Weekly Wrap Up 3/25/22 -- Saying goodbye to a beloved member of the family

We adopted Elvis from the shelter at age 13.  He was alway a bit stand offish and only came to you under his terms but he somehow wriggled his way into our hearts.  He was a one person at a time cat.  When we first got him, he attached very strongly to our oldest,  Firedrake.  hardly leaving her side.  When she left for college, Elvis then attached himself to my husband.  Elvis followed my husband around like a dog (did the same for our oldest)

It wasn't long after we adopted him that we discovered he had the beginnings of kidney disease.  We switched him to a special diet and were able to keep him healthy.  Around the age 15 he developed a very severe infection in the mouth which affected his appetite significantly.  He had to have 6 teeth pulled and was put on monthly steroids and antibiotic shots.  It was expensive but he did well.

 A few weeks ( he is now 16 yo) ago we had to take him to the emergency vet and it was there that we were told he was now diabetic.  His blood sugar was in the high 300's.  The emergency vet suggested we get a full blood work up at his regular vet, which we did a few days later.  Elvis blood sugar level came back even higher (high 400's). It was official he was now diabetic and based on other things we were seeing he was having more and more difficulties.   

After much discussion with the vet, it was decided that Elvis's body was slowly beginning to shut down.   This news came on the day our oldest was returning home from college.  Because we knew how hard this was going to be we decided to begin insulin injections in order to give everyone in the family time to say goodbye.

We all had to learn to give Elvis insulin shots twice a day

Elvis who isn't  really a cuddler suddenly seem to want to be around us more and cuddle.

 It was very obvious that week that he wasn't feeling well and wasn't himself.   In some weird way I think he was telling us goodbye.  

Firedrake was able to spend a week with Elvis before returning to college and then with broken hearts we took him to the vet to say goodbye.  We have spent the last week taking pictures and loving him as best we can.  This was particularly hard on my husband and Firedrake who absolutely adored Elvis.

We had him cremated and will be taking his ashes with us to the new house where he will have a special place in our garden.  

Goodbye Elvis, you will be missed!!