GA Chim, our sweet orange boy.

Yesterday (8/15/28), we had to say goodbye to Chim, our sugar cat and the sweetest, best cat we've ever known. He was my best friend for 12 years, guiding me through some of the worst times of my life. He was the most chill cat I've ever met. He was so deeply loved, and will be dearly missed.

I found FDMB back in February 2016 when Chim was first diagnosed with diabetes. For a while, I didn't know what we were going to do. It seemed so overwhelming - trying to take in so much information in so short a time, to find some way to make sure he could still be healthy and have a good quality of life.

First of all, I want to thank everyone here for being so helpful and supportive through not just this diagnosis but some of the other issues we've been through since then. I wish that I'd been a more active part of this community, beyond just asking for advice and questioning which meters, insulin, and testing methods we were using. Everyone here was so incredibly helpful, not only when we decided we needed to change our home testing methods, but also when Chim developed skin cancer on his tail and ended up a bobcat (tail amputation surgery) as a result.

There were opinions back then that we should have let him go, that going through major surgery at his age and with his medical record was nuts. I didn't listen, and I'm glad.

I told him then that if he was tired - if he was ready - all he needed to do was tell me. He said he wasn't finished yet, and we had another year and a half with him as a result - a decision I will NEVER regret.

About a month ago, we visited a local cat cafe and were chosen by Tycho, our new two-year-old fur baby. I had no intention of adopting another cat, but when my husband sat down and Ty climbed in his lap and purred before settling in for a nap, it was over. He's energetic, talkative, and loves to play with anything even resembling a mouse or a string, especially if it smells like catnip.

Chim wasn't crazy about him at first, but after a couple of weeks, they were getting along just like him and his brother Vash. They roamed the yard, played in the living room, and begged for treats like they'd been friends for ages. So, when Chim suddenly started acting strange, when he stopped eating and drinking, we knew something was wrong.

Long story short: We went to our normal vet, ran blood work, put him on appetite stimulants, offered dry food and treats, and even ended up at the ER over the last weekend. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, until the ER doc ordered an X-Ray.

He had a tumor in his bronchial tube, which had spread to the lungs. He had lung cancer, which had progressed to lymphoma.

At that point, our options were limited. We could do ultrasounds and a biopsy, which would tell us for sure whether the masses were cancerous - in which case we could try chemo but since he was 14 and diabetic was not recommended - or not - in which case surgery was not recommended because of the same reasons.

We could give him sub-q fluids and pain medication, try to keep him alive as long as we could, risking the chance we'd come home one day to find him in unbearable pain, coughing up blood or worse.

Or, we could spare him the suffering, and help him across the rainbow bridge before things got that far.

This was the hardest decision I have EVER had to make in my life. Chim's big sister, Melanie, was my first cat. I was lucky to have her as my furbaby for over thirteen years. I knew she was sick, but before I could do anything about it, she passed away at home in her sleep. As for Chim, I didn't want him to suffer.

Yesterday morning, we took him in to see his favorite doc - the one who diagnosed his diabetes, who helped us through his tail surgery, who's been there for us through all the ups and downs over the last two and a half years - and we let him go.

I can't even say that I'm crying again - it's more like I'm crying still. Some moments are okay - moments when I feel like we made the right decision and let him leave this world with some grace and dignity intact - and some are the opposite - when I feel I made a terrible mistake and should have kept fighting, kept trying, kept holding on as long as we could have.

Anyway.

Chim was part of our family. He was total sweetheart, a real people person, the favorite of everyone who knew him. He is the best cat, our sweet orange boy, so deeply loved by everyone who knew him that all our lives are changed forever by him being a part of them. And he will be dearly missed.

Thank you all for everything.

 

I'm so very sorry for your loss. Sending hugs and lots of light

 

Thank you for posting Chim's story. We give them everything, our sugar cats. And they always give us back love. I'm sorry to hear that Chim had his calling today. You gave him a great and safe home. The best that any of us can do.

May sweet Chim fly freely and land safely at the Bridge, waiting for you there. Chim was loved.
.

 

I am so sorry ....

 

You did right and that right is called unconditional love.

A perfect name for a simply perfect apricot pusscat.

I'll share my tears with yours for Chim.

.

 

It is so hard to let our furbabies go. It sounds as if he had a wonderful life with you and you gave him the greatest gift of all....you set him free so he wouldn't suffer.
He looks a beautiful boy...I am very partial to orange pussycats.

