Goodbye my sweet, sweet boy.

I never posted an update on Deckard's condition...I didn't want our bad news to crowd their way in on people's holiday plans and celebrations. By the time I had the energy to talk about it, it would have been a big wet blanket on everyone else's good mood.

Friday a week ago, we took him up to U Penn in Philly for a last ditch effort, but there was nothing they could do. The news went from bad - acute renal failure - to worse - renal displaysia of both kidneys. Basically, this means his kidneys were both underdeveloped. One was just large enough to function until he got dehydrated. Once that happened, he went into kidney failure. This was just crappy luck, really. There's no history of it in his pedigree (our breeder has been in touch with HER breeder to confirm), and this was a risk we took in bringing home the runt of the litter.

We brought him home last Sunday with a bag of drugs, fluids, some renal-specific food, and prayers and well wishes from everyone who worked with him in Philly. When we got home he was perky and happy to be home. He ran around the house, chasing the cats like a goober, and generally being himself. He got a visit from his "auntie" across the street and Chris's mom that evening, and from my parents on Monday evening. He was mostly himself until Tuesday. By Tuesday evening, we knew he was ready to go. We spent the night with him in the living room, and Wednesday we took him to the vet for the last time. He was surrounded by Chris, Chris's mom, me, and Deckard's favorite vet and vet tech...he knew he was loved to the last breath.

Today we had snow, and I can't help but wish he were still here to see it. Last winter was so mild I'm 99% sure he never got the chance to romp in it like a puppy should.  Right now I'm getting through and healing by thinking the kids from Connecticut needed a puppy to help them feel better, so they took the best one they could.

I miss you, my sweet baby.

Just so everyone's aware...

Attempting to bathe a cat is about as easy as stuffing 4 ferrets in a box, one-by-one.




This attempt at levity brought to you by a very angry, damp feline who's doing his best to ignore the fact that he looks like a drowned rat.