R.I.P. Tinker {1992~ - 2010}
This was a potential tattoo design I was working on, specifically for this reason...
Tinker and Squirt, respectively, when Tink was healthier.
All the cats (counter-clockwise); Vito, Squirt, Smokey and Tinker
I went to mom's yesterday because she said Tinker wasn't doing too well, and I put him on the bed so I could lay with him. All other cats joined shortly after. <3
Same order of cats.
Tink and the 'Guardian Angel" bear mom and I kept by him yesterday.
<3
Tinker was probably 18 or even 19 years old. I'm very lucky to have been able to be with him for so long.
We got Tink from my grandma's farm, along with his half-brother Toby (who passed years ago) and brought them home with us. Over the past few years, he acquired diabetes, a heart condition, fluid in his lungs and we believe partially deaf as well... He was a tough boy. Numerous times he fought the diabetes away but it came back twice. His appetite went away and we had him at the vet for appetite enhancing medicine, along with various other pills and fluids to help his heart and lungs.
His most recent visit a few weeks ago, we were told there wasn't anything more they could try for him, and we just kept doing what we were doing, but that at this point he wasn't suffering at all, just slowing down.
This past week, he went from his usual self--running away from mom when she had the medicine, squawking for food with the other boys, pacing around the house--and this past week he slowed. Two days ago was the last time he left mom's room, and yesterday he wouldn't even walk two feet. If he tried turning his body around he would stumble and fall, couldn't keep his head up and his eyes were totally out of focus--if he was even seeing at all.
I spent the day with him, I said goodbye when I left, hoping he would go in the night so that we wouldn't have to make his last hours full of trauma of a car ride and then the vet--that was the plan for this afternoon because it was obvious that he was struggling and suffering now, and we didn't want him to suffer. Mom had stopped giving him his meds a few days ago because it was only going to draw out the pain for him.
Mom said she laid on the floor with him last night, and he got up and hobbled his way over to her and snuggled up to her--he never did that. He knows we love him and we care, and we did everything we could to keep him healthy, comfortable and loved.
He was "ok" this morning when mom got up, shallow breathing as usual, she checked on him half an hour later and he'd gone to see Toby in his sleep. Of course a few minutes later, my sister came over to drop her daughter off for babysitting, and she (my niece) walked in going "Where Tinker?" and sister said 'I don't know, go find him' and mom just looked at her and shook her head. Thankfully Tink just looked like he was sleeping, and that's what we told her and we had her say goodbye and blow him a kiss. She doesn't understand, but...
My only regret at this very moment, is I can't remember much about him right now. I don't remember his quirks or habits. The only habit I remember is his walking laps around the coffee table and couches downstairs when he was...bored I guess.
Why can't I remember more...??
R.I.P <3