How do you know when "it's time"???

[laureen227]

i looked back at your 1st post - you wanted to know how you would know when it was time to make that hardest of decisions... KC, with her sad eyes, has let you know that the time has come

she will love you furever, even after she's gone to the bridge

 

[darkeyedgirl]

You guys were right... it was THE hardest decision we've had to make in a LONG time.

We took her yesterday... when I got home, KC was still on her sheepskin bed. She was heaving to breathe and she just looked SO tired.

Hubby came home and we got the garden ready... her little spot. I tried to hold it together but when I wrapped her up in a towel to take her out to the car, I just lost it. She was too weak to fight... and trust me this lil gal hates car rides! It was such a beautiful day, thankfully. Sunny bright and warm. So I held her in the sunshine and she sniffed the air.

We got her to the doc and they weighed her... she'd lost over a pound since her last visit there. They also said she was definitely dehydrated and it was for sure kidney failure, which is very common in old cats.

They gave her a sedative... a valium I guess???... and instantly, she laid her little head down and that 'worried' painful look went away. She set her eyes down a bit and was breathing very shallow. We stayed with her for a bit and just kissed her and felt her breathe, and talked to her and to each other.

I think hubs and I both went through about 50 tissues, and today my nose is raw.

I was honestly shocked by how QUICK the process was when the vet came in and put the needle into her leg. She took about three deep breaths, and that was it. She was no longer breathing and was totally out of pain. Of course I lost it cuz I lost her... but it was sooooo nice to be there with her, and for her. Me and hubs spent a little bit more time with her and then wrapped her into the soft towel again and brought her home.

I sat with her outside for a bit in the sunshine, hubby had to take a conference call. I dunno how he concentrated, cuz he was just as messed up as I was over this!!! She was THE sweetest cat we have. ALL of our cats (and our dawg) are sweet but KC was of a sunny disposition, never starting fights and never EVER being snitty towards us. You know how some cats have 'tudes??? Well she NEVER did in all her 15+ years.

We buried her near the house. I wrapped KC up in her sheepskin coverlet and I put a love note in the box for her. We put some river stones overtop the grave, and I found a really pretty 'sunrise' planter (kind of looks like a watercolor painting), and put some mini roses in it. We also put a little cat statue that I had in my garden overtop her area and a plaque with an angel holding a sign that says, "If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again".

We sat up til midnight last night making memorials on our websites for her, and it felt nice to do that for her. Also I keep telling myself (and hubs) that KC is no longer in ANY pain. She passed SO peacefully, with us right there touching her. And, she's at the head of my garden, kind of a "garden Guardian Angel".

I knew it was time... so did KC. Before burying the sweet lil gal I walked her around to the other cats... Snickers, Hammie & Dusty sniffed her and seemed to be real curious as to what I was doing. Kind of a "mommy why are you crying?" sort of thing.

We'll miss her for sure... her 'room' where she always slept seems SO empty even though it's full of furniture. It just seems empty with looking in and seeing those bright lil eyes staring back out at us. But I know she had a good, long life with lots of love and companionship, and I feel real lucky that she found me all those years ago.

Love you Miss K.C.!

 

[laureen227]

what a lovely tribute to her!