Goodbye, Sweet Tiger

Psalm 34:18
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

This is a hard post to write.  We said goodbye to our precious Calvin yesterday.  We knew Saturday night when Steven witnessed him losing bladder control as he slept that it was time.  But Sunday Calvin was being so Calvin that I started second guessing that.  He was talkative and busy and fighting us to try to eat the food off our plates.  When he was that energetic, how could it be time for him to go?

But when I woke up Monday morning, I found that he'd wet the big, woolly pillow with a heating pad inside.  He'd never peed on that bed before.  I noticed him and Doogie huddled together on a jacket Steven had left on the couch.  All the good sleeping spots were destroyed. 

So, on what wound up being the worst Valentine's Day of my life, I made the hard call to the vet's office to schedule Calvin's Final Appointment.  I could barely speak through the tears.  We scheduled it for Tuesday, February 15th, when our favorite vet could be there to do it. 

Calvin had a good last day.  He got to eat tuna (and he'd had pork the night before).  The sun came out, and the temps outside were in the 70s, so we spent a good amount of time in the yard, just soaking up the sun.   One of his "aunts" came over to say goodbye and pray over him.  Steven took off work so we could all be together. 

I'd been in a state of tears since Saturday night.  I think the anticipation of it all was worse than the actual event.  Calvin's passing was peaceful, and I'm happy to know that he's no longer sick or in pain.  I believe that animals go to heaven, so we told him to enjoy it, but we asked him please not to pee on God.  Our sweet vet said that she thinks God won't mind if Calvin does, though.  But as a friend pointed out, Calvin is now healed, so he doesn't need to pee on anything up in heaven.  That's a comfort. 

Thank you, as I know several of you who knew about this were praying for us.  For my regular readers, thank you for all the kind words and prayers you offered on behalf of Calvin throughout his illness.  And for indulging my need to talk endlessly about my cat.  And now I'll leave you with one of my favorite photos of my sweet tiger cat.