RIP Oscar

Today was a very sad day, we had to say goodbye to Oscar, but it was a little unexpected.

So for the past while I knew he was getting close to the end. At Christmas time I told Larry it was probably his last Christmas and I'd be surprised if he made it to winter next year. Then the last month, month and a half  he'd been having trouble walking. He always acts like he's constipated and so we give him some laxative to help and it seems to a little bit, but lately it didn't seem to be doing the trick. It seemed like his back legs were having trouble holding his weight. He got to a point where he couldn't jump onto the counter so we got him some stairs. He then started peeing on the counters so we had to stop him from getting on the counter. We'd put him on to eat and drink throughout the day and then we'd move him down after a little while. We then moved the food and water to the floor and put the stairs next to the couch so he'd climb onto the couch and relax. We noticed he was peeing all over the house and so I got nervous he'd pee on the couch. He did okay for a couple days, but then when he did end up peeing we knew his days on the couch were over. We ended up putting a blanket down with some of those puppy potty pads so he still had a cushion to cuddle on. This was definitely the beginning of the end and we knew we'd have to get rid of the blanket when he passed (he peed on it A LOT and it got so stinky I had to start washing it twice a week). 

Well he was going downhill pretty quickly so I started thinking I hope he makes it to the summer so we can let him lay out in the grass and have some nice sun time. Then we noticed he was crawling around and meowing a lot. I felt like he was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't figure out what it was. I thought for sure it must be the end and wondered if we should take him in to do it (so he didn't have to suffer like Baby Girl did), but he kept giving me a look like his normal, old self so I thought this can't be the end, he's looking just like regular Oscar. 

This last week I started wondering if he was even going to make it to his birthday (at the beginning of May) and I started getting nervous that he'd pass on Pierce's birthday and I was hoping he'd wait until afterwards. 

Friday night, we were watching our family movie and Larry pulled Oscar onto his lap for loves and cuddles. I gave him SO many pets and kisses and telling him he is a good boy. Larry said he was so comfy he was just dead weight on his lap. I told him if I didn't see him breathing I'd for sure think he was gone, his eyes weren't closing and it seemed not normal. Larry asked if I wanted to have him on my lap and I said I'd just have him on my lap tomorrow (Saturday) night. I thought of telling him it was okay if he needed to let go, but I remember that was the last thing I told Baby Girl before she passed and I didn't think he was really that close so I decided to just keep telling him I love him and that he's such a good boy. He did seem pretty happy.

After the movie ended and it was time to get the kids ready for bed, Larry moved him back to his blanket. We did the bedtime routine, and I went to our room to watch a movie. About an hour into it Larry came up (I thought he was coming to bed early) and just looked at me and said "Oscar died." I was in SUCH shock, I couldn't believe it. I ran downstairs and he was just lying there looking so peaceful and still. I picked him up and just cuddled him and gave him lots of kisses. Larry mentioned he came into the kitchen to get a snack and noticed he was still so he checked on him and saw he wasn't breathing. 

Unfortunately, it's too late and cold to dig a hole that night so we had to just put him in a box for the next day. It was a bummer because we had family pictures and Pierce's party the next day so it was a weird day to bury a family cat, but we couldn't just leave him on the counter all day. Larry found some time between pictures and the party to dig the hole quickly and get him peacefully put in. It's been a weird weekend of reminiscing about happy memories, talk about our feelings, and also be happy for our son's birthday. 

Overall, as sad as I am that he's gone and as much as I'm going to miss him (SO much), I feel very at peace with his passing. He got so much loves and cuddles lately (I made sure to give him loves every morning and before bed and to pick him up to cuddle with him a little in the day), he literally could not have looked more peaceful so I think he went in his sleep, and I feel like he had a great, great life with us. I am just so sad that I wasn't expecting it at all that night. It feels weird not to hear his little meow when he noticed me walking by. It's weird to not see him wag his head to get on our backs. It's weird to not have him intruding on me making the grocery list with head buts (one of my favorite things he did). It's SO weird being down to two cats again, but at least they both like to come up and cuddle with me at night so that helps the saddest part of the day. 

We will miss our sweet Oscar face and miss his purring and loves. But I kind of won't miss that pee blanket, his expensive food, or how sad it was to watch him crawl around like he has been lately. We got almost 15 years with him and they were the best 15 years.