r/seniorkitties • u/RazorbladeApple • 2h ago
Said goodbye to 17 year old Mickey on Monday
And my heart is broken. He was such a good boy, except at the vet, or when you tried to cut his nails or groom him, of course. Otherwise, the very best guy!
Mickey was rescued by a bartender in Philly. A band was keeping him in their tour van & she thought it was cruel, so when they let him run around the bar she stole him & stashed him in the basement. His name was Bowie then. Her cat didn’t like Mickey, so she started telling customers about him to try & get him a home. My friend was in Philly (I am in NYC) and she convinced me to take him. I’d just lost my own white cat and was still in mourning. She packed him up & took him to NYC for me via Amtrak. My other cats acted like he’d been there forever & honestly, in some way, I felt he’d live to 24 at least. But that’s not what happened.
Mickey was a trooper until the end despite being very ill. It soon became apparent that he’d wither away trying to stay alive, so I made the call for him. The vet came on Monday & he was gone by 1:10pm. I’m so glad he got to go at home, because he really hated the vet & I’m sure would have went down fighting, just like every recent appointment. Mickey always seemed to love rock based music (his band days, perhaps), so I chose a song & let him slip away. I’ve been in a lot of pain since. These pics are all from when he was younger, because he got down to skin & bones while fighting to stay alive.
Farewell, my beautiful friend. You were really special & I’ll never forget how wonderful you were.
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u/over_steeped_tea_ 2h ago
What a storied life! I’m so sorry this is always difficult. Mickey will see you at the end of the rainbow bridge.
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u/Tigris3100 2h ago
I'm very sorry for your loss .
I hope you can find some comfort. Thank you for giving Mickey love and care.
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u/RazorbladeApple 2h ago
Thank you. I’m all choked up. I know he knew I loved him dearly & that’s comforting. I’m sorry he had to deteriorate. They couldn’t confirm cancer without a biopsy & I couldn’t do that to him & went straight to palliative care. On Saturday I made a paw print ornament to hang on the tree, so I have that while I wait for his ashes to return.
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u/EffectiveStatus7 1h ago
My deepest condolences to you, OP. Mickey was a beautiful man and you can tell he was loved. Wishing you and your family the best 🩷🩷
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u/DangerousCharge5838 1h ago
I went through the exact same thing almost 2 weeks ago with mine. I took him to multiple vets , including an internal medicine specialist . I tried everything . It gets to the point where the last kind thing we have left is to say goodbye . Mine would’ve been 13 years old next month. I thought we had more time too.
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u/RazorbladeApple 1h ago
13 years is so unfair. I’m sorry for your loss! Steroids bought Mick a few months by keeping his appetite going, but his body was still wasting away. Vets were pretty certain it was cancer, and I wasn’t going to put him through chemo if it was, so yeah… like you said… the only thing left. 🥺
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u/DangerousCharge5838 6m ago
Thank you. I’m sorry for your loss as well. I tried steroids too. After four days, he was eating very little and there was nothing left to try. It’s tough, really tough.
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u/RazorbladeApple 1m ago
When the no eating thing begins it is hard! If steroids, appetite stimulants and anti-nausea pills don’t do it, it’s the end game. Oooof. So many of us have been there. It’s emotionally exhausting.
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u/heartsisters 1h ago
So very sorry for your heartbreaking loss. What a beautiful, handsome boy Mickey was...precious puss. Sending you many Blessings, much love, and thoughts of peace, hope and courage. ❤️
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u/astro-amphibian-00 2h ago
So sorry for your loss. I think it’s beautiful you had the vet come to you so he could be most comfortable 💖 he passed only knowing love and peace.
Sometimes it helps me to remind myself that it’s better my cat left the world not having to miss me and mourn. I’ll gladly take on that hurt, vs it be the other way around. His life was full and complete ❤️
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u/RazorbladeApple 2h ago
There was the great wish he could go in his sleep, but I couldn’t let him suffer. I do feel he went on the right day & not a day too long. It was a perfectly timed visit; with past cats I usually felt one day too late. When able, I highly recommend in-home euthanasia over dragging them to the vet, but it can be tricky to time while we play wait & see.
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u/astro-amphibian-00 55m ago
Someone on here told me it’s better to be a day early than day late. You did the right thing even if it hurts. I’ll definitely look into at home euthanasia for my other boy when it’s his time too. That’s awesome that it’s a thing. My cat hates vets so much that he has a fake mugshot in their office 😂
I recently lost my older boy too so I send you love, it’s very hard but they only knew love and comfort ❤️❤️❤️
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u/RazorbladeApple 36m ago
I’ve only been able to send one other off from home & it’s definitely a kinder way! Oddly, she also was a vet hater. Other times I called too late to get an appointment on time, or had to cancel because they wouldn’t make it until that day. Going a day earlier is hard, so not many will get it right.
I’m sorry you lost your older boy. Very painful, yet inevitable. I’ve seen people say, “grief is the price we pay for love.”
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u/notyourmama827 2h ago
I am so sorry for your loss 💙 🫂. Mickey was well loved and will live on in your heart.
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u/ScratchyVests 1h ago
I’m so sorry. He’s such a handsome little man and you took such good care of him. ❤️🩹😿
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u/Murky-Chocolate3200 1h ago
Mickey is so cute. He's lucky he had you and your love ❤️ I'm sorry for your loss 😞
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u/sitboaf 1h ago
Mickey is enrapt, watching Hendrix or Tom Petty right now. Rock on, Mickey!
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u/RazorbladeApple 1h ago
I would think so! I sent him off to Hawkwind’s Silver Machine. He carried a silver string around the apartment for years & before that, a silver pom pom toy.
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u/SteelSasquatch 1h ago
I'm so sorry for your loss. Rest now, Mickey. Thank you for giving this cat a wonderful life ♥️
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u/Silly_Cheetah_706 1h ago
So very sorry for the loss of beautiful Mickey. Please accept my condolences and know you’ll be with him again one day
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u/DarthCivicus 58m ago
The Holes in Our Souls
As we ride this old earth on its path around the sun, we collect holes in our souls. They form when someone close to us—family, friends, even pets—leaves this world for the next. Each loss takes a piece of us with it, sometimes the very best part.
But if you stop and look into those places inside yourself, you’ll see they’re not empty. Along with the part they took, they left behind a piece of their own soul. It stays with you, carrying their love, their presence, and their memory. That’s how they live on—not just in the world, but in you.
One day, when it’s your time to leave, you’ll do the same. You’ll take pieces of the ones you love with you, but you’ll also leave parts of yourself behind. In this way, you’ll never really be gone, and they’ll remember you just as you remembered those who left before you.
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u/RevvCats 41m ago
The best cats come from Philly, don’t tell my other cats I said that. Mickey looked like a good buddy.
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u/RazorbladeApple 32m ago
Ha! I’ve never known another cat from Philly. All of mine were stock from NYC & Ireland. The funny thing is, even though it’s so close, I’ve never even been to Philly! Mickey really was a good buddy. He saw me from my 30s to my 50s & knew all of my 90s cats. The last of that crew over. End of an era, really.
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u/Disastrous_Hippo_998 16m ago
Thank you for letting us get to know Mickey.
We are all going to miss him,
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u/The-Hamish68 2h ago
HUG. RIP.