As *spoon* as Arch comes back from vacation Hepcat will still be Hepcat. 8 8

[MR SigS]

RIP my loving friend. Forgive me if I failed you, because given your absolute trust in me I'm not going to forgive myself. Maybe though it was just your time.

 

I am SO saddened by this

All my condolences.

[steveinthecity]

It seems Styx was afforded an opportunity to live a rich and enjoyable life, surrounded by others who appreciated and adored him. Unfortunately for those around him, his time came far too soon. I'm very saddened by your loss.

 

 

[MusterMark]

I'm very sorry about this , Hepcat.

My heartfelt condolences.

[Hepcat]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words.

 

Thinking about the sudden events Styx must clearly have been well over twelve years old. He was already walking stiffly like an old man in the summer of 2009 and has not since I've known him been able to run worth a damn. Also he just looked scruffy and old. That's why I made the decision to adopt him despite having three other cats when a neighbour woman got Toronto Animal Control to pick him off our street in 2009 although an elderly lady across the street was feeding him and had provided him with a shelter behind her house. He wasn't cute. Nobody else would have adopted him and Animal Control would have put him down. I couldn't allow that to happen to a cat I knew from the neighbourhood.

 

Moreover The WOMAN and I had both noticed other signs of old age in Styx in the past year. He'd lost most of the weight he'd gained since we got him because he wasn't eating as much and he was content just to lie on a chair in the sun or in our laps the whole day. The vet actually believes that the FIV must have started to kick in for the cold to progress to pneumonia so quickly. Moreover Styx was far sicker than he should have been given the extent of the lung congestion revealed by the chest X-ray. We believe now that strokes were a factor. His hind legs collapsed under him briefly on Sunday. That must have been a mini-stroke even though the vet found nothing wrong with his legs on Monday. The WOMAN thinks that Styx must have had a big stroke at 4:30 AM on Tuesday morning while she held him wrapped in a blanket because that's when he simply collapsed.

 

For reasons of age aggravated by years on the street and perhaps the FIV kicking in, his constitution was very delicate. I suspected he wasn't that strong all along because in the back of my head I never expected Styx to last too many years. There's no other explanation for my having kept an annual count of the Christmases with Styx in our lives (now six).

 

What's difficult for me to bear is that when he started to go down, he didn't hide as most cats do. He came to us for help. And despite being a cat who hardly ever purred or made a sound, he purred or tried to purr in a raspy fashion as his condition worsened. He was asking us to stay with him. And I failed in my efforts to help him. His whimpers of pain/distress on Tuesday morning are going to haunt me for years.

 

At least when his time came he went down quickly. My only hope is that he knew we were doing all we could for him.

 

 

 

 

 

Deuce and Styx at Grandma's Diner

 

 

Styx and Ace

 

 

Styx and Cowboy

 

Worrying about Deuce right now is really the only thing preventing me from dwelling more on Styx's sudden end.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2015 by Hepcat

[skypinkblu]

I look at this thread every month or so, but somehow I missed your news.

 

So sorry to read about your beautiful pet. I can't imagine him having had a better home, so I'm sure you did everything you could, you should not feel guilty.I hope that Deuce recovers quickly.

[Bomber-Bob]

Hep, how is Deuce doing ?

[Hepcat]

When The WOMAN collapsed on the futon in shock after the vet phoned to tell her Styx had expired, Ace came to her side immediately which is a bit out of character for him because he often hangs out somewhere upstairs or in the corner of the kitchen. Deuce then came up from the basement when she started to weep and leaped onto her lap as if to comfort her, and he has never been nearly as much of a lap cat as Styx. In addition he was active and eating selectively on his own. Overall Deuce on Tuesday had his best day since he fell ill. I though Styx's spirit might have come to inhabit Deuce and give him further strength.

 

But yesterday morning The WOMAN noticed Deuce was having trouble breathing! He was already scheduled for a bit of blood work at the vet's to make sure that there wasn't some blood parasite or something involved as well so back she took him to the vet immediately. He fought the blood test initially which the WOMAN thought was a good sign. The vet told her that it wasn't so since he had started bleeding from the nose! The WOMAN said she almost fainted.

