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My kitty - Truls story
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Member Since:
13 March 2023
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25 March 2024 - 11:30 am
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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!icon_lol

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....icon_crysmiley6

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.sp_hearticon2

 

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The Rainbow Bridge



Member Since:
25 April 2007
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26 March 2024 - 11:27 pm
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Veronica, I am so sorry for your loss. What a journey you and Truls had, and it is our honor to have been a part of it in some small way. THank you so much for taking the time to come here and write so honestly, so kindly, to let us know and even more amazingly, to help others when they will wrestle with this same time in a pet's life.

You were such an amazing human to him! What a life he had! He knew how loved he was, how much he meant to you, and he knew you wouldn't let him down when the time came. You honored him in such a big way by doing what he would want. There is no greater gift, and no tougher decision that we are all faced with at some point.

I'm sending tons of love and hugs to you. Thank you for letting us know he is an angel now. The stars shine brighter with your sweet Truls in the heavens.

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Virginia



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22 February 2013
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28 March 2024 - 8:56 pm
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So very kind of you o come here and share this beautiful tribute to Truls in a way that is so helpful.  Giving the gift ,of release is one of the hardest thi gs we can do for our pets.....hard on us but a gift of love for them.

Had to chuckle  how mich Truls loved being at his daycare vacation  home and the visual of using uou as his pillow  .   Si6ch a fun and lovely bond you two shared.

That picture of Truls with those stunnging green eyes melts my heart.  He is sich a handsome boy.

A belated Happy Birthday to you in  Heaven sweet boy. I know you had a feast of cake made out of every kind of candy a cat could want!

Veronica, thank you again for sharing your words of wisdom when it comes to the gift of release. You have expressed your thoughts and emotions so well and I know your words will continue to help support others as they go through this part of the journey.

Hugs

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!

Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!

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13 March 2023
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3 April 2024 - 3:59 am
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Thank you both. smiley4 He was a very handsome boy. I often referred to him as my little tiger, I liked to share pictures of him on social media. Even though it's been over six months since he passed, I sometimes still expect to see him. Like just for a split second, for just a moment, I think that he's coming up the stairs. Or he's chilling in his favorite couch. Just in the corner of my eye I think I see something I go all "hmm??". I miss the little fella.

I just thought maybe my experience could help someone. Someone in a similar situation or such.

We had a tough time, Truls and I. You have no idea how hard I fought for him. I fought so hard for him, I refused to throw in the towel. Not when he still had options and there was still a chance, there was still hope. We owners have to fight for our pets, they can't ask for help so we have to be their voice.

There was a lot of vet visits. If one type of antibiotics failed we tried another type. And while this cancer was progressing his leg was getting worse, I changed bandages every day. Sometimes twice per day. One vet admitted they were impressed how dedicated I was to Truls and his care, putting in the time to change bandage everyday and trying so hard. I went to the pharmacy a lot. smiley9

The amputation surgery was his last chance. It was the only way to get rid of the cancer, or so we thought. After the surgery all tests said that he was fine. But the remaining cancer must have been so tiny that it was undetectable.smiley13

At least I bought Truls some more time. That I will never regret. He lost a paw, but he gained several more months of happiness. I truly believe he had a brilliant summer. smiley4And perhaps I always knew his time was coming, so I got more time to prepare myself, to come to terms with it.

Someone might think my advice is obvious. To make these medical decisions with our brains, to not involve our emotions. But when you're in the hospital or clinic, the medical staff are telling you these really dreadful news. Just ignoring your emotions and using your sound judgment, it's very difficult. It's almost a certainty that you will get emotional and that makes these decisions even more difficult.

Fight for your felines, for your pets. If...when their time comes, make it as good as possible.sp_hearticon2

The Rainbow Bridge



Member Since:
25 April 2007
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3 April 2024 - 1:41 pm
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Wise words Veronica, we get it. These decisions are not easy at all.

The love you had for him shines through, you went above and beyond the average pet parent and Truls knew how pawesome you were, right up to his last breath. Giving him that bonus summer was like icing on the cake to a fantastic life that all cats deserve. They really don't get enough credit by most people. They are brilliant creatures!

Thank you for giving us a glimpse, and inviting us in to your life together. We are stronger and wiser because you and Truls joined us. sp_hearticon2

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