Polly's gone...

For anybody following the saga, my old cat, Polly, went into hypoglycemic shock last night. Spent the night at the vets, and I brought her home this afternoon. She faded fast, wouldn't eat, and I couldn't manage her blood sugar - it kept dropping into the danger zone (hyperinsulinemia - sorta the opposite of diabetes). After discussing it with the vet, it seemed the likely cause was a pancreatic tumor.

So I made the call there to end it. She lived pretty well up until last night. The last few months weren't great for her, with the diabetes, but she still managed to wander next door for treats, lay in the sun, and enjoy her food. She had one bad day in her 14 years, and it was today.

Thank you all for your support and kind words yesterday. It means a lot.

I am so sorry for your loss.

:hug: It's hard losing a furry friend.

I was really hoping she'd pull through okay. ;(

:( ((((( Dookus )))))

Was just a few hours ago I thought she was doing better. What a bum deal. A blessing she only had one bad day in 14 years. I know you gave her a good life. :hug:

Extra big hugs

Linda
xoxoxox

she felt OK after being on a dextrose drip all night, but once she was off it, her blood sugar just fell fast. I kept giving her syringes full of caro syrup, but her blood glucose would go up to 50, then drop to the 30's in 15 minutes. Below 30, she'd go into seizures.

I didn't want her to die seizing, so I took her back in.

She went well - ate some kitty snacks at the very end, then sat in my lap while she went. It was quick and peaceful.

Thanks.

Though I know how the news would hit me if I heard either of the wo cats back home died...

My condolences.

It doesn't make euthanasia easier. Polly was a lucky kitty to have you for a pet.

:hug:

and Polly today. I am so sorry. Hugs to you and your
little girl.

RV

I'm glad that she lived a long happy life. I'm sure that Marie will be up there (with her 300 cats and dogs) waiting to give her treats; I hear that the view is great and the sun is always warm.

How we behave toward cats here below, determines our status in heaven.

- Robert A. Heinlein

I read your post the other day about Marie, and I even composed a message, but ended up hitting the back button because I couldn't adequately convey what I wanted to say.

I'll say now, I'm sorry. I guess sometimes that's all we need to say.

I hope to hell Marie is giving Polly some loving now. That you would respond to this is the most poignant part of this whole damned day. And I love your Heinlein quote.

Ask Marie to take care of Polly 'til I get there.

With (in order that I can remember): Mama Kitty, Garfield, Keeva, and Lightning; there are more cats than that, and I can only hope that Pandora and Derf (Fred) - the only 2 dogs that I can remember - will let Polly "in".

What am I thinking?!?!? If you knew Marie, it would take a bazillionth of a second for her to "adopt" Polly; I think you'll have more trouble getter Polly away from Marie than what you're going through. At the worst case, you'll have to wait for me to come up there (I hope) to tell her, but at the rate I'm going, I'll hopefully be up there first.

Rest assured, Marie is spoiling Polly. It's in her blood to spoil all "kids", but I know she leaned toward cats :-)

even though I'm a secular-humanist naturalist-atheist... it's really comforting to think of Marie taking care of my baby. Believe me, she'll get enough love in return to make it worthwhile.

Our cat got cancer that spread really fast - she swelled up in a couple of days, and we had to put her down last month.

Sucks, man. You've got my sympathy.

I don't know what else to say. When I read your post, it took me back to years past, and the emotions surfaced. I am ordinarily not an emotional person (lying through my teeth, I am), but I wept for days when I thought that we would lose one of ours. Polly will never really leave you, cats don't do that; she will always be just far enough in front of you to stay out of sight, scoping out the path ahead, making sure its clear for you. I cannot share your sorrow, as I don't know you and didn't know Polly, but from your posts, I can appreciate your pain. My very best wishes to you, and remember that she is not really gone. :hug:

demanding "purr and petting sessions" from the people on the other side of the "Rainbow Bridge."

I have nine cats myself. One (Fatboy) is ten, two (Fred and Ginger) are nine, and one (Abu the Terrorist, aka Boo Mew) is eight.
I know the time is coming, not far away, when I'm going to have to start facing what you faced today.
I feel for you. Nice to know Polly had a long, happy life.
John
The little furry critters get to own you, don't they?
ON EDIT: How strange that Valerie5555 posted just as I did. Fred (Ging's bro) is black and, I suppose, could have well been called Midnight, except that my late mother suggested that since I named the orange one "Ginger," the only proper thing to do was to name the other one "Fred."

DSH. Meow. Wa aow.

I don't know what to say, other than that you are in my thoughts.

:loveya:

She had a long life, though.

All of us who share our lives with four legged babies know what you are feeling and are sending loving thoughts your way.

It sure hurts like hell, doesn't it? I've been through it before, and I'll go through it again, but it's not any fun. But having the furry friends is worth it.

I feel your pain. You had 14 good years with her and that is all that matters in the end. One of my fur babies just died in June and I just lost my Mom last week to Cancer, so I know what you are going through. Just remember, they really never do leave us - they are just over the rainbow bridge waiting for us to join them.

That's really rough.

