Beloved Feline Friends

[rosarugosa]

I did not post about this previously because it hurt too much, but we had to euthanize our best buddy Ogden two weeks ago.
We adopted him in 2010 from a local rescue, and he was 2-3 years old at the time. He was the most affectionate cat we've ever had; he would only "speak" when he wanted to be picked up and hugged or to get into our laps.
We never did figure out exactly what was wrong with him despite ultrasound, bloodwork, expanded bloodwork, etc.. We were giving him prednisone, appetite stimulant, b-12 injections, and anti-nausea meds, but at the end he just wouldn't eat, and he really hated getting medicated. We tried baby food, tuna. I spent a lot of time following him around the house with bowls of food beseeching him to eat.
The vet said he might have a lymphoma that did not show on ultrasound, and next steps were invasive procedures such as endoscopy or biopsy. We opted not to subject him to those. On 2/11, we had a wonderful vet come to the house and send him off very peacefully. I was grateful we could give him that final gift, as painful as it was.
So today we have an appointment to meet Louie at a shelter in Providence, RI. Yes, there are lots of homeless cats closer to us, but this guy checks all the boxes: playful and friendly with other cats (a buddy for Raymond), not-too-old adult (about 4), friendly with people, and bonus, he is orange and white like Oggie. I feel a little weird about that last one, but I realize Oggie had convinced me of the oft-heard sentiment that orange cats are the friendliest. Oggie was almost magically wonderful, not that I'm biased or anything.
Oggie is irreplaceable in our hearts, but the fact is that we now have a vacancy and can give some other cat a very good life. Plus, Raymond is a bit standoffish, and is currently being subjected to about as much attention and affection as he can stand from the two of us. He would probably be pleased to share this burden. Here is a last look at Oggie, and if all goes well, you will soon be seeing pictures of Louie.
Oggie fitness.jpg

[herbgeek]

Sorry ofnthe loss of your cat. I still miss mine 5 years later.

[catherine]

So very sorry, rosa. There is something about losing our furry friends that hurts so darn much.

I am glad you are offering another cat a place in your home and in your heart. I hope all goes well.

[iris lilies]

That was a great gift you gave Oggie, no invasive procedures. He was a wonderful cat. They are all so different!
I agree that you need one affectionate cat if you have one who is not about the cuddling.

[Tybee]

Rosa, my heart goes out to you. And getting another kitty is a wonderful idea and I'm sure Oggie put it in your head.

[pinkytoe]

I know how hard it is to lose a cat buddy so I send my condolences. I have two old Siamese cats and I know I will have to deal with this coming up. I have decided not to pursue expensive treatments to diagnose or prolong their already long lives. Now that vets make house calls for euthanasia, that is what we will do when the day comes.

[happystuff]

I'm so sorry, rosa. It is never easy saying good-bye to the pet members of our family. I'm glad you and Oggie had each other. Good luck with adding the newest member to your family.

[littlebittybobby]

Okay---Sorry to hear the badd news about Ogden. I am dreading the inevitable loss of any of my catts. Thatts onne reason I have several at any given time. Hope thatt helpps you some. Thatt beinng saidd, I prefer the cases---off the street in dire need, or the really shy ones who need confidence-building to bee a pett. That doesn't make me virtuous, it means I enjoy a challenge. Plus, traffic is Murder--I don't know how you kids do it.

[Simone]

Sorry about Oggie. Sounds like he was very special.

But happy your hearts are open and lucky Louie will have a loving home.

[rosarugosa]

Thanks for the kind thoughts everyone. I am fortunate to have so many good people in my life.
LBB: Louie was at a city animal shelter, and apparently he was a stray before they got him. So he was reasonably needy.
The shelter is run by Providence Animal Control, and we were really impressed by how nice it was. Every cat had an individual 3 story cage with blankets, toys, and cardboard scratchers in addition to the usual necessities. The employees were all very nice, and it looked like they spent time visiting and socializing with the cats on a regular basis.
Poor Louis got car sick and also pooped in his cat carrier, and of course there was an accident on I-93 north so traffic totally sucked (even worse than the usual suckiness), and it reeked inside the car, and the poor little guy was frantic to get out of the disgusting cat carrier and crying all the way home and trying to bust out. It felt like the longest road trip ever! But once we got home, he has shown himself to be very friendly and inquisitive despite such a trying day. I think he's going to be a wonderful boy.
He looks just like Ogden in pictures, but in person you can see that they are really different. He and Raymond are very curious about each other, but we are giving it a bit of time before giving them full access to each other. Given the layout and space constraints in our house, we can't give it too much time though. It is a major pain for us to keep them separated.
louie2.jpg
louie4.jpg