Lost My Best Friend Today, Simba's Story Options

[Simba's Daddy]

Hello,

I been browsing this forum for a couple of weeks now knowing I would need it soon. Today this time has come...

I had to make the very hard and painful decision today (July 28th) to put my best friend to sleep. Simba, my best friend, just turned only 9 years old last month. It seems like only yesterday my sister-in-law's cat had kittens. I remember we used to joke about how fat her cat was when she was pregnant. Then one day she just got skinny! So we spent hours trying to find out where she had her kittens. I went into the garage and climb the rafters to find them in there. How she got up there I have no idea but she did.

As I was getting them and handing them down to my brother, Simba picked me. He grabbed my shirt with his paw and wouldn't let go as to say "Hey, hang onto me and pet me!" Right away I noticed he had an extra toe on each paw which I thought was way cool because that was the first time I ever seen that. So right away I told my sister-in-law that he was going to be mine. I mentioned how he looked like the Lion King and then we all just started calling him Simba.

A couple days later I was sleeping on my brothers couch and Simba got out of the box the kittens were being kept in and crawled under my covers and onto my chest and layed down and slept the whole night with me. There was other people in the room too (a small sleep over party) but Simba managed to find me and sleep with me.

Then Simba was ready to come home with me. On the way home in the car he again, climbed up on my chest and layed there while I drove home. I had to sneak him in my apartment because there was a no pet rule. The next day I started looking for a new apartment that allowed pets. Of course the landlord spotted Simba peaking out my windows during the day. So I was repeadedly threatened with eviction. Just as my lease expired (they said they would not renew until I got rid of Simba) I found a new apartment the very same day. It was even cheaper and alot nicer and allowed pets.

So now me and Simba were living in our new apartment together. I remember I used to come home from work after a bad day and he would jump up and lay on my chest as usual to show his support. I would come home from a bad date and he would jump up and look at me as to say "Hey, don't worry, I got your back!"

He even drove from Michigan to California and back with me. Sat right in the front seat with no complaints... not even one "Are we there yet?"

We eventually moved into a house on an acre lot. I cut the grass with a push mower so it would take me about 30 mintues to do the front and he would sit in the front window watching me the whole time... no matter how long it took he sat there so I could see him watching me.

The past month or so I started to notice that Simba was eating alot less and not as active as he used to be. I noticed he started getting skin bumps growing out of his skin and they were growing so fast. When I took him to the Vet, 3 weeks ago, his weight was 8 pounds lighter than the last time he was there a year ago. The Vet told me that it was most likely cancer and not much could be done but to let him be until his quality of life deminished. It hit me like a brick wall at 100 m.p.h. that the best friend I ever had was going to die soon.

As the days went on it got harder to watch him decline and it started to become very clear that he was in pain and was suffering. This morning I watched him try to get up and go to his litter box while his back legs kept giving out on him and he kept falling over. I then noticed that his food bowl went the 3rd night without even being touched.

When I took him to the Vet he weighed in at a mere 8 pounds, still losing weight like crazy. X-rays showed that his liver and stomach was enlarged and out of place and his skin bumps had spread to his lungs. This would explain the heavy breathing the past day or two. I also knew Simba was ready to go because he always fought with the Vets and tried to bite anyone that touched him. Today he was a little fiesty but pretty much just let everyone do what the needed to him, not even trying to bite anyone at all.

It hurt so much to tell the Vet to lets go ahead with the Euthanasia but knew it was the final act of love I could give my best buddy to end his pain and suffering. He would have starved himself to death in another week or so and I just couldn't let that happen.

When they started the process it was like he knew what was going on and layed down on his own. He then looked up at me and his eyes never left mine. As the Vet started the injection I told him "Thank you for being my best friend and I love you very much." At the same time I kept petting his head and scratching his ears, he always loved his ears scratched. I was relieved to see how quick and painless it was. It was pretty much over before the whole dose was injected.

I'm having Simba privately creamated and will keep him by me always. Seems only fitting since he was with me from the day he was born until the day he passed on.

I caught myself a few times today going into my bedroom where he was staying most of the time for the past month to visit with him. Takes a few seconds to realize that he isn't there anymore or anywhere in the house. It's an empty feeling we all know. I am hurting but at the same time relieved knowing that he is no longer suffering. I think I lost about 10 pounds myself these past few weeks worrying about him.

Will I ever get another cat? I definately will. Simba gave me a gift and that was showing me how great it can be to love an animal and be loved back so much. I definately want to continue this by adopting another cat from a shelter and giving it a great home that it might have never gotten without me.

I was going to wait a week or so to adopt another cat but for some reason I was compelled to look at a website for the local shelters in my area. To my amazement there were about 900 cats shown and the very first one is a 1 year old cat named Simba. I know all cats are different and have their own personalities and no two are the same but I couldn't believe the coincidence. I contacted the shelter and the cat was just put up on the site today, of all days. The foster person told me that she always changes the names of the cats when she gets them but for some reason she decided not to change this cats name and keep Simba as his name. Maybe my cat Simba helped me get the strength to help him end his suffering today so I could also help a fellow cat that needed a home and couldn't wait much longer.

I am meeting with the foster caregivers and Simba Sunday.

Sorry for the long post, makes me feel better talking/typing about Simba