Yesterday was a very sad day for us.
Barnes, one of our four cats, had to be put to sleep after we took him to the pet hospital because he was having trouble breathing. A bit over a year ago, Barnes was diagnosed with Diabetes and he'd been getting regular insulin injections (2 per day) and vet visits. In fact, his most recent visit (3-4 weeks back) was very good. The doctor was happy with his progress and he generally seemed peppier. His blood test results were all very positive.
But yesterday when we noticed he seemed to be working harder to breathe, I knew something was very wrong.
He was placed into a 100% oxygen environment to make is breathing easier while they conducted some tests and gathered information. After some X-rays, we learned the extent of his troubles. He had an enlarged heart, fluid in his lungs, and cancer.
In a way, it's good we didn't see this coming.
His brother Noble seems to be taking it better than we are, and they'd been together their entire ~12 years. His newer brothers Timmy and Thunder will surely miss him as well.
His favorite activities in the world were eating chicken (and fish), exploring our catnip plants and toys, getting belly rubs, and napping on his favorite fuzzy blanket.
Barnes was the most loving and strong cat we'd ever known. He was probably hiding his illnesses for a long time, hoping for a few more belly rubs with us and visits with the catnip plants we grew.
We'll really, really miss him.
Here are a few of the pictures and videos we'll use to remember him...
Barnes as a Kitten
Barnes and Noble as Kittens
Banes on the Bed
Barnes Stretches
Barnes and Noble Cuddle
Barnes on the Floor
Barnes
Barnes and Noble
Barnes and Noble
Please remember to get your pets regular checkups with a good vet. They deserve it.
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