I am so sad you had to lose your baby Ginger at such a young age. I don't know anything about liver shunt disease, but I do know about having to make a decision like you did. It is one of the hardest things in the world to do. We had to do it with our almost 16 year-old big fluffy Bebe. It has been three years this month and I still miss him so much, even though we had two others at the time, and have since added a blue Abyssinian to our family. Another cat can never take the place of one who has passed. They are all special for different reasons. Bebe didn't really do anything. He was your typical long haired and looked just like a Ragamuffin. The only time he played was on this brown chair and he would also box. To think about it is hilarious. He had big old paws that could really pack a blow. I still cry about him. We got him when our kids were 6 and 2. He used to love on our daughter's Cabbage Patch doll who had white hair just like her. No other doll would do. It was weird. Amy was his girl and he would sleep on her bed with her at night. I hope you can hold on to your memories of Ginger like I have with Bebe.