 

It turned out that fluid had built up in Deuce's chest cavity thus constricting his lungs by two-thirds. They sedated Deuce, drained the fluid and took the blood sample. The fluid build-up could be one of three things:

 

A. A temporary side effect of the upper respiratory tract infection.

 

B. A recurrence of a condition he came down with in 2007 days after we adopted him from which we barely managed to save him in the ensuing weeks. The vet pronounced him the "miracle" cat at the time.

 

C. Feline Infectious Peritonitis, a viral infection which is 100% fatal in cats. My little grey female Spike died from FIPS in 1991.

 

We're of course hoping for option "A". FIPS is unlikely because it's spread by cat bites and the incubation period is anywhere from a few days to a few weeks and Deuce hasn't been outside since late November.

 

When The WOMAN brought Deuce home late yesterday afternoon, he was absolutely famished and grabbed the baked chicken she offered him! He's been active and eating ever since and you really wouldn't know he was sick from looking at him.

 

The blood work came back an hour ago and it's NEGATIVE, which is good! The results of testing the fluid the vet drew from his chest cavity won't be back until tomorrow.

 

Both The WOMAN and I understand that Styx must have been a very old and feeble cat indeed and that the only way we can honour Styx's memory is to be there for Deuce and the other cats.

 

Deuce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 22, 2015 by Hepcat

[Boba]

Sorry for your loss! Don't beat yourself up thinking what-if, and did I do everything possible. The facts are they don't last forever and eventually we all have to let them go. Our Cassie is 14 years old and has bad days but mostly good lately. I dread the day she leaves us. I totally understand how you must feel.

[Hepcat]

I just got word back from the vet. The lab reports that the samples from the fluid that built up in Deuce's chest cavity reveal lymphoma, i.e. cancer of the lymph nodes, which is something cats with FIV are five or six times more likely to develop. We can't save his life again like we did in 2007 right after we adopted him since lymphoma in cats is fatal.

 

We're going to lose another friend. Today he's bright and happy but we're going to have to say goodbye within weeks if not days. I won't let him suffer.

 

 

Edited January 23, 2015 by Hepcat

[Bomber-Bob]

I just got word back from the vet. The lab says that Deuce's fluid samples reveal lymphoma, i.e. cancer of the lymph nodes, which is something cats with FIV are five or six times more likely to develop. It's fatal.

 

I'm going to lose another friend. Today he's bright and happy but we're going to have to say goodbye within weeks if not days. I won't let him suffer.

 

 

I am so sorry Hep.

[Mystafo]

So sorry to hear about your loss and pain. I'm not much of a cat person but I love my pets like children and am devastated when I loose one, practically inconsolable for quite a while. My sincerest condolences

[mintcollector]

I love animals so I am very sorry to hear about your loss.

 

True story: I once had a hamster whom I loved dearly. The little guy got diabetes and I took him to the top vet to treat him. I spent almost $3,000 treating that little guy. Ironically I was called 'nuts' by some people for spending that kind of money to help a hamster...to which I replied; If you have an animal you have a responsibility to take care of that animal no matter what. I truly hope your cat is okay!

 

Kind Regards,

 

'mint'

[Hepcat]

... I replied; If you have an animal you have a responsibility to take care of that animal no matter what.

 

Truth! Sadly even the money doesn't prevent the worst all too often.

 

 

[Chip Cataldo]

I'm really sorry to hear this, Hep. My heart goes out to you. I have three myself and can't even imagine having to let them go for any reason.

 

Sending best wishes your way.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

[mintcollector]

... I replied; If you have an animal you have a responsibility to take care of that animal no matter what.

 

Truth! Sadly even the money doesn't prevent the worst all too often.

 

 

Correct. I got to spend another two years with that little critter though. We used to watch American Pickers every week together. It was quite funny seeing a dwarf hamster sit on my lap while watching TV...

[Hepcat]

Too cool! They're only supposed to live 2-3 years!

 

[Hepcat]

So The WOMAN sent me this email last Wednesday when I was beating myself up for my inability to save Styx:

 

This is my head talking right now ... Yes, the vet does believe that Styx has a stroke or several strokes but also that the FIV kicked in and weakened Styx. I mentioned the we really didn't know Styx's age and that he could've been older.

