister and I consider her family to be my 2nd family. These cats were with her their entire lives (she found each of them outside at her home at various times) and it seemed that after she died things were never the same for them again. Noel was Bandit’s “sister” and was roughly the same age as Bandit is now. Unfortunately, she had to be put to sleep last year after a very sudden onset of kidney failure. The youngest, Stealth, is a Tuxedo cat and is ~ 5 years old and, thank God, is in good health.
Back to Bandit… she has severe allergies (ripping fur off, chewing on her skin, etc) and the only thing that has helped her has been her monthly steroid shots. Well, as of this Friday.. no more. She has a pretty significant heart murmur and any further shots are too risky. Allergy pills, Atopica, etc.. have not worked for her. Unfortunately, she can’t smell very well due to her allergies so I’ve been trying to feed her anything I can.. I’ve found the strongest smelling canned cat foods, treats, etc.. and over the last few days it sorta worked.. today.. nope. Without her steroid shot.. she just can’t get any relief and doesn't have a sense of smell. She has nibbled a bit… drank a fair amount of water… butI noticed she has “pulled” away from me. We would snuggle and sleep together every night.. today when I tried to pet her she pulled away. She wandered off into my office and I’ve built her up a pallet of blankets.. provided food/water/treats of every kind in hopes that she might eat something. So far… nothing. Her eyes, once so beautifully clear and bright.. are dull.. its like she has lost her “fire” and seem increasingly distant. She slept almost all day.. gets up to drink a bit, maybe nibble and use her litterbox and then back to sleep she goes. A few times I’ve caught her just staring at nothing. She seems to walk just fine and isn’t falling over but I know w/o sufficient food intake she isn’t going to make it. I’m going to spend the night with her in the office.. I don’t want her to be alone. I’ll have some soft music on to help her relax but am fairly certain I may have to take her to an emergency vet tomorrow. I just “know” somehow from her… that she is tired and I believe is ready to meet back up with her prior owner. I’ve snapped a few pics of her sleeping and am working myself thru the process to release her from her suffering. I’m a late 30’s guy and I have to say.. I’m crying like a baby.. no cat has ever affected me the way Bandit has… she completely captured my heart and I’ve been truly honored and blessed to be her caretaker for the last few years.
I’m sorry for such a long, rambling post.. but I just needed to express what I am going through right now. To anyone that is dealing with a dying pet.. I feel for you. It is nothing less than heart wrenching and stressful.
I feel my dear Bandit (an incredibly intelligent 14 yr old Siamese with a beautiful, beautiful, soul) is in the process of dying. Its difficult to write this as I know what needs to be done… but nonetheless it breaks my heart.
Bandit’s story….
I inherited Bandit along with two other cats from a very, very close friend who passed after a protracted battle from colon cancer 2 years ago. She was like my sister and I consider her family to be my 2nd family. These cats were with her their entire lives (she found each of them outside at her home at various times) and it seemed that after she died things were never the same for them again. Noel was Bandit’s “sister” and was roughly the same age as Bandit is now. Unfortunately, she had to be put to sleep last year after a very sudden onset of kidney failure. The youngest, Stealth, is a Tuxedo cat and is ~ 5 years old and, thank God, is in good health.
Back to Bandit… she has severe allergies (ripping fur off, chewing on her skin, etc) and the only thing that has helped her has been her monthly steroid shots. Well, as of this Friday.. no more. She has a pretty significant heart murmur and any further shots are too risky. Allergy pills, Atopica, etc.. have not worked for her. Unfortunately, she can’t smell very well due to her allergies so I’ve been trying to feed her anything I can.. I’ve found the strongest smelling canned cat foods, treats, etc.. and over the last few days it sorta worked.. today.. nope. Without her steroid shot.. she just can’t get any relief and doesn't have a sense of smell. She has nibbled a bit… drank a fair amount of water… butI noticed she has “pulled” away from me. We would snuggle and sleep together every night.. today when I tried to pet her she pulled away. She wandered off into my office and I’ve built her up a pallet of blankets.. provided food/water/treats of every kind in hopes that she might eat something. So far… nothing. Her eyes, once so beautifully clear and bright.. are dull.. its like she has lost her “fire” and seem increasingly distant. She slept almost all day.. gets up to drink a bit, maybe nibble and use her litterbox and then back to sleep she goes. A few times I’ve caught her just staring at nothing. She seems to walk just fine and isn’t falling over but I know w/o sufficient food intake she isn’t going to make it. I’m going to spend the night with her in the office.. I don’t want her to be alone. I’ll have some soft music on to help her relax but am fairly certain I may have to take her to an emergency vet tomorrow. I just “know” somehow from her… that she is tired and I believe is ready to meet back up with her prior owner. I’ve snapped a few pics of her sleeping and am working myself thru the process to release her from her suffering. I’m a late 30’s guy and I have to say.. I’m crying like a baby.. no cat has ever affected me the way Bandit has… she completely captured my heart and I’ve been truly honored and blessed to be her caretaker for the last few years.
I’m sorry for such a long, rambling post.. but I just needed to express what I am going through right now. To anyone that is dealing with a dying pet.. I feel for you. It is nothing less than heart wrenching and stressful.