Final Part: The Epilogue

Part one: Max The Cat Who Survived In Spite Of The Vet
Part two: The Training

Epilogue and Eulogy for our beloved Max.

In August of 2000, Max began to have one of those diseases that cats get in old age: a hyperactive thyroid. He responded well to the medication, but there were other things going on coincidentally at the same time. He also had considerable intestinal distress, and this never did let up even though we changed his food and medication. This continued off and on for a while He gained back a few pounds that he'd lost, but never went above the ten pound mark. This was a significant loss for a cat as big as Max.

Two weeks ago, in mid-January, the intestinal distress increased again, and he once again began to lose weight. He also seemed to be talking a lot, blerting as he wandered the house, even meowing a bit. He didn't like being handled much, though, it seemed to hurt him to be picked up and moved around. So I let him rest as much as he wanted, and snuggled him when he'd let me.

In the first days of February, he seemed to lose ground a little faster, and lost interest in eating and drinking. As painful as it was, I knew the time was drawing close when he'd tell me he was ready to move on.

Then, on the morning of February 3, 2001, I gathered Max to me and took him to see his beloved Dr. Angelique. She gave him an examination, and the way her hands moved so gently over his body told me she knew the kind of pain he was experiencing. She told me she believed he was having some severe bowel disorders, even possibly cancer, and that we could treat it by hospitalisation, but that she believed we'd be having the same discussion in a week or two. She reminded me that she'd been hearing his heart murmur again recently, and she hadn't heard it in six years before. I remember how Max looked at me that morning, and I just couldn't imagine him having to be in such pain for that much longer. As I held his head in the palm of my hand and stroked him and told him what a good boy he was and how much I loved him, she bent and kissed him, and told him what a handsome fellow he was, and then with both of us crying, she set his little spirit free.

I can't begin to tell you how much I miss him, his comical little movements, his affectionate nature, the sounds he made to let me know he was there. I miss his wanderings, learnings, forgettings, and most I miss his warm company as I sit here at my computer. I wish you well, my little fat fellow, and may the kisses and stroking of loving hands always be with you.