pet owner ... Letting Her Go

Our second cat, Luthien, stopped eating last week. I babied her on Tuesday and Wednesday before taking her into the vet's office on Thursday. This happened once before in July of last year, so I expected them to tube feed her, give her some appetite stimulant, and we'd be on our way. Unfortunately it did not turn out to be that simple.

Lulu, as she was affectionately known, was jaundiced and had lost some weight. The doc wanted to do some blood work, but we couldn't afford it, so they fed her and sent me home with some medicine. However, when we got home, she threw up everything she'd been fed. Not a good sign.

So, we all said goodbye to her, and about 3:30 on Thursday afternoon Larry took Lulu back to the vet to be hospitalized, likely to not come home. They tried all weekend to get her to eat, and we visited on Friday evening. She looked better and was purring (pearling as Erin says), so we had hoped that maybe she'd get better.

Yesterday morning we called to check on her; no eating, and when they did blood work her liver enzymes had tripled. The doc said we could bring her home to see if she'd eat, but there was probably no hope. So, Larry and I decided, with prayer, to let our fuzzy baby go.

This is the hardest thing I have been through in many, many moons. Watching the anguish of my children on Thursday when we told them that Lulu was leaving was almost too much to bear. I was more hurt for them I think than myself. Lulu had been a part of all of our lives for more than 2 years and having that torn away was devastating. They're all okay now, and are even glad to know that Lulu isn't hurting anymore and will be in heaven with God.

You were a beautiful cat, Luthien, and we will love you forever. I miss you, baby.