R.I.P. Tails

We lost Tails today. I'm quite a bit heartbroken...

Tails has been at the sanctuary for several years now, 3 I think, and he is the brother to the recently adopted "TJ". Though they weren't particularly bonded to one another specifically, they both enjoyed the company of other cats - which, towards the end of their time together, did include one another.

Our handsome gray cat had the opportunity to be adopted. Due to Tails's medical history ("He had heart disease at some point, but he was also hyperthyroid. He was treated successfully for his hyperthyroidism, and that treatment may also have reversed his heart disease.") we decided to have Tails examined by a vet before he was adopted. It was at this time we found out that Tails was in congestive heart failure and had fluids on his lungs. Needless to say, Tails was not adopted* in order to keep his stress down, keep him comfortable and start a requment of medicines to give Tails the best shot possible.

Tails hung in there for a couple months, lucky boy, and was able to see his brother TJ adopted out quite recently and welcome a new cat into his room - Geri. He did have to have more fluid taken off his lungs and went through several types of medicine (different kinds and varieties of those -liquid, pills, injectible-). He was also able to eat whatever he wanted, a real treat to a boy who has for some time now been in our "fat cat" room on a diet. :)

Yesterday, Tails was really seeming down and he had been. His appetite had been down, he wasn't talking like he usually did and his breathing seemed to have reached a substantial state of effort. The decision was made to let him go and he was surrounded by some of the people that really loved him. Oreo hung around when he normally scurries off and he stretched for some good scratches right up until the end, pushing Ginny's hand when she took a break. Jon joked about what an absolute terror he used to be - wild! I am lucky enough to just remember him as the chatty gray boy always ready to eat and chat in Adoption Room 2.

I am upset. Not only did we lose him, but I really feel like he got ripped off - when we found out, he was about to be adopted, his brother was finally back into the same room with him and then all this...


R.I.P. Tails

*On a positive note, the family that had intended to adopt him did adopt another wonderful cat from us.