Our Leo

Hello all -

I know I haven't been on here in a while. We've had quite the busy summer. We went to Jamaica for a week in June to celebrate our 5-year-anniversary a little early (we were there during my b'day and it was great), and we have had a couple of weekends out of town for weddings, in addition to lots of good times at home with our 4 beautiful kitties.

Well, the past few days have been some of the hardest my husband and I have had to deal with in our lives. We love our kitties sooooo much, and thought that since they were all pretty young (Bailey, Leila & Leo were all turning 4 this year, Claudia turned 3), we'd have them around for a long time. They were indoor cats, also, so that kept them from most environmental hazards that they'd encounter on their own.

Evidently, Leo had an even more difficult time before we adopted him than we previously thought - as some of you know, he was rescued by the group we adopted him from with a bad respiratory infection and the horrible case of earmites that gave him his uniquely shaped ears. At the time we adopted him, he was pretty much cured of all of that - he was supposedly between 1 and 2 years old, but it's hard to know for sure whether he wasn't older than that. All we can figure from the past couple of days is that he got into something when he was out in the wilds on his own that irreparably damaged his kidneys.

Leo came to live with us on April 8, 2004. Last night, after a couple days' spent in the emergency room, we made the heart-breaking decision to put Leo to sleep to end his misery. He was in the advanced stages of kidney failure. From what the vets told us, they figured that Leo's kidneys had been compromised from way back before we adopted him and he just coped with having only partial kidney function for the last couple of years and finally there wasn't enough function left for him to cope anymore. He has struggled with constipation occasionally through the last couple of years - we had to take him to the emergency room in November of 2004, but after a couple of enemas, he was as good as new, and whenever he had constipation after that, it was to a lesser degree and he was ok once we gave him some Lactulose and a little extra TLC. All of it really makes sense now - he was never as active as our other cats, and drank a lot more water than they did - all are signs that he wasn't as healthy as he wanted us to believe. He was the sweetest, most cuddly cat we've ever met, and he shared our bed with us almost every night. He wanted nothing more than our love and affection, which we willingly gave him every chance we got - he loved belly rubs, he was the first to greet everyone at the door, he stayed out and let anyone who came into our house pet him, and he adored his siblings - he loved to clean Claudia and chase she and Bailey, and he even got along with Leila as well as any of the others do. :)

We know that there was nothing more that could be done for him - he was just getting worse, and he looked like he was in so much pain - he never deserved any of that pain. So, we made the only choice we could make last night, and after, we brought him home, wrapped him in a towel and buried him under a very nice crabapple/hybrid tree off of our back patio. We placed a rose from each of us in with him (we just happened to have some roses from our anniversary last weekend - Brent picked out a lovely dozen yellow roses with orange around the edges - beautiful - they matched his coloring too!), and said our goodbyes. He was such a saint and is in a better place now, but it's been very difficult to accept - I never knew that we had so many tears to cry - just when we think we're done, one of us starts crying again. Leo was very special to us and will always be in our hearts and in soooo many pictures. I just wanted to share a couple of pictures of him and his story. We love him so much, and the other kitties seem to know he's gone too - all are reacting in their own ways.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...9/ef5f9047.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...7/eddf1dbb.jpg

I am very sorry about your loss. Sounds like he's been through a lot in his early years, and it has finally taken its toll... :( I'm glad that he found a loving home, and that he's been well cared-off and experienced your friendship.

It must have been heartbreaking to make that decision, and you wouldn't have done it if you wouldn't know he's now in better place where he's painfree and healthy again.

R.I.P. sweet Leo,

Kirsten

I so very sorry about Leo. We all know what a struggle it is to make the right decision for our babies when it comes time to let them go. I wish you the strength to make it through each day as you remember what a wonderful companion Leo was. He will be watching over you and taking care of your other furbabies.

OH God, I am so sorry to hear about losing Leo so young. It makes it twice as difficult as death after a FULL life. But a life with TOTAL love for the past couple years is better than an animal who lives 15 years in misery. Leo packed a lifetime of love within those days with you. And his precious memories will bring your through the pain of grief.

Leo, yet another beloved orangie, you will be welcomed at the RB by many a missed PT pet. Wait together with them until you can be reunited with your family.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Leo is having his Dinner with the Pet Angel, and has recieved his wings.
He wants to thank you for making him a part of your home, and loving him the way you did.
Hes happy as an Angel, but will only truly be happy when he meets you again.
One Fine Day.

I am so sorry to hear about Leo.

What a beautiful, beautiful boy he is in those pictures!

Thanks to you and the rescue group, he had a far better and longer life than he ever would have otherwise. I believe that the love you gave him kept him going wonderfully for as long as he did.

Bless you for loving Leo - and prayers for your pain and loss.

(((hugs)))

Jayna, I'm so sorry to hear about Leo's passing.:( It's always difficult to lose an animal but more so when they're so young. At least he had a wonderful loving home and he knows that you love him very much. Now he's pain free and playing up at Rainbow Bridge with all of the kitties including my Pepper. RIP sweet Leo. :(

Jayna, I'm so very sorry about Leo. It is especially hard when they are so young and we are not really sure what has happened to them. You made the best decision for him.

