~WHEN IS IT TIME TO LET YOUR CAT GO TO THE RAINBOW BRIDGE ?

Today, I MADE THE DESCION THAT IT WAS TIME TO LET MY YELLOW TABBY BOOTS TO GO BACK TO HIS CREATOR. I had him put to sleep at the vets office. I kissed him on the head and told him that I loved him and thanked him for all the precious moments that he shared with me for 7 years, before they took him back to administer the drugs. I did not have the heart to be there. I just couldn't. I did not want to remember my last moments with him dying in my arms.
Some pics of him below.
Boots, my Yellow Tabby Cat & My baby Golden almost 3 years ago.
When I first brought my Golden home she did not have any friends other than my Yelllow Taby cat. Our Basset Hound did not take to her very well and tried to bite her on two occasions while she was a little things. Boots was her only friend. He played with her and she with him. They would chase each other in the kitchen across the room. I had never seen anything quite so cute. What a pair !









AS MY GOLDEN GREW OLDER BOOTS AND ANNA REMAINED VERY CLOSE !









What a sweet kitty !










MY PRECIOUS TABBY CAT BOOTS~
7 YEARS OLD
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2006
TODAY, I BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT MY KITTY BECAUSE HE FOR THE LAST WEEK OR SO HAS NOT BEEN HIMSELF. HE APPEARS TO HAVE LOST SOME WEIGHT RECENTLY AND HE HAS JUST BEEN SLEEPING ALL THE TIME LATELY. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIG BOY BUT NOT FAT. I NOTICED THE WEIGH LOSS AROUND HIS BACK BONE.
SOMETIMES HE SNEAKS OUT THE BACK DOOR AND JUMPS OVER THE FENCE AND WONDERS AROUND FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. I THOUGHT HE JUST CAME IN CONTACT WITH SOMETHING AND JUST DID NTO FEEL GOOD. HIS NOSE WAS COLD AND HE HAS BEEN PURRING AS ALWAYS BUT I KNEW HE DID NOT FEEL WELL. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HOUSE CAT OTHER THAN HIM SNEAKING OUT SOMETIMES BUT NEVER FOR LONG AS I RETRIEVED HIS LITTLE BUTT.
I PICKED HIM UP AND SAT ONT HE COUCH TODAY AND BEGAN TO RUB HIM AND FOUND A LUMP ON BOTH SIDES OF HIS THROAT. ONE BIGGER THA THE OTHER. THE SIZE OF A MARBLE. THE OTHER NOT QUITE AS BIG. THEN I BEGAN TO FEEL THE REST OF HIM AND FOUND TWO MORE ABOVE HIS BACK LEGS IN THE FATTY SKIN THAT KINDA HANGS DOWN NEAR WHERE HIS BACK LEGS ATTACH. ONE WAS AS BIG AS A GOLF BALL, ONLY KINDA LONG RATHER THAN ROUND. THE OTHER SIDE WAS SMALLER BUT YOU COULD FEEL IT FORMING. I WAS VERY CONCERNED. IT WAS TOO LATE ON SATURDAY TO TAKE HIM TO THE VET BUT, MY VET IS OPEN ON SUNDAYS FOR A SHORT WHILE SO I DECIDED ON MOTHERS DAY BEFORE MY TWO SONS TOOK ME TO DINNER I WOULD TAKE HIM IN TO BE LOOKED AT.
SUNDAY, MAY, 15TH, 2006
I TOOK BOOTS TOT HE VET TODAY. THE VET LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID IT COULD BE MANY THINGS, BUT IT DID NOT LOOK GOOD. THE NIGHT BEFORE I HAD READ ON THE NET ABOUT MANY THINGS AND ABOUT LYMPHOMA. CANCER OF THE LYMPH GLANDS. THE VET AND I TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO TO FIND OUT WHAT THESE LUMPS WERE. THE TOTAL BILL WAS GONNA BE OVER $500.00 FOR BLOOD WORK SAMPLES ETC. AND EVEN WITH ALL THESE TESTS THEY MAY NOT TELL US FOR SURE WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM. I asked the vet what the least thing I could do to find out about these lumps. I just did not have extra money like that and from what I had read on the net with all tests and treatements for Lymphoma they would only live 4 months max. So I elected to go with a needle aspiration where they put a needle into the largest lump DRAW OUT SOME FLUID OR TISSUE and send it to the lab to review the cells. That cost me 225.00. He gave me some antibiotics in a dropper bottle to give him and we went home to wait on the lab results. That was on Sunday, May 14, 2006. I have already decided from all that I read and what the vet told me to put him to sleep, but I just wanted to make sure what was suspected of his illness being ~the big C word~If it came to be just a bacteria or something that he could get well from then I will have him treated for that.
Well, I waited til Wednesday and called back in to see if the test results were back as they had told me they would be and they had not come back yet. The vet tech was going to call the lab and see what was going on and would call me back. She never did that day.
Thursday I called them and still no results yet so I told her I would hold on the line. She came back on after a few minutes and told me that the lab had not done the test yet because the sample had been misplaced and they would go ahead and do the test now and fax it over to them on Friday.
Friday came along and the vet called me to tell me that by the the cells were looked at and tested at the lad that the cells were dead and the test was inconclusive. He said I coudl have the test done over if I wanted to. Told me to let him know.
I had been giving him the antibiotics all week that I was sent home with but I say no changes at all. He is still loosing more wieght now and is not eatign or drinking much at all. He just lays around and stares straight ahead. MY POOR BABY IS DYING. I KNOW.

THIS IS A POEM I FOUND ON THE NET. it makes you feel better when you consider all things.
If it should be, that I grow frail and weak,
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then, you must do what must be done
For this, the last battle, can't be won.
You will be sad, I understand
Don't let your grief then stay your hand,
For this day, more than the rest,
Your love and friendship stand the test.
We've had so many happy years,
What is to come can hold no fears,
You'd not want me to suffer, so,
When the time comes, please let me go.
Take me where my needs they'll tend,
Only, Stay with me to the end,
And hold me firm and speak to me,
Until my eyes no longer see.
I know, in time you will see,
It is a kindness you do to me
Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I've been saved.
Don't grieve it should be you,
Who decides this thing to do,
We've been so close, we two, these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.
Smile, for we walked together,
for a little while.
(Author unknown)

http://rainbowsbridge.com/Poem.htm
The ever so popular "Rainbow Bridge Poem" below, link above.A great site with many links.

RAINBOW BRIDGE

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...