Cats The Requisite Cat (Kitty) Photo thread

I know I'm baring my feelings to a group of people I've never met, but my heart is absolutely crushed right now. I feel as if a giant hole has opened in my chest and is sucking me in. Unless the vet gives us reason to hope this morning, we will be saying goodbye to our precious 14 year old Tasha. It turns out she has been sick for a lot longer than I thought, but since she was still eating, playing, and socializing, I just didn't see it . . . or maybe I was in denial and didn't want to see it. I don't know.

After she started showing signs of being really sick week before last, we've been furiously working to get her better. I had hope Thursday and Friday, when she ate 11 small meals in a two day span. But Saturday she only ate once, and yesterday I was able to get her to eat twice. She was awake at 2:30 AM today, crying over and over to be let into the back yard, a place she has always loved. We don't allow the pets out there without one of us present, and I'd never let her out at night, out of concern for predators, and that she might be so sick she'd leap the fence and disappear into the woods. Even as sick as she's been, she still has impressive leaping ability. Although it is not good for her, I gave her a couple tablespoons of milk early this morning. It seems to be the only thing that satisfies and calms her.

I've slept very, very little recently. I think I am operating by sheer force of will, just trying to keep my mind busy. We've been through the illness and death of other pets, and I'll get through this, but right now I just feel like all of the joy has been sucked from my existence. Those of you with pets will understand.

Here are a few photos. The first is Tasha in much better times. Playful, ornery at times, curious, and you can just see that sweet personality in her face.

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Tasha as a kitten.

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Tasha and Oliver could be real rivals at times, but when it came to nap time, they often curled up together on a chair, a bed, or the back of the sofa.

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Tasha and Gerta, who passed away on Martin Luther King Day 2015.

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Katie, Tasha, and Molly. Katie passed away 8 years ago this July, from the same renal failure that has overcome Tasha. Katie was a bit over 20 years old. Tasha is 14. Molly, 16 years old, is still active and feisty as ever. A recent blood screening on her showed no signs of illness.

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A couple of Molly and Tasha when Tasha was just a kitten. She and Molly used to be really close, but that changed as Tasha reached adulthood. They were both jealous over me, often wanting on my lap when the other was already curled up there. Odd though, over the past year or two I've sometimes seen them curled up together on the love seat in the previous image, and they would sometimes go out that far kitchen door above to our elevated screened porch and both curl up for a nap.

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Finally, an image I call "Our Girls", with Molly, Katie, Gerta, and Tasha sacked out on the screened porch. For some reason, they loved it out there when it was hot outside.

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If you have followed this far, thanks for your patience. I don't have much hope that the vet is going to give us any good news. I think I have been grieving Tasha for about 10 days now, desperately clinging to any sign that she was getting better, sinking into despair when she went the other way. Even yesterday, she went into the back yard with me and our other pets, and several times came and snuggled into my lap. The house - and my soul - already feel much emptier. We are both going to miss that sweet baby.
I'm so sorry Tom. Thinking about you and your family.
 
I appreciate all the comments and well wishes. Tasha is still with us this evening. We made the decision to try one more option the vet offered. She is receiving medicine to help her appetite and reduce nausea. We had a long discussion with the vet about Tasha's behavior and quality of life. She agreed our choice of action could help Tasha. Tasha has eaten a little bit and drank a fair bit of water this afternoon. She also followed me around the yard when I took our dog out, and wrapped herself around my legs, crying for me to pick her up. She seems to be more settled and comfortable this evening.
 
I know you have been to the food store.
I know you have ham.
I'm just gonna hang out here till you give it to me.
So, you don't really think you have a choice in the matter, do you?​

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Well, how do you think this stand off ended?
Hmmm. With ham. Obviously.
 
Here is Mercedes enjoying a quiet siesta. She was captured using a Jupiter-8 (at f/5.6) on my GX7. The Jupiter-8 is a Russian-made copy of the Zeiss Sonnar 50 mm f/2 in a Leica-fit mount. Mine is a circa 1955. It produces very nice images, belaying it's very affordable price. You can read about my experimenting with Leica-fit lenses here. >>> Exploring the "Leica Look" for Catography <<<

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Today is a terrible day. We lost our sweet, beautiful Tasha early this afternoon. I held her on my lap, and my wife and I petted her and talked to her and told her how much we love her as she fell into a deep sleep, then slipped into her eternal rest. Despite medical intervention and a couple days where she seemed to be bouncing back, it became clear over the last couple of days that she was getting sicker again. We got her to eat small meals and she drank a lot of water last night, then again about 1 AM and 7:30 AM this morning. She was snuggled on the kitty condo when I left the house this morning, but when I returned from my bike ride, she was very sluggish and I could see in her eyes she was miserable. I truly think she only had days, or maybe even hours left. We decided we couldn’t let her go through another night, much less all weekend, so sick.

