For today’s open thread, reader Susan H. has sad news to share about her cat Lahara:
Unfortunately it looks like we’re going to lose her in a few days. She’s been declining slowly for a few months, but took a major turn for the worse yesterday. She likely has a brain tumor (all symptoms point to that) and we think she may have had a stroke as well.
She was a stray who talked us into keeping her 14 years ago (literally- her meow was so loud I joked that she sounded like the sirens that warn of possible lahars [mud flows] from nearby Mt Rainier, thus her name) and boy are we glad we did. She’s been our little clown, always keeping us on our toes and laughing with her antics.
So sad. I’m very, very sorry. I have been there, as have many people here. Knowing you’re doing the right thing for her, and knowing that you rescued her and gave her a great life filled with love is a lot to have to hold on to.
Such a pretty girl and so sorry about what’s happening. They will let you know when they’re ready, I always saw it in their eyes when they had enough. Thank you for taking her in and she looks like she had a wonderful long life wIth you.
So sorry to hear, Susan H. Lahara is proof that love has no bounds. May she have a peaceful painfree transition. I love that picture of her Fearsome Elegance, she looks like she knows everyone admires her!
So very sorry, Susan H. Larhara looks like she was a beautiful wonderful friend. You are doing the right thing by ending her pain and I hope you remember all the good times she brought you.
I’m very sorry to hear about Lahara, Susan H. She is a beautiful kitty and I’m sure she knows how much she is loved. May her passing be gentle and your grief, though I know it will be deep, be bearable.
😢 Poor baby. Glad to know she got 14 years of love.
We love our pets as long as we have them in our lives, and beyond. The love never ends, you just have to “hug” them differently. Doesn’t matter how long you have had your pet, it never seems like time enough.
“If love could have saved them, they would have lived forever.”
Make some final lasting memories with Lahara. Take some videos or pictures, give here some special food as a treat, clip a bit of her fur as a keepsake. Spend time with her and cherish her, as you always have. Sending healing hugs to you and Lahara.
Very sad news; they always seem to leave us too soon. Lily sends purrs of comfort.
😿😿😿
Susan H., sending lots of hugs. Such sad news. Lahara is gorgeous! So glad she graced you with her presence. ❤️❤️❤️
I’m so sorry, Susan.
Susan H, – I’ll join the others in my saying of how sorry I am to hear about your precious, Lahara, being near the end of her 9 lives. When the initial rush of sorrow passes, may your memories of her bring smiles to you.
So very sorry about your beautiful girl. You made the right choice when you adopted her and you’ll make the right choice now. My kitties send comforting purrs.
Thank you all, and many thanks to Mike for featuring her today. We had an in-home euthanasia scheduled for Monday, but she had a small seizure last night, and a massive one this morning, so I found a vet that could take her today and we could be with her (everyone I tried yesterday would only let us drop her off due to Covid ). She went peacefully in our arms. This is the first time we’ve been a catless household since 1996. 🙁
😭
Perhaps another kitty in need will find you when you’re ready.
Oh, we’ll definitely be getting another cat some day; we’ve discussed adopting siblings from the same litter. With the experience we’ve had trying to get Lahar in to vets in the Covid era, we might wait until things calm down a little, if they ever do.
Big hugs to you!
You’re welcome. I’m glad that you shared this with us and allowed all of us to support you at this difficult time.
I’m glad you were able to hold her at the end.
I’m so sorry Sue, she was very loved and she knew it, I know. I’m glad for all of you that you were together, I know that being with you gave her comfort
Thinking of you, strength and calm.
I’m rather late in sending you condolences – I’ve dealt with the same issue twice in a little over a year, my dear cat Purdita, and sweet bun Clementine, so, boy, do I “grok” I believe the phrase is. Just today I thought I saw my sweet puss walk by – it was just a shadow. I’m glad you could be there to hold her, tough duty, but so necessary. Suddenly it all comes back. Sending you hugs.
Big, big hugs to you all… Farewell, sweet Lahara. If you happen to you see my two beloved furbabies somewhere beyond the rainbow bridge, please tell them I miss them…
Hugs!!
I’m so sorry Susan. You’re so lucky to have found a vet that would allow you to be with her! When my elder chinchilla was failing in May, I could not find anywhere that would let me hold her in the end.
That’s awful- I’m so sorry. 🙁 Friday was a frustrating day of calling vet after vet after vet trying to find someone, and then on Saturday I got lucky on the second call.
I’m so sorry to hear about your loss, Soccersue/Susan, but I am glad that you were able to be with Lahara at the end.
Lahara reminds me of my “nosy neighbor” from a few years ago. She (or he) had similar coloring.
The cat lived in a house somewhere near mine and would greet me when I came home from work, demanding attention. It was difficult for me to lean down and pet her so I “trained” her to jump up on the retaining wall near my door, and then I could pet her easily. She was such a friendly cat.
I heard from other people in the neighborhood that the cat made the rounds during the day, wandering into people’s houses if they left their doors open. She was obviously a well cared for and happy cat. I was very sad when the family moved away. I missed my afternoon “Welcome home!” greeting.
It’s challenging attending a convention online, especially one in a different time zone. It’s Saturday afternoon for me but Sunday morning in New Zealand. Thankfully I can use both the local and convention time zones to figure out what time the panels I want to see are on. Oh, but then the added fun is that they are using a 24-hour clock, so not only do I have to figure out the local time, i have to remember what time 15:00 is!
On the bright side, it’s much cheaper to attend the convention this way.
It’s funny, but I was debating whether I really wanted to go to the convention and hadn’t booked any hotels or planes or anything. Just when I made up my mind to go, the world went into lockdown.
Maybe some year I’ll get to New Zealand.
I don’t know who needs to see this, but…
(I need to post it in every room of my house.)
Printed. Posted on my fridge.
🙂
I’m currently trying to convince myself to go make something to bring for lunch tomorrow.
I was a vegetable today – I spent yesterday, in the heat, in my garden for over 5 hours, and while that may be all fine and good for a vegetable, I decided to lay low today. Thought I might get some cleaning done but, no. I have been dealing with my garden since before Mothers Day, weeding like mad mostly, re-siting the good stuff that came up with the bad. It’s looking fairly presentable now but so much left to do. I am happy that my fig tree is laden with not-yet-ripe fruit. I just hope the ants, bees, and squirrels don’t get to it all before I do. And I’m hoping my little white pumpkins actually show up – the vines are vigorous, a good sign. Lots of flowers, monarda, some sort of black-eyed Susan, a few kinds of hydrangeas, hibiscus, hosta, hellebores – lot of “h’s” and so much more. Pretty exhausting, now that I write it all out! So thank you, Allein, for the little duckling, a very wise and good-hearted duckling.
🙂