Now Precious is gone

I woke up the morning of November 7th, a Saturday, to find Precious pacing.  She was non-stop, relentless.  She'd pace, stumble, pick herself up and continue pacing.  She'd run into something and change direction, turn in a circle and go off another way.  I thought maybe I could hold her and calm her down.  For the first time in her life she didn't resist being held.  I held her and talked to her and petted her.  After a little while I put her down and she went right back to pacing.  I called the vet and made plans to take her in, I told them I thought her time had come.  I went out to run an errand and when I came home she was asleep in her box upstairs.  I wondered if maybe I was wrong and she would be okay after all.  Then she woke up and went back to pacing.  I got a nice piece of plaid fabric ready with a small piece of fake fur in the middle so I could put her on the fur and wrap her up to take her to the vet.  She went like a lamb, no struggle when I held her.  I got her to the vet and into a room where she started to squirm so I let her go.  She went right back to pacing, bumping into things and got herself stuck in a space between the wall and the leg of the exam table.  There was a new vet to see us, Tim Curtis.  He was very nice and compassionate. He had observed her and said with her age the pacing was a sign of dementia and there was really nothing to be done to make her better.  So I decided the best thing I could do for her was to help her go out peacefully.  When the vet got ready to take her back to put a port in, I told him she liked to be called Princess so he did.  He brought her back to me and I held her while the vet gave her a lethal dose of anesthetic.  I stroked her and talked to her, her heart stopped almost right away.  Poor little baby, 22 years old.  She didn't have to be scared any more.  I put her in her own little spot in the back yard.  When Buster died I got a stepping stone made by Jean Madgich (the clay artist from Logan) to mark his spot.  It had sunk quite a bit over the years and was almost hidden by ivy.  So I pulled that stone out and put it on Precie's spot.  I moved the little chain saw carved bear to Buster's spot and made a stepping stone for BiBo.  I had a thing I think was made to warm fragrant oils that I was using to hold a votive candle on BiBo's spot.  I like to light a candle for him, it's all I can do for him now.  I found another fragrance warmer for Precious at Salvation Army.  Then when I got it home realized it was part of the Lennox Christmas pattern collection and worth way more than the $6. I'd paid for it. Not sure yet if I'll put it outside or not. 

Now I have only Stuart.  You can not be a crazy cat lady with only one cat.  I am so thankful to still have him.  He seems lonely without the others.  He wants to be close to me and cuddle more which is fine with me.  He likes to sit next to me on the couch, sleep with me at night and will even snuggle in when I take a nap.  I figured out he likes the crunchy treats, so he gets those when ever he wants.  I also bought some of the little dishes of wet food and give him those once in a while. 

With Precious gone I've taken the plastic off the furniture and have gotten rid of the litter boxes, food and water upstairs.  I've moved the food dish to the kitchen so I can make sure I know when it needs to be filled.  I found some stuff called My Pet Peed, it's a spray to get rid of odor and stain from .....well, you know.  I used it in the spare room that smelled from Eddie's dogs and it seems to have worked well.  I'm going to try using it upstairs.

It's very different here now with  just one cat.  I miss the others.  I'm not thinking about getting another cat to keep Stewie company just now.  Maybe someday in the not too distant future I can work fewer hours and consider getting a dog.  Our animals give so much love and happiness, then when they leave us, our hearts break.