My 9000th post for my kitty Rocky

[BarenakedLady]

I just got the results from his biopsy this evening. He has Squamous Cell Carcinoma in his mouth. Surgery would include removal of half his jaw and part of his tongue. He is approximately 13 years old. I can't put him through that. All I can do for him now is keep him comfortable and happy.

He and his two littermates were dumped in a supermarket parking lot in the middle of winter at about 3 months of age. My brother-in-law was working there at the time. After about two weeks, they were captured and brought home to me. I named them Rocky, Duke, and Spike, because I felt they deserved to have tough street names. They became pampered indoor cats. Spike was unfortunately let outside in 1999 never to return. :cry:

Rocky and Duke have never been apart more than a day since they've been born. I don't know how Dukie will live without his best friend and brother. Heck, I'm not sure how I'm going to be without my bedmate, Rocky. :cry: Please send him comfort vibes, no pain vibes, etc. He is a sweet cat and I love him so very much.







The brothers

[bigwillq]

1. Congrats on 9K!

:toast:

[BarenakedLady]

3. Thanks

It's certainly bittersweet.

[fizzgig]

2. oh sweetie

i am so sorry :hug:

and :hug: for rocky and duke

[BarenakedLady]

4. Thanks babe

:hug:

Feel better!

:hug:

[Inchworm]

5. Now you have me feeling like a stalker

I am truly sorry to hear about Rocky. It sounds like you gave him a wonderful life. I hope the rest of his days are a joy to you both. :hug: :cry:

What a wonderful dedication for so many posts.

:hug:

PS: I still have a crush, so my hugs have lil teeny tiny hearts floating to where you and Rocky are :loveya:

[BarenakedLady]

17. Thanks Inchworm

He has had a good comfortable life so far. I will continue to give him that.

:hug:

[driver8]

6. Sending lots of good vibes and hugs to Rocky...

and to Duke!

They are very handsome boys.

[BarenakedLady]

18. Thank you

They are beauties.

[GenDem]

7. Congrats on reaching 9000

and so very sorry about your Rocky. :hug:

[BarenakedLady]

19. Thank you

:hug:

[Sanity Claws]

8. I'm sorry to hear this

You made the right choice. How long is he expected to live in his condition? Is he in pain?

[BarenakedLady]

20. No pain

that I can tell. He is unable to clean himself properly (can't stick tongue out enough). That seems to be the major problem right now. He is still eating. I'm noticing more drooling that usual as well tonight. *sigh*

I didn't ask how long it will be. I couldn't bear knowing.

Thank you.

[Haole Girl]

9. I'm sending...

...you, your family, Rocky and Duke comfort vibes, no pain vibes, and lots of hugs... :hug: :hug: :hug:

[BarenakedLady]

21. Thank you

I appreciate it. :hug:

[GoneOffShore]

10. oh no!!

What a sweet looking guy he is.

Keep him comfortable and give him lots of love and then put him to sleep gently when his time comes.

:cry: :hug:

[BarenakedLady]

22. That's the plan

This will be the first of my animals I will have to put to sleep. My dear dog Katie went on her own several years ago.

Thank you

:hug:

[idgiehkt]

11. I am so sorry, BNL

I have had to make that decision more than once and it never easy. A vet told me once 'it's quality of life that matters more than quantity'. Nice of you to devote your 9000th post to the kitty. :hug: :hug: :hug:

[BarenakedLady]

23. Thanks idg

It's all part of being a pet owner, I know. It's so hard.

:hug:

[lizerdbits]

12. Congrats and I'm sorry

My first 2 cats had tumors behind the same eye a year apart (also litter mates). One was 17 and one was 18. The vet said at that age they probably wouldn't survive surgery and the one who got it first also had an enlarged heart and fluid in his lungs. Ironically both were diagnosed in the summer while my sister and I were home for college so we had them put down before we went back so we could be there. The only other option we had was what you're doing, try to keep the pain down for their last weeks/months.
:hug:

[BarenakedLady]

25. That must have been very difficult

I'm sorry.

Thank you for your well wishes.

:hug:

[TOhioLiberal]

13. Congrat on 9000, my dear...

...I am sorry to hear about your precious kitty, though. May he be as comfortable as possible, and may his passing be peaceful.

[BarenakedLady]

26. Thank you my friend

I appreciate that. :hug:

[TOhioLiberal]

32. You're welcome...

...:hug::pals:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. That's so sad about Rocky.

My Teddy, who was 15, had the same thing; all we could do was keep him comfortable as long as we could, since surgery wouldn't have been the humane thing to do under the circumstances. I still miss him, but he had a good, happy life (even though he was also diabetic), and I'm sure your Rocky has been well-loved, too. I feel for you. :hug:

[BarenakedLady]

27. Thank you

I am trying to focus on that. He has had a very happy life.

:hug:

[mike_c]

15. oh damn, I'm so sorry-- keep him comfortable and try to know when...

...it's time to say good-bye. Damn damn damn. I lost my Marble just over a week ago-- it's so hard. Rocky is a beautiful cat and you not only saved his life, you gave him a life far beyond anything he would have had otherwise. Your unwillingness to put him through such a terrible surgery is further proof of how much he means to you. Keep him comfortable and loved for as long as you can, then help him to go peacefully. Damn, I'm crying. Best wishes to you and Rocky. :hug:

[BarenakedLady]

28. Thank you so much

I'm so sorry about Marble. :hug: 13 years is a long time to bond with a pet. It will be difficult to be without him. Your kind words mean a lot to me. :hug:

[bullwinkle428]

16. Your cats are beautiful - I know exactly what you're going through,

after losing one a little over a year ago, and I hadn't even had her for 2 years. They really do become almost like a child of yours! Positive vibes sent your way for him... :hug:

[BarenakedLady]

29. Thank you

:hug:

I'm sorry about your loss as well. :hug:

[SPKrazy]

24. Awww, I'm Sorry Sweetie...

no that would be too much for a kitty to go through, especially a 13 year old one. He's a pretty kitty though BNL, I'm so sorry that he is sick. I know you obviously love and care about her too.

