Good bye my sweet Prince....

February 18, 2011 our family had to say goodbye to our beloved cat, Prince.  When Prince was only a few days old, he was brought to me by a construction worker who had found him on some land they were clearing.  His eyes were not yet open, so I took him home and bottle fed him.  That was 10 years ago.

This past summer, I wanted a baseline screening on him, because he was approaching the 11 year mark.  I wanted the baseline incase he got sick in the next few years, so we could have an idea what was going on.  No one knew or expected that he was already sick.  Prince was diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure.  In December, his numbers had gotten better and we were feeling pretty optimistic.  Though I know that Renal failure is terminal in cats, we did everything we could to prolong his life.  In late January, I noticed him waning away physically and not eating.  We new his disease had taken a drastic turn for the worse when we werent looking.  I decided to give him fluids at home to keep his kidneys going as long as possible, but that only lasted a couple weeks.  When Prince stopped breathing one night in Haylee's room, we new it wasn't long.

As Rick and myself held him, he closed his eyes for the last time.  We buried him with   Puss, Cocoa and his surrogate mommy, Cutter, who had preceded him in death 2 years ago.  He was buried with their ashes in the woods behind our house, and a statue of a noble cat was placed on top of their grave standing watch, looking out over the pond he used to prowl around.

Prince, you were the best kitty.  I am sorry for all those time I squirted you with the water bottle in the middle of the night when all you wanted was my attention.  I hope, that you have been reunited with your friends that you made on this earth, up on the Rainbow Bridge.  Run free little buddy, Mommy loves you, and I'll see you again one day.....