. . . to the best cat I've ever known. After a prolonged period of loosing weight and trying various foods, our Maine Coon, Beorn Bearcat, finally stopped eating or drinking, except the drips he loved to catch from the bathroom vanity. A tumor was found to be growing in his abdomen; at 14 1/2 years of age, with a history of bad reaction to anesthesia, we decided it was time to say goodbye.
Typically, Bear purred right up till the end.
What a beautiful, sweet, dear friend...
ReplyDeleteAll our fur babies are special, as you know, but Bear was just so much MORE so.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pilgrim.
DeleteSo sorry! It is so difficult when we have to say goodbye to our beloved furbabies! Sending hugs!
ReplyDeleteIt IS hard, isn't it? Thank you -- hugs received and appreciated.
DeleteI want to let you know how refreshing it is to see scriptures on your posts. By the way, I too, have a new blog, if you would like to check it out: annieglacken.com
DeleteThough I'm a sketchbook artist, my sketchbook journals are really more like illustrated personal diaries; I just record observations or events with bits of drawings instead of words. As such, my relationship with the Lord will naturally be a part of it all. He is awesome, isn't He?
DeleteYes, He is. I have kept a written journal of thoughts, prayers, etc. for years but those are written in my paper journals. Once in a while I like to add a scripture with one of my sketches in my watercolor journals. I was a part of an online sketching group called His Kingdom Come. Each week we had a verse to illustrate. Here is one example: http://www.annieglacken.com/striking-a-balance-between-art-and-life/
DeleteWhat a wonderful idea, and gorgeous illustration!
DeleteI really miss meeting with a group of sketchers in person for sketch crawls. Since moving to Texas, I'm on my own and I think the art in my journals shows a decline. When I first started drawing in sketchbooks (2007), the Lord's word for me was "capture My beauty". Still trying to figure that out . . .
(I see His beauty in the weirdest places, and of course in His words.)
It is difficult for me to fin people who live near me to go sketching too! Where domyou live in Texas? I used to live in Houston many years ago!
DeleteWe live in the country north of Brenham, near Lake Somerville.
DeleteI was totally spoiled living in Kansas --- able to drive nearly every month to northwest of Kansas City, MO to sketch with Cathy (Kate) Johnson's sketch group.
That is not too far from Houston. I hope you find yourself some sketching friends close by!
DeleteI've been to one of the Houston Urban Sketchers meet-ups, but they don't seem to have regular sketchcrawls --- just get together for special opportunities like the Indian PowWow. Our group in MO were more about sketching bits of everyday life, not recording unique social events.
DeleteI asked at Brenham's art gallery about sketchers getting together --- they have a plain air group for pastels or oils but the person I spoke with seemed to look down on something as mundane as ink and watercolor in a sketchbook.
Maybe someday . . .
So sorry for your loss. Started crying. Lost few years ago the love of our family, cat Liza, same reason, same age. It hurts.
ReplyDeleteThe similarities must have brought you painful memories. I kept remembering our losing our previous cat Dali, and Fiona, my beloved Scottie. I wasn't able to be with Dali at the end; thankful that I was for Bear and Fiona.
DeleteEach one of our furry friends is so uniquely "themselves" -- it's always hard to say goodbye.
It is a sad story... nice cat and nice friend...So sorry for your loss...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jana. He was a wonderful companion.
DeleteOh, Vickie, this breaks my heart. I’m so sorry. I love the photo of Bearcat sitting at the sink. What a sweetie!
ReplyDeleteI’m glad that you were able to be with Bearcat at the end. We’ve made the same decision on behalf of four Shelties (due to pancreatic cancer, congestive heart failure, brain tumor, and kidney failure respectively), and, as heart-wrenchingly difficult as that was, I consider myself blessed to have been able to hold them and whisper love into their ears as they left us.
You are so right: each pet is uniquely themselves—and very much a part of our families. Thank you for sharing your best cat with us.
Bear looks so small to me, sitting at the sink. As a healthy adult, he was 22 lbs. (normal for the breed) -- at death, he was just over 8 lbs.
DeleteThe decision __and holding them in the final moments__ is hard, but it's all part of the trust and love we share with these wonderful friends. Bearcat trusted me to "make it right", shown by his purring at the end.