Your Pet Tributes

by Sher Anderson
(Longwood, FL)

RIP my sweet kitty Spike. He was a stray in the neighborhood but always hung around our place. In 2011 I won over his trust and took him in. Those were the fun days. He followed me everywhere and sure kept down the rodent population around our place. He was happy being in a loving home and we were wonderful company for each other. And then I noticed a horrible little bump growing on his neck and it turned out to be a tumor. The vet said he couldn't operate because it was on a major vessel and that the operation would only have a 20 percent chance of being successful. He drained it and stitched it and said Spikey was not in pain.

I decided to let Spikey live out his life with me. The bump grew and Spikey slowed down and spent the days sleeping and the nights going outside. He still ran and jumped and didn't look to be in distress - until this week. It seems like the bump doubled in size overnight and began to take on a wretched life of its own. I was afraid it would rupture and my poor baby would bleed to death.

Today my husband took him to the vet to see if it could be drained, to see if we couldn't make Spike more comfortable. He was so brave today. He kept looking at me as if to say 'I know you did everything you could for me.. and I love you for it.' The vet said that it would be more merciful to let Spike go to sleep because he was in pain and there was nothing that could be done except to release him so that he would not suffer even more horribly if the thing ruptured. I knew in my heart that nothing more could be done and agreed to let his suffering end.

Oh my poor sweet baby, this is the most difficult thing in the world. My dog and cat were my life and today my heart is breaking. I knew this day was coming but there is no preparation for it. But it is so hard knowing he wouldn't be coming back home. I feel so helpless and hopeless in the face of horrible disease and suffering.

Spikey I am crying so hard but I know that now I am suffering and you won't have to anymore. I look forward to the time that I will see you and my other pets who went before you, and that we will run through beautiful meadows and we will all be together again and know no more suffering. We will all be happy together and free of sickness and pain. Spikey please forgive me, baby, but my heart was breaking seeing that horrible disease growing on your neck. Even though you showed no pain, I know it hurt you. Now I know you will live on in my heart and in cyberspace until we are together again. I love you, sweet kitty.