Tuffy

Tom, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of Tuffy. I am sitting here at work fighting back the tears for a cat I never met, but feel as though I know and love. I have followed his story for such a long time, and I was sure they’d find the problem and be able to fix it. I am absolutely devastated to read that he went downhill so fast. He fought hard, and you and Yvonne did absolutely everything you could for him without question. You cared for him, loved him, and gave him the most wonderful life he could have had in the short time you had him – that’s why he found his way into your home. You are privileged to have such a wonderful cat as part of your life.

Thank you for ending his suffering before it got worse for him, you did the right thing as painful as it it.

Rest in peace Tuffy.

Rest in peace, playing over the Bridge, Tuffy. I always enjoyed reading your posts about him, he was one special kitty.

One last picture of Tuffy. This was one of my favorite pictures I have of him.

The vets office was great this morning, I couldn't watch when he passed on, I don't mean they wouldn't let me be with him at the end, I mean I just could not handle that, but the vet and vet tech dropped everything they were doing and made others wait so they could take care of me and Tuffy. Tuffy knew all the people there so he did not die alone without people who loved him there with him. They also made me a paw print of Tuffys foot in some clay with his name and the date that I have to bake in the oven now so I will have that from his last moments. The vet hugged me when I was crying and she told me I did all I could and way more than most people would have done for him, which helped it hurt a little less. I felt like all of you where there with Tuffy this morning also.

His buddy Panther must know Tuffy is gone, He could see it in my eyes when I came home from the vet, Panther looked at me crying and got a real sad look on his face and hung his little head and went and layed under the table for a long time, I petted Panther and told him his friend Tuffy was gone.

I opened his little box and cried and said goodby and petted him one last time before I buried him this morning. He is right next to my Peanut who I lost about 8 years ago and two of Rusty's little baby brothers who died a couple years ago.

This is probably the last I will post about Tuffy, and I want to thank everyone who was praying for Tuffy to somehow make it through all this.

By By Tuffy, I miss you already.

Tom W

Tom,

Tuffy was a very special soul and we all feel the depth of your loss.

I'm so sorry for your loss Tom

RIP Tuffy

You guys and Tuffy did all you could. RIP little man.

Another sad thing is we have 4 other cats in the house and not one of them is even close to the cat Tuffy was. At least thats how I feel. Maybe this isn't the place or time to bring this up. My point is I lost as much as I would have if Tuffy was the only cat in the house. The others are all nice cats in there own ways but no where near a Tuffy.

I guess some of my sadness is turning to anger already about Tuffy being taken from me so soon. Maybe this is a good thing in the big picture that I am going through the steps of grieving [sp?] already.

I am sorry Tom, Like many others here i have been reading the updates on tuffy,
I also had been hoping for the best.

RIP Tuffy, and play well.

i am so very very sorry to hear this, I was expecting it, but it is still so sad. You gave him a wonderful time, and always did hte best for him, and you did do more than some people would, and I am sure he will be eternally grateful for that.
I can totally understand your last post, some cats just worm their way in that bit deeper than others (I have one here that has), and there is just soemthing about them that makes them that bit more special, and they are the hardest ones to lose. I can also understand your anger, and I do hope it is just part of the grieving process. Sadly, some cats do die young with no real reason, but I think we have to remember the time we did have with them, rather than the time that was taken away from us.
Sending big hugs to you and Yvonne, and we are all here if you need to talk.

I was shocked to see this here

I'm so very sorry to hear about Tuffy, but know that he's playing happily over at Rainbow Bridge where he was met by all the other TCS cats to take him home

_________________________________________

RIP sweet darling Tuffy - run free now

The last 2 or 3 days before the end he went down hill so fast. When I picked him up from the vets office Monday morning after being there the weekend he was almost his old self. By Thursday morning when he went to the vet at 8:30 in the morning, the inside of his ears and mouth were all yellow from his liver giving up. He was having a hard time breathing and he had yellow junk coming from his nose. When the took his temp the thermometer was just covered in old thick blood. His back legs were giving out on him also. So it was not hard for me to see it was time to end his suffering. Even in that shape he still had not gave up, he was still trying to eat and drink that morning yet. He lived up to his name right till the very end.

Tom, there was nothing more you could have done for Tuffy, it was by far the best thing for this amazing cat that you set him free from pain and said goodbye to him.
He always amazed me at how 'tuff' he was, despite what life threw at him. He was happy while in your care and none of us here, who knew Tuffy's story will ever forget him.

