Shyan is my buddy. He has been for the past 16 years. He has seen me through dating, marriage, children, Yukon's death, new houses, new dogs and other new cats. Shyan has always been there...a constant. He has always been rock solid, never giving me any grief, no bad habits, just my buddy.
All of that is about to come to an end. Shyan is 16 years 8 months old and it is showing. He still has moments of what I call lucidity, but they are getting fewer and farther between. He forgets where he is going and what he is doing. He forgets to eat, and has lost quite a bit of weight over the past 6 months or so. Lately, well, not lately exactly, for the past several months I would start to smell cat pee. Granted, Shyan isn't our only cat...we also have Tommy and Kitty, both of whom are 4 years old and not the likely perpetrator.
When the peeing started, I could convince myself that it was an accident...and it may still be...however, recently, it started to be all of the time. Last night, for example, he peed twice on the bean bags. Thankfully bean bags are easy to clean up and Lysol...but couches, carpets and chairs are not. As I said, I have never had a problem with him, I can't imagine this is any better for him than it is for us.
I finally realized this morning that this can't go on...with an extremely heavy heart, I made a call to his vet and asked some questions. While this isn't the first beloved pet that I have had to put down (we had Yukon put down due to kidney failure almost 5 years ago), it is so hard. Outwardly, Shyan isn't sick, he isn't in pain.
I haven't chosen a date, but I am thinking tomorrow afternoon. I need to prepare my kids...and myself for a life without Shyan. I just don't know if I'm ready to let go.
My Old Man Cat
Several years ago...looking much healthier.
