It is days like today, when I wish I had stayed with my job in Corporate America and not gone into full-time rescue.
With a heavy heart, I decided to put Benson to sleep this morning. I’m not a fan of watching a cat suffer, especially one as beautiful as he is. His pillow feet began to spread to his other pads and he couldn’t walk without crying. Although he has tested FIV negative in the past- all of his symptoms now- the pillow feet, the stomatitis point to the fact that he is an AIDS kitty. His kidney values came back and they were way out of wack.
He is not the type of kitty who adapts to changing situations as he has shown me in the past. I couldn’t in good faith put him into the FIV Facility in Portland. He would have never made it. One thing AIDS does is when the host is stressed, the disease is rampaging. In the past, even when I would put him into another room as I was cleaning the one he was in- he would be sick with a URI that was out of control. Putting him back in the room he was accustomed to, he would heal- no vet visit – just keeping the status quo. That was quite a learning curve for me- it took four times before I caught on that he didn’t need to get to the vet, he just needed to go back where he was accustomed to.Pilling him was a nightmare- quite honestly, Benson is a kitten who never should have been born. I will miss him- but I am so glad he is no longer suffering. He was 9 months old.
You stood by the little one and saved him from a life of pain and torture. While it is agony for you he was spared that life. Sometimes you have to go the hard way and make that decision for them. As to Corporate America, cats are generally better company…
You did everything you could for Benson. he was in pain that would only become worse. The poor little fellow knew someone who loved him. Godspeed, Benson.
no you are where you should be and its is so hard to think where Benson and countless other sweet kitties would be if not for you letting them go. How long would he have to live in so much pain? nope nope nope that is unimaginable!
I agree with others, you did everything you could for Benson and now he is pain free. Where would all this cats be if not for all the care and love you show them.
Rest in peace sweet Benson.