RIP, good buddy.

[Louis]

Well, I knew this day would eventually come, but that doesn't make it any easier. Tonight will be the first night I've spent at home in over 20 years when my pal Abby won't be sleeping with me at the foot of the bed. My A#1 buddy is gone for good.

He's been loosing more and more mobility over the last few years and Tuesday night when I got home I found him lying in front of the fridge (someplace he'd never normally stay on his own) unable to get up. His back legs had finally given out completely. I took yesterday and today off from work to help him get around and say "goodbye" and this afternoon the vet came by (I didn't want to put him through the trauma of the drive - he hated the car, and I wanted it to happen at home, not in an office) and he died peacefully on my lap, with me singing and talking to him.

Nyx and I will miss him terribly, but it was his time to go. Twenty-two years isn't bad for a kitty!

Bye little pal...

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[Ahneida Ride]

Louis

My thoughts are with you ...

[bluesea]

Sounds like he had a good long life. Condolences.

[thegunner]

aw :( my 12 year old beagle actually passed away this week as well. it's weird having a living, breathing, (non-human) friend who adores everything you do - knowing that you're their everything and then suddenly not having that

but like you said, 22 years ain't bad at all ;)

[mtb_frk]

:(

[John H.]

I live in a cat-centric household too.
In fact it is their house, I just live here.
We had a cat pass a little more than a year ago.
I was quite sad, as I am sure you are.
Just keep in mind what a great life you gave him, and how much he loved you for it.

[eddief]

can't replace a fine fur ball like that. I get it.

[dave thompson]

I've been with digs and cats all my life. Saying goodbye is never easy, I've had to say it so many times. I'll always have a dog or cat or both.

Condolences Louis.

[downtube]

Louis,
Sorry for your loss, be filled with fun memories.
chuck

[Louis]

can't replace a fine fur ball like that. I get it.

Even though it doesn't yet have MO plates (but it does have a CA plate in back) I did take use the GTV to drive down to Lowes to get some big stones to put over his grave to keep the critters from digging him up.

But as you say, living, breathing friends are way more valuable than stuff.

[MattTuck]

Louis,

This is sad news indeed. Losing your wing-man is tough.

On the other hand, from the pictures you posted, it doesn't seem like he had a bad life... hanging around with you outside, hanging around while you fix bikes, looking like a stud.

My mom always says, "being a cat in our family, that is a life of royalty." I'm sure Abby was in a similar situation... can't ask for a better life as a cat than living in the caring home of a cat lover.

And it speaks volumes of you, the way you treated him in his last hours, you put his feelings and condition first, and had the vet come to your home and you held him. Treating your friend with that kind of respect and compassion is a true sign of your humanity and love for him. I don't think a person, let alone a loyal cat, could ask for more.

[OtayBW]

Very sorry for your loss. That's tough.

[Louis]

Thanks Matt, that was a kind and thoughtful post.

And yeah, he had a pretty good life. I probably went overboard for him, refusing to travel for work and staying home to take care of him, even when management really wanted me to go somewhere. I don't know if that sort of thing pissed them off enough to affect my career at all, but in my opinion he was worth it. :)

[stephenmarklay]

Sorry about Abby. I know how hard that is. It makes you not want to go down that road again for fear of loss. I lost my good friend Buddy to cancer a few years ago. He was about 20. That was a bad ass cat.

He never once even scratched our bit me playing his entire life. He would go on walks, chase away dogs and take care of our other cat.

We found him in Hawaii and he moved to Seattle then Boston and back to Washington with us. His last days I fed him by hand and then buried him in the back yard. He was family.

We got a new cat last year and to the passerby looks just as Buddy did. He is a different cat but a really good cat too. Time heals.

[Tandem Rider]

Remember the great times together, that is what your friend would want. That is why they are in our lives.

[tiretrax]

Sorry to hear about your cat. I am certain there is one at a shelter needing you to take it home. The fact that the shelters have so many animals is sad, too.

[thwart]

Sorry to hear that, Louis.

We lost our buddy Ted a year or so ago. My wife and I both had this surreal experience of seeing him out of the corner of our eye for weeks afterward… but he wasn't there.

