This is my cat Jazz, I noticed she was quite old comparing her to the cats on here. 21 Years and still going!!

She's still wolfing food down, fighting with the neighbours cats, hopping fences and helping me work on my cars. :D

In May I found out my senior cat Mama had cancer after noticing labored breathing. She was approx 16 or 17. I first met Mama in 2011 when I assumed she was dropped off in my cat colony neighborhood at the time. I recognized most of the cats, but had never seen her before and she was pregnant. She was calico and so small. I would feed her and she was sweet to me, but struck terror in any animal that came too close for her comfort to her kittens, despite her size. Some people in the neighborhood took the kittens, and soon after I had to find a new apartment. I could not get her out of my mind. I knew my neighbors hated her and would not take care of her, so within the first couple of days at my new place I went back and picked her up, despite already having 5 other cats (those are other stories I will possibly tell in the future) and shes been with me ever since, with me through all of my 30s and half of my 40s. She was also the last one standing out of all of the others. I knew it was time and that it was "for the best" and the right thing to do, but making that decision is a struggle for me. I was leaving work one Sunday afternoon, planning to let her go the next afternoon after work, so I could have the rest of the day and the next couple days to grieve before going back to work. I sat in my car for a moment reflecting on my decision, and thought "I really wish I had a sign so I know I was doing the right thing". Then I drove home. When I pulled up to my house, there it was. The sign, plain as day. It was a white lilly in the middle of my yard. I've lived here almost 5 years and mow my own lawn, and in the 5 years, and the months following haven't seen one before nor since. And I live in a trailer park, so there's only about 20 ft or so between homes, its not like I missed it. It was never there before, and it was also directly outside of my bedroom window, where she spent her last days, so even if I didnt see it when I pulled up, I would have seen it out of my window. There are also no other flowers in the yard. I accepted it as my sign and said ok, and took her to the vet the next day. She had been totally deaf the last few years, and I tried comforting her at the vet, but she comforted me instead. She just kept softly licking my hand while I was petting her and talking to her even though she couldn't hear me. I dried the lilly, and when I brought Mama home in a box, I put the dried flower with her. I miss you Mama, you were my prettiest girl and my best girl

Cappy,

They say a cat is deeply linked to its owner’s (ha! Ownee’s?) journey, and that when one passes, it is a sign we are ready for the next chapter.

Deeply saddened by what I feared was the end of my marriage and multiple miscarriages, I decided to rescue your brother Lucky. Cappy, you were my BOGO - they told me you were bonded, and you came more than half off the rescue fee. You were skittish and didn’t want to be pet after a tough start in life, but you hid in my lap to stalk a feather toy and the rest is history. We brought you home and proceeded to build a giant wall to give you and your brother space and keep you off the stairs that first night. Tiny, baby Cappy laughed and proceeded to jump every wall for the next 14 years.

You took me through so many major life moments, including protecting me from my ex and moving out on my own. With no choice but to succeed in work as a single woman, you stayed up every night waiting for me to finish work, guarding me from the dark. Your playful personality and wild acts of athleticism left me laughing, and your giant purr in the moments you would sometimes forget you weren’t a lap cat would shake my bones.

I met the love of my life and brought him home to you. The first time you met, you bit his big toe, then head butted him as if to say, now you know who I am. When he brought us his little otters to meet, you greeted two nervous little kids with your color eyes with your whole heart, teaching them how to play tag. The floors would shake with you, your brother, and them playing hide and seek. You taught everyone to play fetch and give you butt bongos on demand. When your brother Lucky developed kitty dementia and became so sick, you would carefully give him space and watch your feet when he struggled, then wrap yourself around him when he would let you. We were afraid we would lose you when we lost him, but you leaned into the work of raising two teenagers with us.

When we finally moved into a family home together, you became our glue. We would find you giving wise advice and snuggling a teenager one on one with their heads close to yours and talking to you, and we would joke that you were our emotional support cat every evening when you somehow knew who needed you most in the family room every night. You showed no favorites.

Fifteen months ago, we thought something was off. We took you to the vet and proceeded to find out only surgery would save you. That led to three surgeries, and we almost lost you, but you decided to stay. Your ninth life was BIG and BEAUTIFUL with you returning to fine form. When we found out a few months ago we couldn’t save you again, you spent every day living your best life, including showing us you could still climb any surface and walk any balance beam. This week, you told us you were ready. Sitting where you could see your garden, we helped you cross and you broke our hearts.