Tom it's only natural that your feeling angry. It's all part of the grieving process be it with a human or an animal, but please don't beat yourself up.

You'll see Tuffy again you can be sure of that, and he'll see you before you see him!

Tom-I'm so sorry about loosing Tuffy. Tuffy was a well loved, truly special kitty. RIP Tuffy.

Pombina's right....no one will ever forget Tuffy. He was such a brave, strong, little kitty....

Sorry to read that.

I am so very sorry for the loss of dear Tuffy. What a trooper he was! It does not seem fair that you tried so hard, and he fought so valiantly, and yet he is gone.

Bless you for loving Tuffy. May your heart somehow find peace in this difficult loss. Rest in peace, Tuffy.

Thanks everyone, reading all this hurts but it also is helping me. I still look in the chair next to our bed when I wake up in the morning to see if Tuffy is sleeping there like he would have been most mornings, just habit I guess.

One of the girls at the vets office who knew Tuffy real well from all his visits there was saying she has a kitten named Timmy who lost his mom and she is taking care of till he can find a new home, anyway she said he has almost the same personality Tuffy had, She said he also has that something special about him and was wondering if I would be interested in giving him a good home. A big part of me says to go and at least see if he would like me and get him if he does like me allot, but then I don't want to rush out and get a kitten expecting him to replace Tuffy and not see Timmy as Timmy.

I also don't know if I am ready to go from taking so much time taking care of a sick little best friend to all the time it takes to take care of a new kitten and have to worry about bringing him into a strange new place and wondering how he will do with all the other cats and watching him so he don't get into trouble or getting hurt and all the other stuff that comes with a new kitten. She told me about Timmy because she knew I would take real good care of him after seeing everything I did for my Tuffy which also helped me to feel a little better about myself and to know I did all I could have done for Tuffy.

So I am stuck between wanting to help a poor little kitten who lost his mom to just wanting time off from all the stress and worry I went through with Tuffy. What if any advise do any of you here have for me about all this? I told Yvonne about Timmy and what the girl said about him and how she knew he would have a good home with us and all that. I though Yvonne would say no way after all we just went through with Tuffy but she asked if I really want to get Timmy and I had to say I just don't know right now. Maybe getting Timmy would be just what I need to bring some joy back into my life that is gone now with Tuffy's passing.

I am very sorry if this is not the correct forum or to soon to ask all this, and this tread is for my poor little Tuffy. I am just really torn between just remembering all the good times I had when Tuffy was feeling good and waiting before thinking about another kitty to wanting to help a little kitty who needs a good home real soon. Like I said before we have 4 other cats but none of them are anywhere near as meaning as much to me as Tuffy did, I don't want to sound like I don't like them or wouldn't do for any of them what I did for Tuffy if any of them got sick because I would. Its just that they all have been house cats since they were tiny little kittens and never had to deal with all that Tuffy had to on his own for who knows how long before he found me, its terrible that Tuffy had to go through all that, but I wonder if all he went through had allot to do with making Tuffy the special little boy he was? Its almost like he was greatfull to me for taking him in and helping him to get better and show him all the love I could when no one else did, and all or other cats have no idea how tough it is on there own out in the world.

I will stop rambling on for now, maybe in a couple days I can make up my mind on what to do about getting Timmy or not. Any advise will be a big help with all this if anyone else had to deal with getting another kitty or not so soon after loosing there best little friend. I still break down and cry when telling people about loosing Tuffy so it will be along time before I can talk about Tuffy and not get all choked up. Crying is probably a good thing compaired to holding in all those feelings and trying to stuff them away. I was brought up being told that real men don't cry and all that macho stuff but there is only so much room in there for stuffing things away and not dealing with them, so now if I need to cry I cry and don't feel quilty for doing it afterwards.

This could be fate Tom - Tuffy certainly has had a hand in it, as it was due to your love, care and dedication that the vet nurse thought of you. Only you can make the decision though - I took a cat on too soon after Snowy (I thought it was fate and went ahead) and it did take me ages to bond with her, and it was only when we went through some serious health issues that I realised how much I did love her. I know what you mean about him being so special - there are 6 cats in my house at the mo, I love them all, but one is such a character, and she is my second favourite, even over cats that have been here longer - she makes people love her though. If he isn't in any danger though, maybe give yourself a bit of time to think about it.

I have also been following Tuffy's story. I'm very sorry for your loss. He was such a beautiful kitty.