On the last day of summer, we said goodbye to our dear friend and companion.
It was as hard a decision as any we’ve ever made… and who knew that a little critter could leave such a large gap in our lives and in our family. As Evonne put it, he had the biggest heart and the absolute best temperament of any cat we’ve met.
Our story with Kit began in 2001 when we bought our townhouse on Madison, and decided to get a companion for Mocha. We looked through a few shelters, and came across Kit in the Richmond SPCA. He was about 18 months old, and he had the most unique coloring (taupe?) as well as a shy and easy going personality. Evonne always wanted an orange tabby, and so Kit definitely fit that requirement!
We could not adopt him the first time we saw him as it was late in the day, so we came back later that week to adopt him, only to see a little kid playing with him. So Evonne elbowed the kid out of the way and immediately went and did the paperwork! We first brought him to my Grandpa’s house, where Mocha was still living. He did some exploring, timidly, and somehow found a hiding spot under the stairs in the back flower room. I lived there all my life and never knew that spot existed. We tried everything to get him out- water, hair dryer, broom stick… and after many attempts, managed to hook him out with a hockey stick. We then brought him home to Madison, where he enjoyed the sunny deck, window sills, couch, and the foot of the bed for many years. He and Mocha became fast friends with a few spats here and there, but they were inseparable. We have so many pictures where the two would be in the same frame- sitting, sleeping, or exploring together. They have different, but wonderful personalities- they have never scratched (intentionally) or bit another person or annoying child.
kit was never a great jumper- he was about 13-14 lbs, and had a chipped tooth from jumping down as a kitten. Mocha was the jumper/climber and is about 12-13 lbs. Whenever they met a strange cat, it was always Mocha that defended the home front, while Kit tried his best to keep the peace and be friends.
They were both there when we got married, both there to cautiously welcome Erica home- a gentle sniff to meet her, and of course they moved with us to Masset where they adjusted to life in a larger house and yard…and a second child. It was around then that our attention to them dropped quite a bit as the kids took up more of our time, but they had each other for company, and they knew the moment when the kids went to bed, that they can come out and have their time with us.
As is always the case, time goes by all too quickly. We have so many pictures of the cats snoozing on the stairs or enjoying the outdoors or curled up in a blanket. They certainly looked to have had a great life.
About a year and a half ago, we noticed that Kit was upset about something- he started to mark and not use his litter box. Then, after numerous visits to the vet that didn’t reveal anything serious, there were signs of weight loss, thyroid issues… then kidney and pancreas and anemia problems in recent months. After we moved out of Masset, we noticed that Kit would be more and more thirsty, and his weight loss continued… down to about 8.3 lbs. We had him on regular medication for hypertension, thyroid, and kidney… and then had to have him on daily IV and more medication for pain, nausea, and Phosphate uptake as he wasn’t able to eliminate phosphate from his body. We took him home and gave him a week to see how he would do. Thankfully, he perked up, gained back .5 lb, and did more cat things like grooming and going outside to explore a bit.
He sat with us as we watched TV, and had a good appetite. However something was still bothering him as he still would not use his litterbox- likely by choice and as a way to tell us something was wrong.
We struggled with what to do leading up to his follow up appointment. On one hand, he was doing better and gaining back weight… on the other hand, he still wasn’t fully himself- he didn’t purr as much and he slept a lot. You could see discomfort when he moved.
At the appointment, he ate a whole bunch of cookies, and was rubbing against his carrier, and looked relaxed and happy. We were informed that we could keep going, but that meant another daily injection to help his anemia, on top of all the other meds.
Dr. Richter told us he would have 3-6 months maybe, but with multiple systems failing, he could crash at any time.
I felt that… maybe it was best to go out on a high, rather than drag it out and watch a painful decline. He was so good at the appointment, and still in many ways, acting like a kitten- very alert and calm. So we made the toughest decision ever… in the end, we wanted to spare him the needles, pills, and the increasing discomfort that was to come. He could have a few good weeks, but then we’d be back in the same position, and that would be after more meds/pills/needles.
They took him away to put in a catheter into his arm, and when they brought him back he was happily sitting for a few moments, a bit annoyed with the wrap around his paw, and then he laid down and curled up in a comfortable position, and continued to actively wolf down the cookies while the sedative was injected. I can’t describe the sadness and grief that Evonne and I felt as we held Kitsky and watched him quickly slip away to sleep.
Even though, logically we did the right thing, and he had the best life and didn’t suffer, that knowledge doesn’t take away the huge gap in our family. Until you’ve had a pet that’s been with you through good and bad, day after day, you can’t understand how they become a part of the family.
Mocha has been searching outside, waiting for his pal to come home, and Erica is at that age where she’s full of questions, and of course, deep sadness and tears. I did not realize how much of an effect Kit’s absence would have on Mocha- I let him sniff Kit’s collar, which he did for a few moments, and if a cat could express deep sadness, he did.
Thank you Kit, the years went by too fast, and you were the best companion. Until we meet again…