(no subject)

Gilbert hasn't been coming to bed much lately, so I didn't think too much of it when he didn't last night. But he hasn't moved all morning from where he was sitting, and when I picked him up just now he was very limp, sort of meeped, and had trouble walking when I put him down again.

I've got a vet appointment for this afternoon.

RIP: W S Gilbert Spoor Cat

The vet did on-site blood tests and confirmed that Gilbert's kidneys had pretty much shut down. His blood toxins were off the scale and the chemical that tells his body to make red blood cells was nil. He had lost over five pounds of his 10.5 weight of July. So I agreed he should be put to sleep. They gave him a heavy sedative, then after he was fast asleep, a lethal injection. He died literally within seconds.

I brought him home to let the other cats see he's gone, then took him back; they have arrangements with a very nice-sounding cemetary and crematorium. His ashes will be spread out over a huge apple orchard, which is grand. I'm sure he would always have preferred to be an outdoor cat, especially if there had been apple trees to climb.

June 1990 to November 2008; loved and spoiled the whole time, a good life for a cat, all thigns considered. I am going to miss him very much.