 

The FIV kicked in .. even if we had given Styx treatment sooner or more aggressively, they would've worked for a very short time, Styx would've been unhappy AND we would've had to put him down because of the FIV kicking in.

 

Both my head and heart know that after Pat had Styx picked up, that YOU saved his life by calling the vet at Animal Control (and adopting him) and that we gave him more than he imagined .. his own day spa (on the front porch), living in the Cool Cat Cookie house with daily treats and good food, visits to Grandma's Diner with takeaway on rainy days .. love, warm laps, cool cat brothers, a posse to protect him, brushing, little girls (from the neighbourhood) to adore him, videos to watch, fame on the internet, a girlfriend named Zita, he and his buddies gifted the other animals at Christmas and even got some stuff back from time to time.

 

I doubt if even if Pat didn't have him picked up, that he would've lived very long or know the happiness and joy that surrounded him for over five years. So many people (including families going to and from the Day Care) got to know and appreciate Styx, he had his picture taken by many phones and is asked about all the time .. more people know him and the other cats than know our names or us. To know him was a positive, he brightened the lives of many children and adults going to therapy. It was a great life for all, the world is a sadder, darker place without him.

 

While the sadness still remains, I'm no longer feeling any guilt over Styx' death. I saved him from eventually being put down at Animal Control by adopting him in 2009 and then we caught a budding urinary tract infection in Styx a year later before it really got going and one quick visit to the vet was all it took to cure him. We gave him more than five years of love and a home full of cat beds, La-Z-Boys, cushion chairs, beds, a futon and the grandest cat tower money could buy. He was accepted as part of a brotherhood of three other cats in the household and one other from across the laneway collectively known as the PussyPosse. And when the end drew near, he spent his last two nights swaddled in the embrace of The WOMAN who loved and cherished him and who he loved with all his strength in return.

 

I wish that I could have extended his stay on this earth but my powers in these matters are strictly limited.

 

The WOMAN gathered up several more dozen pictures of Styx that she took over the last five years. I winnowed them down to these:

 

 

 

 

Styx was willing to be friends with all, the kids from the daycare, the other cats on the street, the squirrels, the raccoons, anybody who wanted to be friends. A gracious host, here he was welcoming Sooty and Cheetah from across the street onto the porch,

 

 

Styx looking over the Xmas gift bags he'd always arrange for his four-footed friends in the neighbourhood.

 

 

 

 

The posse made a regular habit of gathering for breakfast at Grandma's Diner. Styx always flirted with the waitresses, Zita and Nikki.

 

 

 

 

He loved basking in the sun on the porch, the front steps or in his garden.

 

 

 

 

As you can see, Styx was never one to let any source of heat go to waste.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 26, 2015 by Hepcat

[porcupine48]

I'm so sorry to hear you are losing a friend my friend.As you know I have had my share of kitty loss over the years,and I feel some of your pain...just drop a line if you want/need to talk,anytime.

Jimmers

[knot's*dew]

That is sad to hear Hepcat..over the years my wife has talked about your cat pals often.

You and Jimmers are the board's crazy cats I guess.

You can take heart that the cat has probably had the most fun a cat could ever have.

Some cats/critters never know that kind of loving care.

[Hepcat]

The WOMAN sent me this email of her experience on Sunday:

 

As Cowboy and I sit here crying, we both were moved to look at the coffee table .. the middle of the five sparkies started to spark by itself for 45 seconds or so .. Styx is here .. Cowboy looked at the sparkie again and then came over .. crawled into Styx's sport on my side and is attempting to comfort me .. purring and looking at me and is now watching the computer, which is something that he rarely does.

 

The sparkies are spiked rubber balls from a vending machine many of which require being bounced rather briskly for them to start flashing for maybe half a minute. Styx was the cat most fascinated by the sparkies. He would knock one down from the coffee table himself to get it to flash, although not always successfully since a lot of these require a more vigorous impact. Also interesting is the detail that Styx was the one who would sit with The WOMAN and monitor her computer activities, and now Cowboy seems to be adopting that facet of Styx' personality.

 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2015 by Hepcat