R.I.P. Rosie

It is a very sad afternoon for me today. I had to take my poor 16 year old cat Rosie in to the vets today to be put to sleep. This is always one of the hardest things to do and I think this was worse than any of my other animals. My pets are like family to me, like they are one of my children.

Rosie was one of the sweetest most lovable cats you will ever meet. When we got him we thought he was a girl but after a few months he was running down the stairs in front of me and I was like "Okay so you're a little male kitten" - so I would tell people we named him after Rosie Greer, the football player. He was the biggest suck you've ever seen, anyone who came over Rosie would immediately be over rubbing himself all over their feet and legs. If you invited him on your lap you had a friend for life. He would be so happy purring and rubbing on you.

I had to take Rosie to the vet last week as he wasn't eating or drinking. Turned out he had a huge infection in his mouth and it had gone up to his eyes. They gave him an antibiotic shot and some stuff for his eyes, but it just didn't seem to help. He got sicker and weaker, he could hardly walk. Even feeling as sick as he was, when I would pick him up to clean his eyes and put the medicine in it he would look so sad but he would still be purring at you. I was crying just phoning the vet up to see when I could bring him in. I held him in my arms while the vet gave him the needle and told him it would be okay. The vet said it looked as though the infection had spread all over his poor old body and things were just shutting down. I just stayed there holding him in my arms and crying. Just typing this out has me crying all over again. I know he is in a better place and out of pain now but it is still so very hard. I love you Rosie, you were my sweet little snuggler, I will miss you forever!