Our last cat has died!

She hadn’t been eating for a couple of days.

A Mexican cat similar to Aranlla

Yesterday morning we took our last cat to the vet. Her name was Aranlla, which is clearly a Mexican name. She was born in the Summer of 2006 and Jean found the baby kitten all on her own in the Mexican dirt. Jean took the kitten home immediately.

So all these years later we were down to a single cat: Aranlla.

Then a couple of days ago she went off her food and nothing would coax her to eat.

A fitting image from home.

We left her at the vet and later on, about 2pm, the vet called and said that there was a long list of issues and what was our decision. Jean reluctantly said to let her go.

We went back to collect the body and she will be buried in our fields tomorrow (today!).

Within a few hours yesterday it already felt very strange. Thank goodness for our lovely, beautiful dogs.

P.S. The cat has now been buried! It looked so quiet. Of course, it was, by definition. But lying there in the bottom of the hole – so sad!

32 thoughts on “Our last cat has died!”

    1. Dear Sue, thank you. Yes, we wake up to another day but a day that feels very different. But so many in this place have shared our grief with us and that love is felt strongly by us. Thank you!

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      4. Well you can email the photograph as an attachment: paulhandover (at) gmail (dot) com

        Or email me a few photographs and I can put up a Picture Parade on your behalf.

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  7. So sorry about your cat Paul. Like Jeannie’s Mexican dog rescues, she was one of the really lucky ones. As well as two dogs, we have two tabby cats, one aged 14, the other 6. We’ve just spent $2000 at the vet on the younger one, sorting out some IBD issues. Just like dogs (and humans) each of the 8 cats we’ve owned has had its own distinctive personality. Although neither my husband nor I had cats as children, we’ve learned to love and appreciate them.

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    1. Marg, yes we all love our pets so much.

      I did grow up in a cat household, my mother had Siamese cats for years and years, but I never appreciated the work involved at times. I vaguely am aware of my mother coming into the house one day with tears in her eyes. She had been to the vet and a cat had been put down. I must have been very young, well under 10.

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  9. I’m so sorry Paul to hear about your loss. I just read the news and my thoughts are with you and your family. I have a 10 year old cat and I dread the moment it’s going to happen to us. I hope the loss will fade soon enough so that you can appreciate the good moments and remember her with a smile on your face.

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    1. Welcome to this place and what a lovely thought so beautifully expressed in words. Thank you. I suspect your real name isn’t Cinofila so is there a name you would like me to use? Regarding your own cat it’s tricky not to fear for the future and just focus on today and, of course, it’s far better. It’s a case of not doing as I do, etc! And we all end up as dust! At the age of 75 I tend to think of that a great deal and, as a humanist, the end is the end! Both my wife, Jean, and I agree on this. Anyway, enough of this waffling, I have a cat to bury! Good to hear from you and I hope we will see you again.

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      1. Yes Paul, my name is not Cinofila. I will change it soon on my blog with my real name which is Gabriella Coppolecchia. But I understand that people find it hard to pronounce so please just call me Gabby

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  10. Losing an old friend is hard. I feel for the two of you.

    Kitten
    :
    Little furball

    Skittering underfoot

    Teasing yourself into my heart

    Sharing

    A feline lifetime of friendship

    Years of frolicking fun

    All too soon gone
    :
    Farewell

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