good-bye Felix

Grieve not,

nor speak of me with tears,

but laugh and talk of me as if I were beside you.

I loved you so

it was heaven here with you.

-Isla Paschal Richardson

Tonight out sweet cat, Felix, left this world.   

We surrounded him.....comforted him.

So thankful he had come home to be with us.  That he waited for us to come home tonight before his sweet spirit left this world.

Felix's life was a short life....but a special one.  

2 years ago our friend found Felix and his sister on the median of the highway near our house.  

It was days after we had lost our dog, Blue.   I saw them and new they weren't going to the Humane Society.  My heart was hurting from the loss of our dog and those kittens came home and filled our heavy hearts.

They were wild kittens, only a few weeks old, very hungry and very sick.  

We nursed them back to health.   His sister went home to live with our neighbors and Felix to live with us.

He was so small, so sweet and spunky.  He loved the kids...loved them so much he would always let them hold him, slept with them.  He was the kind of cat that rubbed your leg and would roll over in front of you so you could scratch his belly.   He was the kind of cat that followed us around the yard and when we would go on walks.   He was the kind of cat that was a bottomless pit....could never fill that belly.  And his belly showed it.   He loved to play with Bob the bulldog.   His favorite sleeping spot was in bed with Judson.

Recently, he had been using the new carpet as a litter box and became a "garage kitty".  

That is, his box and food were in the garage.

He loved being outside for his "kitty adventures", but he was always stayed close.   Rarely gone long enough to miss a meal.
Then a few days ago he had been been gone a couple days, hadn't been coming home for food.  

Not like him.   

I knew something was wrong.
It was.  Yesterday came home so lethargic.  So weak.  

Now I believe he had come home to be with us.  

I brought him into the vet this morning.  He was terribly anemic.  His level was a 10.....VERY low.  The vet said his blood was like water.  Normal level is 28.   So we decided to attack this with meds and force fed him.   The diagnosis is likely "Hemobart".   I have never heard of it....but it attacks the blood cells.   He could have contracted this disease from a flea or a bite from another cat.   

12 hours after the vet appointment, 2 doses of meds and force feedings, it was clear it was too late to stop this disease.  

We were all with him....surrounded him with our love.   Said good-bye to our sweet kitty.
too soon to go, but in his short life gave us so many memories, so much love.
The boys loved you so much....their hearts are hurting...  
all of our hearts are.
Felix the cat.... you will be missed forever and remembered always.