This story is about our friend Snapper, whom we had to say good-bye to just last night.
Snapper came to us when he was only 8 weeks old. We found him at the local animal shelter when looking for a friend to keep our other new kitten company. It was a hard decision to make that day, but when I picked up Snapper, he put his paws on my face, as if to say, “Please take me!”.
He was a feisty little guy, and when he didn’t want you to hold him, he would bite. Not the “love bite” type of biting either. More like, “I’m gonna rip your arm off” type of biting. Hence, his name.
He was proud. He was handsome. We would call him “The Lion King”, and his chest would stick out, and he would prance around the house. He was the best cuddler I’ve ever known. He would bury his head into my chest and purr.
It was about a year ago, when he turned 11 years old, that he started losing the weight. We knew it was something serious, but his hatred for the vet office caused such distress that we opted not to take him. We knew it was most likely something that would require intense invasive treatment, and this would just reduce his quality of life.
He wasted away…from 20 lbs. to 7 lbs. He started to drift – and would stare off in the distance. Finally we broke down and took him in. What we suspected was true – he had cancer in his belly so bad it was terminal. Bringing him in sooner would not have helped, but it would have resulted in very stressful intensive examinations. We knew we had made the right decision.
Last night, the vet explained to us that there was no hope. He seemed in pain, and had taken to hiding. We began to feel the inevitable dread while she explained our options. It was time to say good-bye. I kissed him, hugged him, and thanked him for sharing his life journey with me. I have been honored to have him in my life. He was my great friend and he will always be missed. Paw prints on my heart. Snapper. The Lion King. Life just won’t be the same without you. And today, your spirit rides on the wind…
We will always love and miss you, Snapper!
| Snapper |
| K & R |