 

I didn't have the chance to know you or Chim, but I can understand that you must be grieving terribly. He sounds like a wonderful cat who appreciated all the care and love you gave him. My heart goes out to you.

 

So sorry that it was Chim's time. You gave him the greatest gift of love possible!

 

So sorry it was time to say goodbye to your sweet friend.

 

I'm so sorry that you had to let your wonderful kitty go.

 

I am so sorry for your lose. Vines for peace and healing.

 

I'm so sorry it was Chim's time to cross....big huge looooong hug. Remember, he's not 'gone', you just have to hug him differently....

Soar high on your new angel wings sweet boy....land softly back in your family's broken hearts.

More hugs,

 

Bye Chim. Lots of hugs and head bumos from all the boys here. You'll have lots of friends across the bridge.

 

I am so sorry for your loss, but you gave him the greatest gift of passing peacefully. You are most loving, kind and compassionate. Peace and comfort to you and the family.

 

Thanks so much to everyone for the support! This has been the hardest week of our lives. Having the extra hugs from everyone really helps. I am so thankful for this community - I really don't know what we would have done without all of you. Thanks again for being amazing pet parents.

 

I am ABSOLUTELY biased, but orange boys have always held on to my heart like none other. I am so sorry that you lost yours, but how kind and selfless of you to spare his suffering.

So if I read this correctly, you now have Vash and your new Tycho? If so, that is great that Vash isn't alone now, and I hope that they get along as well as it sounds like Tycho did with Chim. We've had that happen 3 separate times -- where we add a cat just shortly before we've lost one, like ships passing in the night. I like to think that it happens that way for a reason.

Best,
Sandi.

 

I too have a soft spot for the orange ones ... they're so loving, so gentle, so kind.

It's incredibly hard to fight so many medical battles and then suddenly quit. Doubting oneself is part of the process, I think. I'm all for "fighting the good fight" but we should always ask ourselves if there's hope for a cure, or at least hope to overcome the current obstacle and have more good days. If this is as good as it gets and it goes down from here, then there's something very powerful about letting them pass with dignity. I lost a cat to lung cancer and she was in crisis before we realized what was wrong. That still haunts me.

My vet recently told me that it's better to be their friend a day early rather than a day late. So true ... but it takes tremendous courage on our part. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you made the decision out of love. Chim knows that.

 

Hi Sandi - Yep, we had three wonderful boys for about a month before Chim's passing. Now we've got Vash and Tycho. Vash has always been the more standoffish one, so he's not entirely sure about his new little brother yet, but they've been able to share the bedroom window when the sun comes in and sleep near each other on the couch, so we're making progress. But I think you're right, and I'm glad Vash has someone to keep him company, even if Ty is a little too energetic sometimes.

JL, thank you for your comment. This is exactly what I've been struggling with since we made the decision. I was so worried about him when we got the diabetes diagnosis, and even more so when he developed a mast cell sarcoma on his tail. When that happened, there were some people who thought we should have let him go then, but I felt like he wasn't ready - that he wanted to keep fighting. As weird as it may sound, it felt like this time was different. He just seemed so tired, and while he'd be interested in going out on the deck or having a catnip treat or two, those moments were so few and far between it was hard to watch.

Thanks again for the support.

 

My heart breaks for you and my eyes glow the tears. I'm so sorry. May his love and light lead you the way on your voyage to greet him one day.

 

Our newest orange boy is a one year-old tripod named Henry that we keep HOPING will grow out of his kitten stage, because he is a little orange speed demon who is also a bit too energetic for our older guys, but we see glimmers or progress sometimes too I'll pray for us both to survive the kitten stage, but then I have hopes that our Henry and your Ty will become best of friends with their siblings.

Sending hugs your way

 

Hah, yep - sounds a lot like Ty! His favorite trick right now is to find his catnip mouse between 3 and 4 AM and bring it to the bedroom door and then complain that no one will play with him, LOL.

I hope that Henry will enjoy his new surroundings and even if he doesn't totally outgrow his kitten stage, maybe that playful streak will be its own blessing. Thanks again.

 

A lot of hugs and love.

Chim never will be forgotten, always will live in your hearts when you watch a sunset or smell a flower. If you watch the sky, Chim is there, in the rainbow, taking care of you, from all the eternity.
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.