I’ve still got a few catch up posts to do, but for a moment I am going to fast forward to the present. We are back in Melbourne, we arrived on Monday. The last week has kind of been a whirlwind and a little overwhelming in some ways. But in others, it’s like I never left.
But on to the point of this post – some sad news. Over the past year, our little cat Simba’s health had been slowly declining. In the last two weeks or so, it had done so rapidly. He had had arthritis for some time, and some kidney issues. Recently he developed an infection and his kidney function was becoming minimal.
When I got home on Monday, he was looking pretty unwell. He was being treated by the vet so we were basically waiting to see whether he would improve or not. We took him in for a blood test, the results of which showed he was suffering from ‘stage 4’ kidney disease. The kindest option was to have him put down.
So on Thursday night, we took him to the vet and put him to sleep. It was so sad, watching his little body doze off before our eyes. It was not the first time I had been present for a pet being put to sleep, as our old dog Tilly was put down around 7 years ago at the very same vet.
Simba had a good, long and healthy (until recently) life, living to a whopping 19 years old. We got him when I was only six years old, so he has been a part of our family for almost as long as I have. It’s amazing that he’s lived such a long life, and while we all knew it was the best thing for him to be put down and not be in any more pain, it doesn’t make it any less sad to let them go.
It’s hard to believe that he’s gone, I find myself expecting him to be there all the time…like I said, the majority of my life has had him in it! As you pull into the driveway you expect to see him sitting there, or hear his little bell as he runs down the hallway, or see his bed and bowls, or see him sitting on his favourite blanket. He’s been such a lovely cat (aside from the odd puke in suitcase as you’re packing to get on a plane incident) and well miss him a lot. He’s buried in the front yard of my parents’ place now.
My Granny said that the spirits of animals stick around the house for a while, and I think she’s probably right as since Thursday there have already been several times where I think I see him jumping up on the table out of the corner of my eye, or hear a sound that makes me think he’s there. It’s kind of nice to think they are anyway.
Anyway, here’s a bunch of photos of our little Simba, the best cat ever…Goodbye Simby, thanks for sticking around with us for so long xx
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Little Vegan Bear 