Another one bites the dust.
We are now a one cat family. We had to have Bayonette put down last night. She had progressive cancer, and night before last, lost the use of her back legs. So, it was time. As sad as it all was, however, it was a vastly better experience than when Mulligan died, thanks to our wonderful vet. After the trauma of Mulligan's death, where he basically died terrified and traumatized in an unfamiliar environment, I had a real problem with taking her to the vet's office to have the procedure. Dr. Doering was incredibly understanding, and she ended up coming out to our house to do it here, and my kitty died swiftly and peacefully in her favorite closet, with me holding her head.
I have to give major kudos to my wonderful, beloved spouse as well, who made the inital call to the vet yesterday morning, because I was in a class all day and couldn't do it myself, and who was willing to re-arrange his schedule today to be here in case Dr. Doering couldn't come out last night. He was as loving and supportive as it's possible to be, and never once balked at, or even mentioned, basically doubling the price of the euthanasia to include a house call.
I miss her very much, but she made me laugh even at the end. Our first plan was to try and sedate her into unconciousness, and then bring her to the office. I picked up the pills on the way home, and kept feeding them to her, but she just would not go to sleep. She did get really high, though, and lay on the floor of the closet, swatting at invisible things. It was a laugh-through-your-tears kind of thing.
Another thing I noticed through my tears was how amazingly fast the process was. Dr. Doering told me it would be quick, and I was thinking 30 seconds or so slow fade type quick, but it was turn out a light type quick. The med was injected, and she slumped in my hand, and that was it. It almost took longer to type it than it did to happen, and that's only because I can touch type.
We'll be getting some new animals, but not for a while. To begin with, I'm being deployed in May, and don't want to miss the fun baby stage stuff. Also, it's going to take me a while to get used to not having Bayonette around. The first thing I did today when I got home was to head for the closet to check on her, as that's where she spent most of the last week or so. It took me a few seconds to remember she wasn't there anymore.
I have to give major kudos to my wonderful, beloved spouse as well, who made the inital call to the vet yesterday morning, because I was in a class all day and couldn't do it myself, and who was willing to re-arrange his schedule today to be here in case Dr. Doering couldn't come out last night. He was as loving and supportive as it's possible to be, and never once balked at, or even mentioned, basically doubling the price of the euthanasia to include a house call.
I miss her very much, but she made me laugh even at the end. Our first plan was to try and sedate her into unconciousness, and then bring her to the office. I picked up the pills on the way home, and kept feeding them to her, but she just would not go to sleep. She did get really high, though, and lay on the floor of the closet, swatting at invisible things. It was a laugh-through-your-tears kind of thing.
Another thing I noticed through my tears was how amazingly fast the process was. Dr. Doering told me it would be quick, and I was thinking 30 seconds or so slow fade type quick, but it was turn out a light type quick. The med was injected, and she slumped in my hand, and that was it. It almost took longer to type it than it did to happen, and that's only because I can touch type.
We'll be getting some new animals, but not for a while. To begin with, I'm being deployed in May, and don't want to miss the fun baby stage stuff. Also, it's going to take me a while to get used to not having Bayonette around. The first thing I did today when I got home was to head for the closet to check on her, as that's where she spent most of the last week or so. It took me a few seconds to remember she wasn't there anymore.