I'm SOOO sorry about your mom AND your cat. That's a lotta loss in a short time. (((HUG)))

:-(

the loss of a pet is the absolute worst.

and no, it's not the absolute worst. People have lost far worse than a cat. It's very painful, but I wouldn't dare presume it compares to the loss of a parent, a child, a spouse, etc. etc.

I know you meant well, and I really appreciate it. But it helps ME to keep things in perspective. Thanks.

I should have narrowed that down to "for me"

you didn't think I was berating you. Not in the slightest. I appreciate your condolences immensely. Thank you.

To you. Am taking care of a friend's 2 elderly kitties, and know that I may have this happen sometime. Blessings to you and Polly.

and know what you're going through.

They're family. Sometimes the best part of the family, and it's never easy.

A paw up to Polly.

This is the hardest part of having such a special creature share some of our life with us.

I'm very sorry for your loss.

Nobody who has never had a pet can understand how painful it is to lose one. I still mourn some of my old dogs in doggie heaven. Love, no matter in what form, never truly dies!

:hug:

what's most heartwarming is that I don't recognize most of you. I think it's really sweet that so many people would take the time to send their sympathies. Tonight, I love you all.

Meet me in GD, though, and I may change my opinion ;)

thank you all so much. It helps a lot. I'm having a glass of champagne right now in honor of Polly. She brought me many years of joy, and that's worth a toast. *clink*

:toast:

I've been there; this poem has always given me comfort:

Grieve not,
nor think of me with tears
But laugh
and talk to me as if I were beside you.
I loved you so . . .
'Twas Heaven here with you


-- Isla Paschal Richardson

that's really nice.

And thanks for not kicking my ass. Maybe next week ;)

....is let them go when the time is right. I'm facing that same challenge with my best cat Chester. He has hyperthyroidism and all that brings with it. A shadow of his former self. The day will be here very soon.

Could you post a picture of your Polly? I'm sure many of us would like to see that fine girly.

my old computer with all her pics was stolen. I have some hard copies, but I'll have to scan 'em. I'll see what I can do in the next couple days. Thanks for asking. She was beautiful, and I'd love to share her.

I am so sorry. Glad you had all those years together and that she was able to have such a wonderful person to live with.

((((((((HUG)))))))))))

it means a lot. It's been a rough 24 hours for me.

Now I'm ready to kick some Schwarzenegger ass! Or RabidNerd... whoever I encounter first.

thanks for the hug. I need it.

When I read your post last night, I was afraid it was going to be something like that (cancer, abcess, other pancreatic injury). I had a beautiful, darling Somali who died under similar circumstances from an abcessed pancreas, and it broke my heart.

I'm very sorry for your loss. I'm glad Polly had someone who loved her to take care of her and make sure she didn't suffer. Best of all, she had someone who loved her to give her the long, happy life she had with you.

I keep going back and forth between "it's OK, I did the right thing" and bawling like a baby cuz I'll never see her again.

So sorry about your Somali... they are BEAUTIFUL cats. But to me, even the ugliest cat is beautiful. There's just something about them.

You did the kindest and most humane thing. The bravest and least selfish, too.

I know it sounds cheesy and trite, but you will see her again. You'll see glimpses of her in other cats you meet throughout your life; she will remain forever happy and healthy in your memories, and sooner than you think possible, those memories will be a comforting thing. Her love for you will always be with you, just as yours is still with her.

And you're absolutely right - all cats are beautiful.

Kuble, the Somali, was a rescue cat - his owner was going to have him killed because her new husband didn't like cats. The abcess that killed him could very well have been an injury from being kicked.

the thought of kicking a cat sickens me. And that somebody could give up a cat because a partner doesn't like them: it's just unimaginable to me.

When I adopt a pet, it's serious. I once adopted a dog with my partner. Shortly afterward he left me for somebody else (the partner, not the dog). I tried like hell to keep him by myself, but I just was away for too many hours a day, and as much as I loved him, it wasn't fair. So I asked my twin sister, who lives cross-country, to take him. She did. The dog is in fucking heaven. He lives in upstate NY, has three kids that he absolutely dotes on, and is fat and sassy. They spoil the hell out of him, but he's the BEST dog imaginable for that family. My sister is divorced, and he's a great watch-dog (half German-sherphad, half Labrador). He protects the kids like you wouldn't believe. I saw him a few months ago and he's a lot fatter than I'd like, but good god, he's in doggie heaven. Spoiled, fat, and has three kids that he adores and protects. What could be better?

:hug:
I'm sorry to hear that. Funny how doing the right thing can feel so bad, isn't it?

:-(

:cry:


:hug:

I'm so glad to see so many people being so compassionate (This is real compassion, george dubbya) and seeing how many people out there feel about their pets.

At the same time, as I read these responses, I'm getting blue again thinking of some of my friends who are now in doggie heaven.

Dookus, life WILL go on. Someday, you'll get another cat you will love. The great thing about loving a person or a pet is that the love you give to one doesn't detract from love you can give to others.

Once again, please accept my sympathies and condolences. :hi: :hug:

I'm glad you had such a great cat. Sorry you'll be missing her.

:hug:

It's not easy losing a pet. Especially since they're like family. You did do the right thing though. It's so much better to euthenize than to let them go on suffering. :hug:
Duckie

Please accept the condolences of Paul and myself for the loss of your beloved Polly.