The Magnificent Noble Minnie the Lounge Cat is making her farewell tour of this world.

[jobycom]

Sad news, to anyone who remembers Minnie. She has survived two near-death illnesses in her life, but she seems to be at the end of it all, now. She's a beautiful if neurotic fourteen year old cat, who has terrorized the other cats in her life in a fierce battle for the human affections she's craved--mostly mine. At times I've been infuriated to the point of hatred of her. But now, she has swollen lymph nodes, a dilated pupil, some infection they can't pinpoint, and she won't eat--I've been force-feeding her for days. She has symptoms of massive organ failure, lymphoma, and neurological disorders including possible brain cancer. The vet's prognoses was a guarded "We could probably charge you a lot of money for a slight chance that she will live another six months to a year, but at her age, even that's not a certainty."

Still waiting on the blood test and an analysis of the massive lump on her neck. But so far the plan is to take her back home and continue forcefeeding her until I feel her level of suffering is beyond her enjoyment of life, and make the final decision. I feel like we're talking weeks, at most.

Shed a tear if you must, but also celebrate the wondrous life she has enjoyed, and the beautiful addition to this world, and my life, that she has been. And hope for her final time to be as comfortable and enjoyable as can be wished for. If you are of such spirit, hope that she will once again confound the experts and live on, though it is an unlikely hope. She's lived a good life, and will leave very fond, and a few maddening, memories as she departs for destinations unknown.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. Aw, sweetie. I'm sorry.

Minnie is beautiful. Safe passage to her.


:hug:

[jobycom]

3. Thanks.

[KitchenWitch]

2. much love to you and Minnie as you spend the rest of her days.

:hug:

Minnie is MAGNIFICENT.

[jobycom]

4. Thank you, she appreciates the affection.

[Maestro]

5. It is always difficult to lose a pet

but your attitude is commendable. She led a full life and leaves you and your family with many good memories. Peace to Minnie.

[jobycom]

6. My attitude now, you mean. I have no idea what it will be then,.

:(

Though I am steeling myself so that I can help my kids deal with it better. I hope.

[Maestro]

12. I understand. And I meant now, currently.

When the time comes, you will be better prepared and strong for the kids, but certainly do not hide your tears in front of your kids. It was/is a well loved member of the family. Shedding tears is fine and normal.

[lizziegrace]

7. For you and the kids

:hug:

[jobycom]

9. Thank you, fellow bean-counter person.

:hug: I know it's trivial compared to your travails of late. Thanks for the hug.

[lizziegrace]

13. I beg to differ

it's not trivial at all. My cats are my family and losing one would leave a hole that could never be filled. What I'm dealing with is noise. ;)

[jobycom]

8. Unexpected update--not great, but interesting.

Just got a call on the bloodwork. Apparently Minnie does not have most of what she is showing symptoms of. This is not encouraging, really, just less bad. The outcome will probably be the same. But her bloodwork showed no kidney or liver problems, and no white cell increase, or any of the other signs.

She's still not eating, barely moving, breathing poorly, and has a dilated pupil and swollen lymph nodes, so about the best all this means is that maybe they could treat her with a slightly higher chance of success if they find out what's wrong. And maybe it means she's not suffering as much as I'd thought. I hope it means that.

[stuntcat]

10. she's had a 100% great life!

no matter what. I'm glad you found out she might not be suffering much. She's lucky she's got someone caring for her.

I love her pretty fur and her little pick toesies :loveya:

[FloridaJudy]

11. I don't know much about cats

But usually when sick people stop eating or drinking fluids on their own, the end is near. Maybe you could keep her alive a little longer by force-feeding her, but I wonder if you're doing her a kindness? I'm not criticizing - I know you must love her - just saying sometimes the dying know more about what they need than the ones who love them do.

I hope this works out for the best, either way.

[jobycom]

14. Normally that's true, but not always, especially with this cat.

She stopped eating once before just because she hated her cat food, and that caused her liver to do something I'm not medically qualified to understand, and because her liver was doing this (it involved digesting her own fat), she felt full even though she was starving. So force-feeding her forced her liver to start digesting the food instead of her own body, and that made her recover. That was three years ago, and she's been rather healthy since then until recently.

So this time I didn't want her to go into liver failure, so I started force-feeding her, until I could see if there was anything else that could be done. She still wants to eat, she just can't, so part of me was hoping she just had a throat infection or that her swollen lymph nodes were making it hard to eat. That still might be the case, but so much else is wrong that it's no comfort.

[BrklynLiberal]

15. i am so sorry that your lovely Minnie appears to be at the end of her journey with you.

I hope that the time she has left is filled with love and comfort..and that her final minutes are quiet and peaceful, and when she leaves you, it is with the knowledge that she is, and always was, very well loved.

She is a beautiful girl..

[Texasgal]

16. What a beautiful baby!

I am so sorry... :(

[lukasahero]

17. You and Minnie are in my thoughts

May she once again confound the vets and if that is not to be, may her passing be peaceful and may you find comfort in her memory.

:hug:

[applegrove]

18. RIP Minnie.