Our son came over and helped me dig her grave in our back yard, next to her older sisters Katie and Gerta and her big brother Smokey. Kyle is the one who found Tasha alongside the road near our house. She was filthy and smelled really bad, and trying to eat crackers that had been tossed along the road. She was so tiny I could almost hold her in my hand. We cleaned her up and got her checked out at the vet, and she has been a vital part of our family for 14 years. She was sweet and loved to snuggle with me, but was jealous of her big sister Molly, both of whom seemed to try to be the first to get to my lap when I sat down. Tasha had a fiery side, but she was sweet as can be. The rapid pace of her illness caught us totally off guard, and I am very much already missing her running to the door when I take our dog into the back yard, or following me around the basement wanting attention. I really hope I get to see you again, my sweet little princess.

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Today is a terrible day. We lost our sweet, beautiful Tasha early this afternoon. I held her on my lap, and my wife and I petted her and talked to her and told her how much we love her as she fell into a deep sleep, then slipped into her eternal rest. Despite medical intervention and a couple days where she seemed to be bouncing back, it became clear over the last couple of days that she was getting sicker again. We got her to eat small meals and she drank a lot of water last night, then again about 1 AM and 7:30 AM this morning. She was snuggled on the kitty condo when I left the house this morning, but when I returned from my bike ride, she was very sluggish and I could see in her eyes she was miserable. I truly think she only had days, or maybe even hours left. We decided we couldn’t let her go through another night, much less all weekend, so sick.

Our son came over and helped me dig her grave in our back yard, next to her older sisters Katie and Gerta and her big brother Smokey. Kyle is the one who found Tasha alongside the road near our house. She was filthy and smelled really bad, and trying to eat crackers that had been tossed along the road. She was so tiny I could almost hold her in my hand. We cleaned her up and got her checked out at the vet, and she has been a vital part of our family for 14 years. She was sweet and loved to snuggle with me, but was jealous of her big sister Molly, both of whom seemed to try to be the first to get to my lap when I sat down. Tasha had a fiery side, but she was sweet as can be. The rapid pace of her illness caught us totally off guard, and I am very much already missing her running to the door when I take our dog into the back yard, or following me around the basement wanting attention. I really hope I get to see you again, my sweet little princess.

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I'm sorry for your loss Tony.
 
Today is a terrible day. We lost our sweet, beautiful Tasha early this afternoon. I held her on my lap, and my wife and I petted her and talked to her and told her how much we love her as she fell into a deep sleep, then slipped into her eternal rest. Despite medical intervention and a couple days where she seemed to be bouncing back, it became clear over the last couple of days that she was getting sicker again. We got her to eat small meals and she drank a lot of water last night, then again about 1 AM and 7:30 AM this morning. She was snuggled on the kitty condo when I left the house this morning, but when I returned from my bike ride, she was very sluggish and I could see in her eyes she was miserable. I truly think she only had days, or maybe even hours left. We decided we couldn’t let her go through another night, much less all weekend, so sick.

Our son came over and helped me dig her grave in our back yard, next to her older sisters Katie and Gerta and her big brother Smokey. Kyle is the one who found Tasha alongside the road near our house. She was filthy and smelled really bad, and trying to eat crackers that had been tossed along the road. She was so tiny I could almost hold her in my hand. We cleaned her up and got her checked out at the vet, and she has been a vital part of our family for 14 years. She was sweet and loved to snuggle with me, but was jealous of her big sister Molly, both of whom seemed to try to be the first to get to my lap when I sat down. Tasha had a fiery side, but she was sweet as can be. The rapid pace of her illness caught us totally off guard, and I am very much already missing her running to the door when I take our dog into the back yard, or following me around the basement wanting attention. I really hope I get to see you again, my sweet little princess.

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Really sad news. But at least Tasha's at peace now.
 
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