Goodbye Hallie

Helping Hallie has been a struggle since she arrived from the colony, but since her last vet visit she had been eating, walking around fine, getting in my lap for pets and lounging, climbing on the cat shelves, and sleeping up high on them, then today she walked under a chair laid down, and never got back up. Of course, it's a weekend and no local vet is available.

The ER vet in Longview had trouble even getting blood from a prick for the test (had to prick her in multiple places multiple times) and when they finally did get a pin head size sample, they said her glucose was so low that it would not even register on their devices, her temperature was only 91 degrees (should be 100) and her blood pressure was so low they could not even get a needle in to get a blood sample for a blood panel. Her breathing was shallow, her eyes were open and unblinking and she was as limp as a wet dish rag and could not even move her mouth or head. She did not wiggle or move when lifted and handled and she only vocalized a short series of mournful meows that ripped through my soul because it was obvious she was saying goodbye.

Hallie had been plagued with persistent bowel problems from the day she arrived from the colony in 2021 and her other troubles began exactly one year ago October 2021 when she was spayed.

She never fully recovered after spay surgery and in December 2021 her blood problems prompted the vet to recommend euthanasia which I declined.  Under our care, she recovered after a month. She did well until August 2022 when another blood test revealed serious issues that we continued to treat until today October 29, National Cat Day.

Goodbye sweet Hallie, may you run free and be safe and healthy where you are now.

I am sorry I failed you in this world.