Goodbye Ozzy

When I was a kid, and during the time I was growing up, we had always had dogs.  I like dogs, and I never considered myself a cat person.  When Heike and I got together, however, I inherited (was adopted by) a couple of dogs and a couple of cats that Heike owned.  

Ozzy the cat became my favorite.  He was a wonderful little fellow, affectionate and friendly, with a distinctive personality.  He was happy and playful and liked being around us.  When I returned home from work, he would come running across the yard to greet me.  When I watched a movie on television he would sit with me and put his paws on my arm.  He was a talkative guy, and told me when he was happy, peeved, curious, whatever.  He occasionally caught a bird or mouse and brought them to us, almost as a present.  When we worked at home he would hang out in the office as if interested in what we were up to.

During the past month Ozzy's health began to deteriorate seriously.  He lost appetite and couldn't retain any nutrition.  We tried many things, as did the vets, but his illness was too severe.  He became thinner and weaker, until the past two days when he wouldn't eat at all.  He was uncomfortable, and a shadow of the joyful little man we knew.  We came to the painful realization tonight, at the vet, that he would have to be put down.

It was emotional and painful, but I stayed with him as he went to sleep and shed his mortal coil.   I wanted to help make his final moments as comfortable as possible, and I wanted him to have a familiar friend with him during his last moments.  My only consolation right now is that he is no longer suffering.  Also, I'm comforted somewhat knowing that he had a good life with us.

Goodbye Ozzy, I'll miss you very much, and will never forget you my little friend.