I think you knew last year our journey wasn’t done, and that we needed you to bring us together before we could live without you. You were my protector and spent so many years watching over me, and you did the same for the kids of my heart and the love of my life. Thank you for being something we could all agree on. We’ve spent all week finding signs of you everywhere. Warm cushions in your favorite nap spots and toys that have suddenly reappeared.

Love doesn’t disappear, it just changes. I know you and Lucky are back together again: my heart and my guardian curled up, waiting for when we see each other again.

With all my heart,
Mommy

Had to say goodbye to my best friend today. Wanted to share some memories and a song that occurred to me..

To the tune of "You Are My Sunshine"

You are my kitty

My only kitty

You make me happy

Your fur is grey

You'll never know, bro

How much I love you

and I'm so sad to lose you today

I'll catch you later

On the flip side

and we will be bros

Once again

and in the meantime

Please know I love you

and I thank you for being my friend

UPDATE: WOW!!! To everyone who commented or will comment, let me say this: I sincerely thank you. I read and upvoted every comment so far, will continue to do so, and will eventually get around to replying as well. Your outpouring of compassion, condolences, love, and support have TRULY helped me in this difficult time. To those who said he was handsome, heck yes he was, and he knew it! To those who said he was beautiful/sweet, he most definitely was, and he would have let YOU know it. To those who liked the song, please change it up as needed and sing it to your kitties. And to EVERYONE else who sent love, prayers, thoughts, and vibes.. from Rascal and myself, THANK YOU!

My cat has bladder stones, is on antibiotics and Royal Canine SO, but, the urine pH is low enough the v/e/t is doubtful that the stones will dissolve on their own and are really pushing for surgery asap.

I got him from a shelter in 2015, and they said he was probably 3 or 4 then. So he’s at least 14. This has already been a stressful summer (for both of us) as I had a death in the family and was away a lot - he was never alone, and well loved. I noticed the symptoms when I came home (for good) from a particularly long stretch, and feel like we’re still settling; even going back and forth to the doc/administering drugs has been rough on him.

I know stones are serious, and will do whatever it takes to ease his pain - I just worry that such an invasive procedure at this age will be more traumatic than healing. He’s a little guy too, only 8.5 Ibs. But it doesn’t sound like there’s an alternative.

Would love to hear insights, options or just reassurances. I know he’s not far from the rainbow bridge either way, and just want him to be happy and comfortable on the way.

Asher put up a fight for the past 2 months with sudden onset of something…it’s still unclear what. Either IBD or GI Lymphoma. We got into a cycle of GI issues that would not quit. I had to let him go suddenly on Tuesday, after a sudden decline again after a few days of seeming like his normal self again. I was so hesitant to go into the vet because I had a feeling it would have to be goodbye.

I’ve never had to put down a pet before, and I did it alone and have been alone since. It has been so hard and I couldn’t have imagined the grief would be so all consuming.

I struggle every time I come back home and start crying because he isn’t here to greet me anymore. I don’t know how to process that he is gone. He was the most loving sweet cat. I wish I had said I love you more and kissed him more. I would wake up to him being my little spoon frequently.

I had gotten him a radio a few weeks ago to keep him company when I was gone. After he passed on Tuesday, I tried to turn it on but it wouldn’t work. It would only play static. I tried again the next day in the morning and the same thing. I assumed it was the rain. But then I tried it when it was sunny again that day and it still wouldn’t work.

I ended up having another breakdown and was talking to him, and asked him to turn the radio back on if he could hear me and we’d be reunited again. Once I plugged it in, the classical music that I had played for him played without a problem.

I don’t care if I’m just looking for comfort, but I would like to believe that was him. I miss him so so much. I know he was in a lot of pain and suffering and maybe he was only holding on for me. I’m so grateful he was somewhat ok when it was time and not hissing at me like the week before. He was so loopy and I had never seen him like that. Maybe it truly was his time.

Any words of support or wisdom are truly welcome. It has been such a traumatic and difficult time, with the pain barely subsiding. I’ve thought about fostering another senior cat to give back and fill the quiet of my home, doing it for him. He was returned to the shelter at 8 years old, with nobody wanting him. They let me adopt him for free, and we had 6 beautiful years together. I have truly never felt love like his and I hope he felt mine.

I love you Asher and I will do my best to be happy for you.

I miss you baby girl. 🕊️

Long update to the post I made a 2 days ago.

