King Leo 💔

[Sootyca]

If I didn't have Sky I would have been straight to a rescue for another fur-ball.  Time heals but a furball to look after helps as well  

 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

 :Awwww!! 

Yes.  It's good to look.  You never know what little soul might be desperate for a second chance xxx

[lisa77]

I'm sure I will.. I found myself looking on rspca website again today!

Just found the pic above ❤❤❤

[lisa77]

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

I know it sounds strange to say, but you'll feel better I think on Friday when he returns home to you all.

As for getting another, and if or when that might be, it's whatever is best for you.  I would say though, that having lost three cats in recent years way too soon, I was reluctant to consider getting another.  That said, my OH pulled me straight back in to cat guardianship, and within days of losing all three, we'd adopted other cats, all in dire need of good homes.  They were absolute Godsends.  Just the practicalities of having to take care of them was a distraction from our losses, and of course, as nature will, she abhors a vacuum.  They worked their magic on us, and within a very short space of time, I grew to love each one of them - not as a "replacement" for a precious life lost - but in their own right, and for what they each brought to the table in themselves.

I hope that you can open up to another in due course.  Leo's legacy.   

[lisa77]

Thanks so much guys
Lovely words that mean so much.
I will get his ashes back on Friday and I'm also having a ring made with some of his hair ❤
We went to our local rspca rescue on Saturday just to look. We haven't decided as yet if we will get another. I think it's way too early but think it would be nice for my daughter

[alisonandarchie]

Lisa very much thinking of you and your beautiful boy

You could not have loved him anymore

[dawnf]

oh Lisa, the guilt thing is part of the process, we all do it.  You will be able to look back and smile one day I promise 

[lisa77]

Thanks so much everyone. I always knew this would be devastating but totally underestimated how empty and broken we would all feel. I've only just been able to face properly cleaning the rest of where he was sick. Can't bare to move his beds. I don't think I will ever be able to shut my porch door. We have a large porch where he used  to lounge as it was a sunny room. That is where he was laid to rest
 He also hated it if I was in another room with the doors closed.
Our home just isn't the same without him. He was a very vocal puddy and always chattering and I will forever miss his little chirps that Maine Coons are famous for

❤❤.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Lisa, guilt truly never solved anything, and I believe this was an unfortunate coincidence with the timing of your holiday. 

We always end up feeling a sense of "why couldn't I save them?" which is based on our desire for love to be enough to overcome whatever life throws at us, including death. 

Well, love is enough, but it can't outwit death, it can only transcend it.  It keeps going, in the face of all odds, and long after death has intervened.  That's what makes it special.

Leo was your marvel, and he looked after your second marvel with a devotion that echoed his absolute love for you.  Hold fast to that thought, and your beautiful tribute to Leo. 

 

[Misa]

SO VERY SORRY LISA

RIP LEO YOU BEAUTIFUL GINGER DEVIL. PLAY HARD ON THE BRIDGE

[Sootyca]

 

Such a beautiful boy and what a character.  You will always have the "what ifs" but I honestly don't think you have anything to feel guilty over.  It is too raw for you at the moment to come to terms with.  I've always been told that cats hide their illnesses too well so there was probably nothing that you could have done differently.

You did everything for him that you could have done and you gave him the greatest gift at the end by putting his needs over your own.

Remember him as he was - the beautiful feisty cat who you loved and who loved you.

RIP Leo

[lisa77]

My Beautiful beautiful boy  grew  his wings on Monday morning & we are devastated.

He was such a unique cat with so much attitude! He was extra special to me as all that time ago I was told I would never conceive naturally. I was heartbroken. I decided to have a fur babe instead. Fell in love with him instantly and we lived on our own for 7yrs, just me & him.

He had such a huge personality. To get my attention he would jump on anything he could & knock things off! He would sit on the tv stand right in front of tv until I noticed him (as if I could miss him, he was huge!)
He was very teritoral and any visitors he had were petrified of him! I remember him at about 20 weeks, on his cat tree, top deck and my friend went to kiss him on the head and said how beautiful he was and Leo bit him right on the end of his nose.  He also told me today he still has a scar on his foot from him too! He was a dream come true for me. He was there through  all the happy and some extremely sad times.

When he was 7 yrs myself and my ex got back together. We were lucky enough to have 1 round of IVF which by pure miracle, worked & my little girl was born. From the moment she was born he made a special bond with her & I remember him sitting under her moses basket, like he was protecting her. She is now 5 and for a cat that only ever loved me, he accepted her (She's a bit of a live wire!) And they had such a special bond. Leo was her brother. ❤

We are all utterly devastated. I've never felt anything quite like this. I actually feel like part of my insides have been ripped out. I feel sick, I can't eat.. It's torture.

I also feel so much guilt that I can't seem to shift. We finally went on our 1st family holiday to Devon for a week. My partners sister stayed here. Leo did get separation anxiety when I went anywhere so I didn't have holidays. This one was the first in many many years and it must of been when he had stopped eating. It makes me sick to think.

We got back and he wasn't really eating much which wasn't like him at all. Took him to the vet and he was very dehydrated, and had jaundice. He had bloods and a scan which showed his liver was enlarged and he had Cholangiohepatitis.


I have so many questions running round my head. If we hadn't gone on holiday, would he of stopped eating? The vet said it only takes 2 days of a cat not eating for it's liver to start showing distress. 2 days.
He was admitted to the vet and was on a drip but  he kept ripping it out and to get it back in, they had to sedate him. He would only eat in the 10 mins I could visit him a day and he was totally stressed in there. The vet said if he was eating then he was happy for him to come home onĺ

He seemed to be much more relaxed here but hid away most of the time. I was taking him food little and often which he was eating and syringe feeding him water. Some days better than others and It was very much like a rollercoaster. Was on the phone to the vet every 2 days but he said if he is eating it was a good sign. 2 weeks and 2 days after being home he got a lot worse and woke us up at 3am being sick. Being sick was a classic symptom of Cholangiohepatitis but this was the 1st time. It also had blood in it. He actually wanted to eat the morning he was pts but it came straight back up again with more blood. He looked at me and gave me the most heart breaking cry and went into our porch and his under our shoe cabinet. The vet came out early monday morn and he was sedated and pts. My baby boy gone. I have never felt a pain like this. I don't know quite how I'm supposed to act in front of my 5yr old who is also devastated. It's a tricky age as they don't quite understand fully and they ask such heart breaking questions.

Overall I feel guilt. Maybe I could of done more for him? why did we go away, he wouldn't of stopped eating? Why I didn't question why he wasn't being sick, maybe there was something else we were missing. A zillion things buzzing round my head. I came in from work, crepped upstairs and crawled into his bed to see if I could still smell him. (Is that weird)   life will never be the same. 😞

RIP Leo. Also known as Smelly, Monkey.

We will love you forever 😢❤










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