It started on Tuesday with him growling, snarling and hissing at me in pain, however he did manage to pee before I took him to the vets who reported back to me that they couldn't find anything wrong, and his diabetes and thyroid tests came back normal. It was a puzzle to us all what had actually happened and we decided he must've attempted to jump on the kitchen counter and had hurt himself.
They gave him an anti-inflammatory shot and he came home, but 2 days later when that shot wore off he was having trouble again. That was a sleepless night for us both. He tried so many times to go to the toilet and I couldn't tell if he was constipated or couldn't pee, but I knew it was the plumbing that was the problem. He vomited all his dinner up. He wouldn't eat but he did drink some milk. He barely slept. We got one hour before he vomited the milk up. Friday morning I took him straight in and they drained his bladder to give him relief. The plan then was to try him on antispasmodic meds and hopefully he would pee and clear out all the crystals that had built up and was blocking him from peeing.
However, by Saturday afternoon he just couldn't go on his own. The next step was to insert a catheter for a few days, but the feline diabetes would've left him susceptible to an infection which would've been much more painful. I made the hard decision to say goodbye only after spending time with him and a kitty litter tray to see for myself that he just couldn't do it. A part of me was dreading I was wrong, and he would've been able to go but after we said goodbye the vet checked him and he had no muscle control to go anyway. So I know I made the right decision for my bubby boy. Further attempts would've been futile. His body had begun to give up on him.
Mum and my BF came to say goodbye with me. He had won their hearts over too. Especially my BF who quite often has pointed out to me that Salem was his favourite and had been doing his insulin injections this year with me (therefore after myself he was now Salem's favourite too!!). We all took turns having a cuddle and listening to that loud purr of his. I often wonder what runs through their minds during those last goodbyes. Do they know what's happening? He was more fascinated by the passing cars outside the window at times. After everyone had a cuddle I put him back on my lap and the vet (who was also GabaaGoo's vet) came in the room to do ... that. I cannot put it quite into words yet. She said I could keep him on my lap for it which was a beautiful thing for us both, as he quickly got sleepy and just laid down on my lap. A minute later she said he was gone. I'm so glad I got to hold him in his last moments. I had him from the day he was born until the day he died. I never gave up on that little grumpy fluffy black cat. He was my boy.. GabaaGoo's son and I just couldn't give him away..
We buried him in a peaceful corner at the family home, where mum is now living again. He is just outside her bedroom. We had discussed her having him during my birthday because my BF and I had planned to go away a few nights, so he was going to go on a holiday there this weekend. Also, back at the old house Mum always used to come into the lounge room at night and tell me she was going to bed. Salem used to jump up and get a pat off her every time she would do it. Eventually, instead of telling me she was going to bed she would walk in saying "I'm going to bed now Bubby" and he'd rush to her and smother her in hugs and purrs. So now she has both. He is there with her, and she calls out to him each night "I'm going to bed now Bubby". So I know he'd be very happy to be home with his nana again.
RIP Salem, our Bubby Boy. I know you would thank me for all the love and caring for you, and I thank you likewise for all the love and caring for me too. Such a beautiful, bossy boy. 23/7/05 - 20/9/14
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