Time heals.

[Wilkinson4]

Not a cat guy but +20 years demands respect. RIP to your furry soul mate from my to k9 buddies. It's hard… I still think about Riley every day and it has been over a year but eventually the missing moves onto remembering good times.

mIKE

[onekgguy]

I'm so sorry for you my friend. You all shared a love that can't be denied or minimized. It will take time but you will overcome the grief you're feeling but not so much that your special love won't always own a piece of your heart...just as it should be.

Kevin g

[dpk501]

Sorry about your loss.

[Ken Robb]

For years I had big dogs and pretty big cats. Lately I have had small dogs with cat-like attributes--leg rubs, lap time you know. I like that a lot.
None of my cats got past 17 years so you did really well.
I couldn't wait very long at all to get to the shelter to see who needed me.

[hida yanra]

I'm so, so sorry

All of us who have friends and companions in our lives that we love know where you are.

~Peace and love to you tonight.

[572cv]

Louis,

We lost our big orange buddy "Copper" a couple of years ago, after 21 years. He is still a part of our collective consciousness. It leaves a big hole, but it comes after a really good run. Condolences from Vermont.

[texbike]

We lost our buddy Ted a year or so ago. My wife and I both had this surreal experience of seeing him out of the corner of our eye for weeks afterward… but he wasn't there.


That's strange. We had the same experience after our cat passed away last year. It seemed that we kept seeing him round corners in the house. Very strange. He definitely left a hole for our family after 15 years. We now have an insane Terrier as the family pet, but Kitty is still missed.

Sorry to hear the news Louis. I'm sure his time here was made better by having you as his servant.

Texbike

[firerescuefin]

Pets are family...period.

That really sucks, and I am bummed for you.

Kicking around getting a dog for my boys, and the heartbreak of losing the pet at some point has caused me to re-think whether I want to do it, but that's no way to live life either.

Genuine condolences

[Gsinill]

Sorry to hear about your loss, Louis.
Had to let go of our beloved dog not too long ago and all I can say: time heals!

[redir]

Sorry to hear about that brother. I've got a 16 year old now who's sister died 6 years ago. 20 is a darn good run for a cat so he was obviously loved and treated well. I grew up with dogs till my wife, then girl friend, wanted to get two kittens from a friend who had a stray mother show up. I objected and finally gave in thinking they would be good tools to keep the mice out of our old farm house in the winter. They certainly did their job! In the mean time I learned how incredibly cool these little creatures are and how loving a pet they can be.

RIP to your little bud =^,^=

[cfox]

Sorry to hear that, sounds like you guys had a wonderful time together. Cats are great companions. Our cat is literally a sibling to our kids. She plays with them like a little sister would. My son is very attached to her; it makes me smile to think of him coming home from college one day and asking "Where's Kitty?"

[pcxmbfj]

We also are at the end cycle for the six rescue cats that have been with us from 13 to 18 years.
Only three are left and one of the sisters is almost to the point that a decision to her life quality will soon have to be made.
I feel for your loss.

[learningtoride]

...

[Louis]

Folks,

Thanks for all the warm thoughts.

As you’ve pointed out, it’s easier knowing that he lived a full and happy life (and then some) and that I got to share it with him. I still tear up a bit if I think too much about him, and I assume that will last a while, but all that is tempered by the knowledge that at some point everything dies and we’re left with the memories, especially the innumerable good ones.

Louis

[eBAUMANN]

geez, i can't even read a post like this without tearing up a little, imagining life without eddy…and he's only been around 2 years! i found him in a friends backyard when he was only about 2 weeks old, bottle fed him around the clock, brought him to work for weeks until he was able to stay home on his own…he's pretty much my kid!

anyways, it sounds like abby had an awesome/long life and a friend in you as good as any cat could hope for! remember the good times!

[cbresciani]

So sorry for your loss. It's pretty amazing the bond we have with our pets and to loose one wether it be after a long life or short life doesn't make it any easier. They become such an integral part of our family and life and when they are gone they are greatly missed.

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

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