Goodbye Sandy

This morning we had to make the horrible decision to put Sandy to sleep. I feel awful.

After a visit to the vet yesterday, x-rays and a cortisone injection, he improved until 4am this morning. After that our poor Sumpkins found breathing very difficult. 

I took him back to the vet when they opened at 9am and after some time in the oxygen box, we decided that it was best to let him go. They were concerned that he would have a heart attack because he was so stressed and that he would not survive the general required to oxygenate him for the longer term and to put him on the IV antibiotics that he would need as part of treating possible pneumonia. That is if it was pneumonia, which also had no guarantee of recovery. Time in the 24hr vet would also be required which leads to thousands of dollars. We love him so much, but couldn't spend that much on what they described as a small chance of recovery or even, possibly, a new diagnosis of cancer.

Tilly has been a dream and gone to sleep for a long nap, so I've spent some time looking through old photos.  I'd like to keep them here in the same place to remember and not lose them.

Sandy was the best cat ever. I've not met a kinder, more gentle and 'bomb-proof' cat in my life. He was the perfect pet to have around kids- I'm sad that Tilly won't have her playmate as she grows up. :(   

Meeting Sandy for the first time. I chose to adopt him within minutes. He bounded up to me and gave the best cuddles form the very beginning. (15th December 2008) 

He's always been a bit of a stress-head so he was slow to come out of his shell at home, preferring the cover of darkness to come out for snuggles and to interact. By day, he hid under the bed or couches for the first week... but he quickly settled in and became such a loved part of the place. My housemate had just moved back to Queensland, so it was just Sandy and I in our little house. He was a great companion. All of my friends loved him too.

 A habit of Sandy's was that he had to be near you. We joked that he was a 'dog-cat'. He'd sometimes follow me around the house and you can be sure that when we sat down, he'd hop on a lap quickly. If it was too hot or if he was sent off, he'd slump on the back of the couch or seat you were sitting on and make she he was touching you somehow. Perhaps there would be a paw gently resting on your shoulder or a full arm around your neck. He was partial to the odd headbutt or playing with a pony tail that got in his way!

  

 

He loved a good snuggle and relished the opportunity to share the bed, something that didn't happen too often after Tobes and I got married. He usually managed to position himself right between your calves, in the perfect position to prevent you from being completely comfortable! However, he also liked to snuggle in under the doona if you let him.

The night before Toby and I got married.

He was an inside cat and liked to look out of windows to keep his eye on things.

And then return for hugs.

 

And something I've loved even more about Sandy in the past 10 weeks has been his gentleness with Tilly. Not once did he swipe or threaten her. He often stayed close, almost guarding her, and checked in to make sure everything was ok. Just yesterday when he was so sick, he rested on the floor of her nursery, next to cot as she slept.

 

I may have only had you for 3 and a bit years, but I sure am going to miss you Sandy Sumpkins. 

8th November 2003 - 15th March 2012