Lil'Fella......

[RachandNito]

Please say a prayer for my Lil'Fella.

I got a call from my sister early this morning. Fella was not well, something seemed terribly wrong with him. He was crying, laying on his side, and trying to vomit though nothing would come up. They called me asking my advice and I said to rush him to the vet immediately, it sounded like a blockage or something really bad along those lines. Surprisingly my family, who is usually so hesitant to go rushing our animals to the vet, took Fella in right away. That means it had to be bad.

I am at school right now and my phone died just after I received one last text from my sister. She said he had X-rays and it wasn't looking good. I am sick to my stomach over this, having no way to know what is going on. My boyfriend is picking me up right now from school, I'm going to miss a lab because of this, but I don't think I'm in any state to inject small animals with my hands shaking like they are. I am so upset- I didn't even get to say goodbye to him last time I visited home.

[RachandNito]

Fella passed away at 11:30 AM this morning. It was very quiet, he slowly stopped breathing and then he was gone. He had heart disease.

He was only 4 years old.

[doodlebug]

Awww....poor Fella. I'm sorry to hear that.

[hoofmaiden]

Wow -- I'm so sorry!!! What kind of heart disease? It's unusual in a cat that young unless there was a congenital problem, and in that case I'd think it would have showed up on vet exams. . . . Did they give you any more info?

I'm so sorry about Lil' Fella. He was a beautiful boy.

[RachandNito]

He had a genetic disorder... his heart was a third the size of a normal cat's. They said it was amazing he lived as long as he did. They also said he was probably in pain for a while now... I guess this explains his dislike for being picked up, and maybe his solitary nature.

I'm so very upset right now, I've even gotten myself sick. The cats, even the two fosters, seem to be picking up my intense pain. Nito came to me right away when I was sick upstairs by the toilet. He was purring, meowing, doing anything he could to get my attention. I held him for a long time and he didn't even complain and squirm like he usually does. Just held still, let me squeeze him and didn't mind the tears wetting his fur. He just purred and purred. Now I'm in bed and he's doing his best to be a complete clown- chasing the foster kittens around, begging to be spanked, making all sorts of crazy sounds... I just can't get up to go play with him, I don't have it in me.

Chica has been laying with me, purring and massaging my neck with her paws. I can't keep any fluid or medicine down, and her purrs are helping my headache go away...

This is so very sudden. I can't believe it happened. I saw him this weekend, acting like his usual sassy bratty self. Now I'll never hear that whiney meow again, or get to pet him, or play with him while that lazy bum rolls on his back swatting at the toy instead of chasing it. I miss him so much. Will this pain ever heal? It doesn't seem possible right now.

This is him... only a month ago.


He was so young, so full of life and apparent health. I guess the only comfort I can find is that I know he loved his life with us. He was happy, and he had a good life. He got all the freedom he wanted, was able to go outside and hunt mice like he loved, lay in the sun and grass all day, and come back inside to lay on my sister's heated mattress. He got to hang out with the baby rabbits that he always thought were his babies, and he had two very good friends, Elfie and Rusty. Rusty, who was the one who raised Fella when he was a kitten, is very, very upset. He's looking all over for him, he's done several laps around the house meowing very quietly. He's now with my mom, both of them are crying. At least as much as a cat can cry I guess... Elfie is very solemn, he always is, but he isn't in the mood to be touched...


Here is a recent video of him. Look how much he loved us... he was always down for coming over for a pet and a snuggle in the grass. (I just uploaded it so it might still be pending)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92Gz7ga-42Y

[marie73]

I'm so sorry.

[RachandNito]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZDIZISy8bU

Here's another video of him. He was always so sensitive about his little belly pudge.

[melysion]

Awww, he was such a handsome boy!

So sorry for your loss

[RachandNito]

Thanks everyone. I'm still in so much shock. So many feelings are coursing through me right now... denial, anger, sadness... but mostly regret that I didn't spend more time with him this weekend. That I didn't even bother to stop on my way out and pet him or to say goodbye. Now I've lost that chance.

[my4kitties]

Oh Rachel...I'm so, so sorry to hear about Fella. Hugs to you and your family and purrs and headbutts to the furkids.

Rest in peace