Goodbye My Friend Cleo, of 18 yrs who passed on 7/28/06 Options

[RIT & Cleo]

Hello everyone. I am very thankful to have found this site. It was been very comforting to me.

I lived with a wonderful male cat named Cleo for 18 years. We had a long full life together. His kidney's started failing 1 1/2 yrs ago - he was in the hospital for hydration in Aug 2005, but given his advanced age, I did not want to do anything extraordinary. He had lost half his body weight. I took extra good care of him this last year, so we had almost a another full year together.

I am very glad to have been off of work on vacation this last whole week as I had lots of quality time with Cleo. He seemed to be doing OK, but very clingy. On Thursday, my birthday, I came home from dinner with friends and he was very weak. Did he wait until the day was over on purpose? He could barely stand up and walk - it was as if he was paralyzed. I spent all night with him on the floor, petting him, and telling him it was OK to let go. I kept hoping and praying he would die naturally, so I would not have to make the decision. Last year, I had made my criteria list of when it was time to have him euthanized...it was so hard to accept it may be time.

Cleo did make it through the night, but was so weak...I held him for one last time on my chest at home and he put his head under my chin and purred. I took him to the vet, who was kind and gentle. They had a special room set up like a living room. I held him one last time on my chest as the vet gave him the injection. He was looking at me, sighed, and then laid his head down.

I know it was his time and it was the right thing to do. But, I feel so sad and alone. The house is so quiet. I keep thinking I see him, his gray form in all his favorite spots. I also keep hearing his meow. Phantom sounds.

It was helped to read all of your stories. It helps me put words to how I am feeling. It is OK to cry and grieve. Cleo was my loving companion for 18 years, such a big part of my life and it is a great loss.

As everyone says, you will know when it is time...time to let go, time to grieve, time to believe in the Rainbow bridge, and hopefully when time to get a another cat companion...

Thank you for reading my story and sharing in my loss.

RIT

[5catsmom]

RIT,
I had a cat with kidney failure also. She was able to make it 9 months before she left us. For Cleo to stay with you for 1 1/2 years is a remarkable tribute to the care you took of him. You can and should be proud that you helped him prolong his joy with you for that long. I am in awe that you could do that.

Your story of his leaving was so - well, beautiful to read. I hear some really sad stories of loved ones leaving that are heartbreaking, but your words were very special, and Cleo knew till the very end that you were with him and that you were loving him so much. Thank you for sharing that with us.

I'm glad to know that you will consider, when the time is right, that you will honor Cleo by adding another cat companion to your heart. I did that - couldn't stand the quiet and being without that unconditional love - and I have never regretted for a moment adding not one, but five, feline friends to my life. While I wouldn't suggest starting out with five (they all adopted me, really), it can be very healing to have another cat to share your life with. No cat could replace Cleo, but that isn't the point, anyway - the point is that you have that furry feline life which, if you've lived with one for 18 years, can be hard to live without. Cleo has taught you things about life and love which can benefit another cat, and you may not even realize it yet.

Please come back and share with us your journey. My cat was almost 18 when she passed due to the kidney failure, and that was in 2001, and some days the grief is still as fresh as it ever was. You have my deepest sympathy for your loss, so please let yourself grieve, and we will be there for you. Take care - Barbara