This is so hard to write. So so so hard. Last night, on Mothers Day, I made the hard decision to have my little man put to sleep. It was heartbreaking, and to say I’m absolutely gutted is an understatement.

12/08/2010 – 14/05/2017

If you follow the blog on facebook or Instagram, you’ll know that Tonka has been unwell. Just over a month ago, we took him for some tests as he was losing weight and vomiting more than normal. We were thinking maybe thyroid issues or diabetes. What it confirmed was unexpected. Kidney disease.

He spent a few days at the vets, on fluids, started on a new diet and medication. The fluids helped a bit, but after a long talk with our vet, the hard truth was that she suspected that if he lasted 6 months, he’d be lucky. He was still acting like his normal self and we decided we’d just make the rest of his life super happy.

The rate at which he deteriorated was drastic. We only found out a month ago and with how he was, we were optimistic that we’d get those 6 months. Even until his last day he was eating SO much. Sadly, over this last month, he’d lost so much weight. I’d never been so knowledgeable about a cat skeleton then I was just from patting him.

The decline was daily and on Friday, I ended up booking him in for next Saturday to see his Vet. I was thinking it may be his time then but was going to see what Claire thought. On Saturday, I rang and changed that appointment to Claires next available, which was Tuesday. Sunday came, Mothers Day, and by 8pm, I wasn’t sure he’d make it to the vets opening in 12 hours. So I made the decision to take him to the AEC.

I had slept with him in my arms, as he so often did, and spent a bit of the day in bed with him. He’d been super clingy. So much so that when I went and had a bath, he sat on me the whole time. He had a whole lot of his favourite food, tinned tuna, some ham, and what I call ‘kitty crack sticks‘. He’d stopped eating and drinking by the afternoon, and was all twitchy, finding it hard to walk. You could see in his eyes he was done, he was just tired, drained and uncomfortable.

I feel so blessed to have had Tonka in my life. I had expected it to be for a lot, lot longer, but the time we shared was special. He was an amazing cat and he charmed so many people. Even people who didn’t like cats warmed up to Tonky. He was loud and opinionated, but loving and clinging. He was well travelled, having flown more than some humans. Sydney to Melbourne, Melbourne to Sydney and then Sydney to Melbourne again.