Hi everyone.

I'd like to tell a tale, of my little feline. At the end I'd like to offer some advise.

Truls was born 2009, he was my first pet ever. I was lucky enough to have him with me for many many years, over 14 years!

He had a few problems in his time. Two dental surgeries and one very pesky kidney stone. Otherwise he was healthy most of his life. Until November 2022........

As terrible as it sounds, I got Truls cancer diagnosis just weeks after I had to put my first dog to sleep. My first dog ever, Ajas, became 12 years old and he had serious issues with his back. The best and kindest thing to do was let him sleep. Just weeks after, I discovered this lump on Truls leg.

Fast forward a few months, Truls became tripawd. On the downside he lost his leg, on the bright side he was free of cancer! He recovered extremely well and had no issues after that. He was declared healthy and could just go on like a normal cat, minus a paw.

He enjoyed a lovely summer, and a couple of days at a cat boarding kennel. I do believe it was one of his best summers ever, when I was going to pick him up he was happy to see me. But he did not want to go home. That is how much he liked this place! It was quite funny. He got to be outside (safely) as much as he wanted, just smell the lovely air and listen to all the birds!

After the summer things seemed fine, alas, the other shoe dropped. I noticed a change in his behaviour, I was hoping it was nothing. But to be on the safe side I rushed to the vet to get him checked out. That was.....horrible. They did an x-ray. Long story short, Truls had fluid in his lungs. The cancer had metastasized. It was terrible! In the span of a week, he went from being fine...to gone. It went so fast! There was nothing to be done....

Well that is inaccurate. I had options, they could remove the fluid. But for what? It would just come back. So Truls would spend days, weeks or maybe months in a hospital, with a dussin tubes and such attached to him. In an alien environment surrounded by strangers. Ultimately just prolonging the inevitable. That would not have been what was best for him.

I had to make the call, the terrible choice. I was told, by several vets that he could never be cured, he would never be as healthy as he was. They told me, the kindest thing to do and his best option was to go to sleep. I got to take him home the same day. He was extremely spoiled with a ton of candy and he got to be outside (which he loved) and bathe in the sunlight, again which he loved.

That afternoon a vet came to my home to end his suffering. Truls became 14 years and 6 months old. Today, it's been six months since he passed.

The advice I wish to offer is this: When it comes to making decisions about your beloved kitty, take away your emotions. I know it is difficult! But emotions just complicate matters. As hard as it is, listen to the vets and do what is in the best interest of your beloved feline. That is what I had to do.

The facts were this: He was elderly, generally speaking. Some cats do live to 20, but cats are considered senior around the age of 10. He was already very sick and there was no real cure. They could only manage the symptoms, but that was it.

I could've decided to have Truls in hospital, remove the fluids, but he would still be sick, suffering and might even have passed away there. Instead he got to come back home, eat a ton of candy and have a lovely afternoon listening to the birds in the sun. And of course, one last time to cuddle with my boy and hear him purr.

As much as it pained me, I had to make the decision that would end our journey together. Today is his birthday, he would've turned 15. I miss him a lot. But I think back to our time together. He loved to sleep on top of me, aha I was his unofficial bed. He would purr within seconds and he would "talk"/meow to me hehe, especially around meal times or when candy was in sight. Once he woke me in the morning by gently gnawing on my elbow, hehehe ah cutey.

The sad fact with pets, they don't live forever. We are lucky if we get to spend 14 years with them! But eventually the dreaded day comes. All we can do is make it as painless as possible and be with them. So to conclude, always do what is best for your cat. Even if it hurts so much and you can't even think about it. The right decision is sometimes the hardest decision. Cherish your feline. As I will always remember and cherish my time with Truls.