Last September I mentioned my elderly cat Gus (Remnants of the Day, 9-15-12, http://wp.me/pH3Dx-7y). At that time he was loosing weight and maybe had arthritis. I want to return to and finish his story today.

My cat Gus

Thirteen years ago, when Dianne and I adopted Gus from the Homeless Pet League we had to sign a paper promising never to let him be an outdoor cat. If we adopted him, he had to be an indoor kitty. We held to that promise, but Gus never agreed with our decision. He was always trying to get out. He wanted to be an outside cat.

Gus was the best cat. Friendly and welcoming to our guests. He always wanted to be where we were. Hanging about as a shadow. Happy to live with us. Happy for thirteen years, until recently…

Gus continued to loose weight and motor control. The arthritis medicine had no apparent benefit. He became incontinent and wandered around lost. We were convinced he’d either had a stroke or had developed dementia. To save the carpets and keep him from endless wandering, he was living in the guest bathroom. Finally, this week we took him to the vet for a consultation.

The vet said that his body was just about used up and that there was nothing he could do anymore. It was time to help Gus to go. Dianne and I held Gus as the vet found a little vein in his skinny arm and administered a chemical to stop the heart. In about 20 seconds he ever so softly and quietly slipped away.

I found a spot near our creek, on a little rise, in a small grove of trees. Gus is buried there in a deep, rocky place safe from digging predators. He can watch the sun rise each morning over the hills and catch the mist rising from the creek on foggy days. He’s an outside cat now.