Even just typing the title is making me cry. 1 week ago, last Tuesday, we took my partner's and my cat into the emergency vet because he refused eating chicken. VERY unlike him. The few weeks beforehand I noticed he'd been acting slightly off, I felt that he was a little more lethargic but it was hard to tell. He slowly stopped eating, we thought he was on a food strike and tired of his food flavor - we tried a new food and it didn't change like usual. Then the chicken refusal and I KNEW something was wrong.
We took him in at around 9pm, and by midnight they sent us home with a serious possible diagnosis (with Charlie still at the vet). They confirmed when they called at 3:30am - Charlie had metastatic cancer, very advanced. We had days, if we were lucky weeks with him. His regular vet confirmed the diagnosis the next day. We were DEVASTATED. We spent the time taking him to his favorite places, giving him his favorite foods, and loving on him as much as possible. This past Sunday he declined very quickly and we decided at-home euthanasia was the best option. Charlie passed away at 5:07pm on 5/7/23 very peacefully and on his favorite blanket (a blanket I am literally still not done crocheting for my friend - he loved it so much. He would play with the yarn as I made it and curl up on the finished parts. I told my friend I have to keep this one and I'll make her a new one.)
This is my first pet that has really been mine, not a family pet, that has passed. I am so incredibly heartbroken. He was only 8, about to turn 9 years old (estimate as he was a rescue). I was always worried about my 12yo dog passing, because he's much older, and never even worried about Charlie. I always called him my sweet darling. As he was slipping away I told him he could rest now. I'm glad he's not in pain anymore. I am in immense amounts of emotional pain. I just keep saying "I don't understand"..... this week life has been very cruel. I can't believe how fast it all happened. We went from fine and happy to a losing a family member in less than a week.
VIDEO of Charlie at a local trailhead loving the outdoors. This was one of his last few days with us - he loved exploring so we took him out and he had a blast. You can rest now my baby - it doesn't have to hurt anymore.