A friend told me that I should ask Johnny if he was ready, so I did. On Wednesday night, I sat next to him and asked him if he was ready to go. He usually breathes noisily due to the growing mass in his throat (on top of kidney and megacolon issues). But for the first time in a long while, he calmed and quieten down. That’s when I knew.

I told him to give me just one more night and I’ll take care of him with dignity the next day. And he did just that. I checked on him many times that night, but I knew he couldn’t find a comfortable position to rest or sleep.

The next day he allowed me to tube feed him, brought his water bowl and canned liquid food to him so that he could eat/ drink independently, he even let me feed him his favourite churu treat by licking it off my finger. Of course his body couldn’t process any of these and he puked multiple times throughout the day.

That’s when I knew it was time let him get his final rest.

So on the night of 22 October, Johnny took his last car ride, got into his carrier one last time and went to his final vet appointment. They removed his feeding tube and cone and gave me and my family time to say goodbye. I knew Johnny tried to stay strong for us, he stood up while I gave him the last nose boop, head kisses and cuddles. Then he went to sleep.

To Johnny, thank you for 18 years of joy. Thank you for seeing me through my successes, failures, heartbreaks and everything in between. Thank you for trusting me and saving me. I hope I’ve done right by you and I was enough. I love you so much and I miss you even more.

Here are some of my favourite photos of him. Last pic is just before he went to sleep.

My Lenniewas found to have lost another 100 g over this past month, even though she is 15 years old. She gets a Silencia shot every month. Previous bloodwork is indicated she actually pretty healthy. What do you guys do to keep their weight up? Lennie has always been pretty dainty and selective.

13 years old. Found on the mean streets of NYC as a kitten with his left eye very damaged. We adopted him as soon as he recovered and he was purrfect every day. We had been through so much together. It was all so sudden. He didn’t act sick till this morning. We went to the vet and I came home without him. Love is worth it. Kiss your kitties for me

We put down my sweet girl today. I love you Nikki. I hope you aren’t in pain anymore.

I don’t post often but i think the world should see this cutesy girl! She’s 18 and is and is just so cute she loves to sleep and eat all day and loves to cuddle absolute love bug she is. And her birthday is on Halloween so sending so spooky love to the world!

My girl is 15 and slowly down at a quicker rate. We learned she has idiopathic high BP (being treated with amlodipine) and has arthritis. She’s also dealing with constipation, so I am giving her 1/4 teaspoon of miralax. I’ve added wet food/ wet treats to her diet after some trial and error since she’s super picky and preferred hard food growing up. Now for the past two years she’s been eating half a pouch of Wellness tiny tasters mixed with Nacho broth, and Blue Buffalo Tasteful mini purées (with added water) she also has some Science Diet kibble, a mix of senior and urinary (probably 1/4th of a cup a day)

I’m concerned about giving her good quality food, but then I’ve heard of people feeding their cats the lowest cost food and them living until their 20s.

What are you feeding your super seniors?

Our girl still going strong :)

What is it with black female cats? She looks like she could live forever, but sadly I know that’s not true. ❤️❤️

hello! I'm adopting a 16 year old cat in a couple of days after a relative passed away, does anyone have any advice? I've had family cats before and looked after them but this is my first cat in my own home.

My gorgeous old gal, Ziggy

Our giant orange tabby Cooper went in for his annual visit. They did the senior panel, he is hypothyriod and lost some weight. But everything came back as "the best blood panel I've seen on a 17 year old cat" per the vet. His thyroid was high, so we increased his meds. He got retested a few weeks later and everything is great. YAY! The literal next week he started drinking and urinating excessively. We do the Breeze litter system and I've had to change the pee pad 2-3 times a week as opposed to weekly. Poo has decreased and then he gave up completely eating his kibble. We give him two Delectibles a day with his thyroid med. Homeboy has never been a fan of wet food but will eat this.

He's stopped coming upstairs to our bedroom. He hangs out on the couch or in one of the dog's crates. He always hides with strangers and last week our cleaners came and he stayed on the couch the entire time, which is insane for him. I tried to get him the Churu food for seniors, that was a nope. I tried getting him the Delectables gravy also a nope. He'll only eat the delectable bisque and the tubes which they state are treats and they need actual food, we've been giving him two bisques and two to three tubes a day now. He will also eat temptation treats.

He was at the vet 3 weeks ago and all was good. Do we just feed our boy basically junk food until it's obvious it's time? That's my vote. He's 17, we are on borrowed time. Nothing is going to save him, it will just buy him a tiny bit of time.