Jack was the last of my 3 cats. He lived to be almost 19 years old. His last 1-1/2 years of life he lived with kidney disease. I had to treat him with fluids given with an IV needle twice a week, and feed him K/D prescription diet from Science Diet. He tolerated the fluid pretty well most of the time. Last October I moved from my old place
into a house in the country.
I have a roommate that I don’t seem to be able to get rid of, and he has a cat who got fat from Jack’s food, and Jack could not get into the other cats food because of his kidneys, so we separated them. Basically, I was forced to confine Jack in my room while I was gone. Sometimes one of us would put him outside to alleviate his meowing.
He liked being outside, but sometimes we had to put him outside so he would get the energy ran out. On Saturday night, February 28, I worked at Jack’s Gourmet restaurant, then went to my friend Mark’s house, and got home at about 2:30am, and saw Jack’s water bowl sitting outside. I lost control. My roommate had let him outside, and when I came home he was in bed, and Jack was nowhere to be found. I searched everywhere I could, then the roommate got up. He knew what was wrong. I let him have it.
I also threatened to throw him out over it. Then a little later on he came to me practically begging me not to blame this on him. I calmed down, and we spent the next two days looking for him, but to no avail. I honestly do not know what happened that night. I don’t want to believe that he just threw Jack out in a rage and went to bed, but it is possible.
Nevertheless, because of him partially, my old cat is gone. It has been over a week now, and no sign of him at all. I put notices at the humane society and at a gas station up the road from me. I also asked everyone who lives around me and showed pictures.
Jack was one of a kind. He was a fighter, and relatively independent, until he got sick. Even in old age though, he would stand his ground when something threatened him. He was in a fight with a tomcat at the new place a couple of months ago, and got cut up, but healed pretty quickly. During his last few months of life he was also on blood pressure medicine.
I know he wasn’t a happy cat though. The restrictions placed upon him made him very unhappy, and I hated it. I suppose he is in a better place now. I just wish it had been different with him. I can’t bring him back though, and I just want to state in this tribute that I was very proud of the fact that he lived so long, even in the face of illness.
He was the last of my 3 cats, all of which were born in 1985. In a way, it marks a close to most everything attached to that period of my life. I hope he is in kitty heaven right now running around with Mr. Grimm, my oldest female, whom he was closest to of my cats.
I will always remember all 3 of them with fondness. Each of them had their own traits and special personalities. Jack, Grimm, and Lucky, I hope all three
of you are having a good time.