RIP Sweet Leo :(

Happy days lived, laying in the sun's warmth. Better than a long life, without love.

Godspeed to the Bridge, Leo

Oh Jayna I'm so very sorry. What sad news. :(

Rest in Peace sweet Leo. You will be missed.

Thank you all for your kind, sweet words regarding the loss of our beloved Leo. We really appreciate reading your thoughts at such a horrible time. It's not getting any easier, but what you've been saying has helped a lot! :)

Jayna,

I'm so sorry to hear about Leo. He was abeautiful boy!!!

RIP sweet Leo. Play hard at the Rainbow Bridge.

I'm so sorry to hear about Leo. He sounds like he was a wonderful kitty--like he was all one could hope for in a cat.

RIP Leo. Wait for mommy at the bridge.

I'm so sorry to hear about Leo's passing. In reading his story, I see lots of similarities with Mishi's kidney disease. We also don't know Mishi's past history and his kidneys are not functioning normally. Leo, play hard at the Rainbow Bridge and if you see a pretty little orangie gal, it's probably my Goldie. RIP Leo. :(

Leo was so lucky to you and your husband to love and care for him. Even though your time together was short, it was a time of great love. Sleep softly dear Leo...

Jayna,
How sad. You enjoyed life together with Leo, and when it was time, you sent him on ahead of you. That is compassion, that is love. May your memories together bring you comfort in time. RIP, young Leo.

The tears started flowing as soon as I read your account of your little Leo passing away. We lost our little boy Leo 2 1/2 weeks ago. We were able to spend 13 wonderful years with him before he started failing last August. I bet they both are having a grand old time playing and getting to know each other at the RB. I know they will have alot to talk about as our Leo (who we mostly called Bobo) was adopted from our local humane society when he was 6 weeks old. Unfortunately he lost his hearing from a horrible case of ear mites but this did not stop my husband and myself from talking to him. He was such a healthy, active boy until last August when he started having kidney problems. He also suffered from constipation and in the end, we took him to the Vet who gave him an enema and wanted to keep him a day or so. On the day I was going to pick him up I received a heartbreaking phone call at work from our Vet telling me that Leo had passed away sometime during the night. We have shed so many tears over thought of our special boy being alone in the end. He is buried under a beautiful silver maple tree in our backyard. RIP little Leos, you are greatly missed by us all.

Thanks to everyone for your continued kind words at this difficult time. I'm glad we can all share each other's stories and grief over our beloved furbabies. I'm also glad that our kitties have plenty of friends to meet at the RB.

Mew, I'm dictating this message on behalf of my baby brother, Felix and my purr~ents, KatMa [Sue] & Paw-Paw [Murray]. KatMa is having a hard time keying-in our message 'cause she can't stop crying after reading about your precious Leo.

Please accept our deepest condolences on the illness and death of Leo, a most special feline.

He was so very lucky to have you to love and care for him and you were ever so blessed to have such a sweet cat love & trust you. Leo was so handsome and what a sweetheart, loving to be loved & petted.

People like you and your husband are the salt of the Earth...there must be a special place at RB for humans who love and care for companion friends the way you did. You gave Leo the best years of his life and speaking for Felix and me I know Leo loved you beyond what mere mews, meows and purrs can ever express.

Felix & I send you, your husband and the other kitties our love and lots of kittykisses.

This is leo&dominos Mom again and I just looked at Leo's photo album. What a sweetie! I told my husband last night about your touching memorial to your Leo and he wanted to read it also. He was very touched with Leo's story and couldn't believe the similarities between your Leo and our Leo. I went out last night to our little boys grave and talked to him about your little boy Leo. I am sure they have already become good friends and are enjoying their lives without pain and suffering. I plan to look at your other fur babies albums this weekend. They look like they are very special to you and your husband.

Dear Leo, it's been a little over 3 weeks since you left us for the RB. We really miss you and love you and hope you are doing well with all of your new friends there. We ordered your memorial stone almost 2 weeks ago, so hopefully we will have that for you soon. We miss you so much!

sorry for your loss, he sure looked to be a very happy cat, well cared for!

Leo was a very happy cat while he was with us. I can't imagine what he went through out on his own - he was such a big friendly kitty that never had a hiss or growl for anyone, not even our devilish, aggressive Leila, who unrelentingly chased him, like she chases all the others in our house. We love that we were able to give him such a loving home and enjoy his affection and give our affection to him. There will never be another one like him, in our opinion. I can't believe it's been nearly 2 months already. We look at his memorial stone out next to where he's buried under a tree in our backyard, and we still are in shock over the fact that he's gone. Every few days, something happens that reminds us both of him. He was simply wonderful, and is sorely missed around here.

I cannot agree with you more!!! Barry and I talk about Ralph Syracuse a lot!! The house has undergone some changes now that Ralph is gone...I will post them on his site the new tribute...I think they will make you laugh! Take Care!

I'm so sorry for your loss of Leo.He was loved very much. :(