:hug: :hug: :hug:
X
1 Brazillion
------------------
3 Brazillion hugs for BNL

:hi:

[BarenakedLady]

30. Thank you SPK

He's my sweetie.

Thanks for the brazillion hugs. :hug:

[stuntcat]

31. kitty love vibes

they are beautiful! I'm glad Rocky has people loving and caring for him, it's hard on us to decide these things about our babies. The kitties don't worry so much as long as we keep them comfy.. you'll do the right things for Rocky :hug:
Maybe Duke would need a new buddy though, he's never been a loner cat right? And he's not too old to want to play a little.

[BarenakedLady]

39. Thanks stuntcat

Maybe I'll get Dukie a friend. I'm not sure though. He's still got the dogs to cuddle against and I'm not sure I can handle a new responsibility right now.

Thank you for you kind words.

:hug:

[stuntcat]

46. (dog-cuddling)

(okay good, that's good friends for sweet Dukie!)

[Fredda Weinberg]

33. Live in the moment ... they do

And love lasts forever. It's all about the relationship and that never dies.

[BarenakedLady]

40. That's sweet

and so true. They both slept with me all night. I kept waking up and cuddling with him. He probably thinks I've gone nuts. But by the volume of his purrs, he was happy about it!

:hug:

[Fredda Weinberg]

52. In the wild, predation eliminate competition

The magic of being with you was the state of sharing ... so unnatural, but wonderland to a beast. You can tame 'em as you like - they remain beasties.

I hope the truth helps healing. I've found it to be so.

[billyskank]

34. I am so sorry

:cry:

:hug: for you and your baby :loveya:

[BarenakedLady]

41. Thank you billy

:hug:

[judaspriestess]

35. awww, sending you hugs

tomorrow, I'm still in PST will be my two year anniversary of letting my babycat go.

Cherish every single second with him like you always have.

[BarenakedLady]

42. I'm sorry for your loss

:hug:

Thank you.

[VenusRising]

36. BNL I'm so sorry.

Comfort and good vibes to you and your fur-babies.

:hug::hug::hug::hug:
:hug::hug::hug::hug:
:hug::hug::hug::hug:

[BarenakedLady]

43. Thanks

:hug:

Give your big guy a squeeze for me.

[VenusRising]

62. Anytime, hon.

:hug:

[Guava Jelly]

37. Poor Kitty

:hug: I'm sorry BNL :(

[BarenakedLady]

44. Thank you

You know how I've been fretting about this. But I think I knew deep down inside what the results would be.

:hug:

[Guava Jelly]

63. I know you loved your kitty

Take comfort in knowing you gave your freind the best life you could.
I cried like a baby when i lost my last two :hug:

[Hudgie DeRobertis]

38. Sorry to hear about your kitty,

I know what you're going through as I've just lost a kitty last week to cancer. During the previous weeks I had come across
some information on researchers in Canada who had found a treatment for cancer that had showed promise in lab rats and human
invitro cells. The chemical they were testing is called DCA (Sodium Dichloroacetate). This chemical has not been fully tested
but people have been trying on their own. If your interested there is a website called buydca.com that sells the chemical, which is
relatively inexpensive, and has other information and a pet forum. We were going to try it but unfortunately we ran out of time.
Whichever way you decide to go I'm sending you and your kitty positive vibes.

[BarenakedLady]

45. Thanks for the info

and the well wishes.

:hug:

[haf216]

47. Sending all my vibes Rocky's way.

There is some in there for you too.:hug:

[BarenakedLady]

48. Thank you

I appreciate it. :hug:

[wildhorses]

49. they are beautiful!!! and for rocky ....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~peaceful comfort vibes and love~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[BarenakedLady]

56. Thank you

:hug:

[racaulk]

50. I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty, BnL...

Take comfort in knowing that you gave him a wonderful life, and just continue to love and cherish him in the time he has left. I'm sending love and positive vibes your way. Best of luck to you.

Both of your cats are beautiful, by the way.

:hug:

[BarenakedLady]

57. Thank you very much

:hug:

[ThomCat]

51. I hope Rocky has an easy, painfree time until the time comes.

:hug:

[BarenakedLady]

58. Thank you ThomCat

:hug:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

53. what a beautiful cat.

i am sorry :hug: :cry:

[BarenakedLady]

59. Thanks

:cry: :hug:

[musette_sf]

54. sending love and hugs to you

and your little guys. peace and love to Rocky. (i had a Rocky too, she passed some years ago)

i know how you feel about "how will Dukie do without his brother?" we had four from the same litter, since age 4-5 days old in 2000, and Big Bro Junie recently passed. the two boys we still have, especially Junie's best pal Bat, miss him so. only time and love can heal.

[BarenakedLady]

60. You are right

The day that Rocky spent at the vet for the biopsy was tough on Duke. He prowled around the house "meowing" for Rocky. Broke my heart. :cry:

Thank you for your thoughts.



:hug:

[ceile]

55. Poor baby!

For you and the boy :hug:

[BarenakedLady]

61. Thanks

:hug: