Emotional Wreck!

Yesterday morning we woke to our cat barely able to stand. The problem appeared to be Rupert's left hip. In addition to not eating much the day before, we truly felt the end was near. And it still might be.

After crying most of the day, we took Rupert to the vet at 4:00 P.M. after she kindly fit us in. It turned out, however, that yesterday wasn't Rupert's last. And, I'm sure, today he's hoping for a full peaceful day of recovery.

X-rays revealed no brakes, so a soft-tissue trauma is suspected. (We think Rupert fell while jumping on the couch sometime Monday evening.) After giving Rupert two shots for pain, the vet sent us home. But, if Rupert's not much better in 48 hours, we'll face the tough questions such as trying a high-cost daily liquid pain reliever, paying hundreds more for a CT scan and MRI, or euthanasia.

Two years ago we gave up our finished walk-out basement to Rupert, where he even has his own couch. He's been ban from the main floor since he began pooping wherever he wanted. I did thorough online research to remedy the problem, and consulted two local vets. There's no fix. The kindest thing to do is find a space or room in your home where your cat can live out the rest of his days.

In all honesty, I look forward to getting our lower level back. My plan is to set up a space where the boys can be rougher and wilder, and play video games without disturbing the adults. So there will be a silver lining to Rupert's eventual passing. But the thought is still extremely sad. And why Rupert, despite the pooping problem, is not only our best but also our last pet.