Thursday, April 12, 2007

Catblogging - Duncan, in memoriam


Duncan was 11 years old. I got him as a kitten from the no-kill shelter where I worked once a week. He came there with his mom and litter-mates from the pound, and he was the last holdout for getting adopted. He still would have been my first pick. He was so loving, and I never heard a cat purr so loud. His purr was legendary. You could hear it from the next room.

I brought him home to be a buddy for Henry, and it worked out perfectly. Those two have been inseparable ever since. Duncan was a very silly cat. He'd meow loudly during the night, but he wasn't crying, I believe he was singing. Either singing or running through the house acting like a nut. He would land on the bed at all hours of the night and announce his presence with a loud MEOW followed by licking your face. He was impossibly cute and lovable... and silly.

His heart always seem to beat loud and hard against your legs when he'd sit on your lap. I always mentioned it to the various vets, but none ever found anything wrong with him. He was healthy, if a bit overweight, and that was Duncan. I didn't know that he had a heart condition until this past November when he almost died from congestive heart failure. I was completely surprised! I had no idea that he had a heart condition, but I have learned many things since that day, and one of the things I learned about his condition was that very often the first symptom of it is sudden death. I happened to be there when he had that first attack, so I was able to rush him to the vet and postpone the inevitable. It was inevitable because not only did he have the chronic heart condition (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), he also had failing kidneys. Treating the heart and kidneys require sometimes opposite treatments, so we were never able to stabilize his condition. He died at the vet today, April 12. He got very stressed on the trip there, and was unconscious when he arrived. They could not revive him, but then there was no saving him in any case. He was too sick.

I am really glad that he survived his November attack, so that we could appreciate his situation, and try to enjoy every minute with him, giving him extra TLC. We are those people who think that these furkids ARE our kids, we don't have any offspring, so it is something that really hurts. I don't feel like it is my fault though. Everyone has assured me that this condition is genetic, and it's very hard to detect. We did everything that we could for him.

I've posted some of my favorite pictures of him below. They have been featured on this blog going back to 2005. He was well-loved for his whole life.

(Above - Duncan is the one facing us)







To pull up the most recent posts on Duncan, click here or on the "Duncan" label at the bottom. Older posts that won't be found that way are listed here (they all are set to open in a new window):
Office Space
Most Favored Seat
Still Cute with bad habits
Cute with bad habits
We belong together
Love me no matter what
Kitty cat troll booth
Peek-a-bamboo
Love/hate relationship
Cats write a letter
Duncan and new drinking songs
Duncan gets a clean bill of health
Two cats too cozy
Friday furball


Tags and links: Friday Ark - Carnival of the Cats - This week's carnival is at Books 4 Isreal - - -

28 comments:

R. said...

Oh my God!

I'm so so sorry.

Anonymous said...

Our thoughts are with you!

Duncan will always have a special place on the Ark.

Steve

Anonymous said...

We feel for your loss. Such a great companion of many years will be sorely missed.
Over There, past the Rainbow Bridge, a fabulous feline is rediscovering his vigour and no doubt he's purring his little heart out for you.
Our children may leave us, but are never gone entirely.

Sissy Willis said...

I am so sorry. A touching tribute to your precious one. You are both lucky to have shared each other's love and joy.

FreakyNick said...

Sorry to hear about Duncan.

Keep Duncan in you Memories and his spirit will be with you.

Mariamariacuchita said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. He was obviously a wonderful cat.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry to hear about Duncan's passing. Those are wonderful pictures you have to remember him by.

How are your other cats doing? Do you think they know?

pissed off patricia said...

He looks so much like my Mom Cat who I had for many years. I remember the morning I had to make the decision to let her go. I cried for her but at the same time I knew she was no longer in pain.

I'm so very sorry that you lost a member of your family. Yes, they are indeed members of the family.

Ptelea said...

Blueberry - My heart goes out to you. It has always been so obvious how much you love your cats. It is good that you were able to give him such a good home and so much love and attention. He had a wonderful life. Lucky and blessed are the cats who find your doorstep! I am glad that you have a bunch of other rascals to soothe your pain. Take Care.

srp said...

I am so sorry for your loss.
Poor Henry must be confused too. The pictures of them together are precious. Cats are so much more than pets... they don't seem to care about our circumstances... they simply love.

Blueberry said...

Thank you all for your comments. It's still hard to stop crying. I know that Henry is missing him so he will need extra TLC (and catnip), but the other two were not really allowed to mix with Duncan & Henry because they (the other cats) are aggressive. So now we have 3 cats who can't mix with each other! Alex and Jax will only know that their humans are upset over something. Henry is looking for his little buddy.

Mando Mama said...

Oh Blueberry, I'm so, so sorry. What a lucky little man Duncan was to have your love and caregiving, and what a lucky family you are to have enjoyed his company. He WAS impossibly cute, as these pics attest, and clearly his own man, not to mention, evidently, a peacemaker.

I hope the grief and adjusting to the hole Duncan left leads to peace in time.

Hugs,
MM

Aloysius said...

I'm so sorry to hear about Duncan. He was a beautiful, loving cat.

Omnibabe said...

I am so sorry for your loss. You may be interested in having donations sent to the Ricky Fund, which specifically funds studies to help find a cure for HCM.

Nava said...

That is sad.
I feel like I've really gotten to know this sweet cat through your blog.

I think he did have a good life with you, although I knםw it's not a consolation right now.

Big hug.

Michael Bains said...

Poor Henry. And you too mi amiga.

But you gave Duncan a great life and I can't imagine many folks who'd have done nearly as much for him (and all your critters!) as you.

namaste & peace

Anonymous said...

what a lovely special boy.

how lucky he was to have been loved so well by you.

i'm so sorry. i know you'll miss him forever.

beepbeepitsme said...

I love the picture of the 2 cats feeding with their tails touching each others.

I understand the distress of losing a loved pet. Perhaps all of us do. They give us so much and ask so little in return.

RIP Duncan (and a tickle behind the ears)

Progressive Texas Chicano said...

Dear Aunt Blueberry,
I am SO sorry about your precious Duncan. I am such a sucker for pets. They are TRULY members of a family.

I sit here with tears in my eyes for your loss. You both brought love to each other's lives. You cry as much as you want to right now!


love to you & the other kittens in your home!

your adopted liberal nephew in Fort Worth,

Angelo

Pam said...

Duncan was obviously very well loved. He knew great happiness in his short life.

The pictures are adorable. The one with the tails crossed is just precious.

Tiki, Kirby, and StanLee said...

We don't know how we missed this post. We are so sorry about the los of Duncan. Sending you purrs and hugs.

KC and the Giggleman Kitties said...

I am so sorry to learn of your loss, Duncan was a beautiful, spirited kittie.
I'll post this on the Cat Blogosphere and on the Pet Prayer & Praise blog.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you...
ML

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. 12 is actually pretty old for a cat with a congenital heart defect but that won't make his loss any easier. Our thought and prayers are with you.

Tiger Lily said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. Duncan had a long life full of love and I know you'll miss him very much.

Bad Kitty Cats & Megan said...

We are so sorry to hear about Duncan. And we apologize for not sending our purrs sooner - but we know the heart ache and we are sending love and prayers...

Mr. Hendrix said...

We're so sorry to hear of your loss. Duncan certainly was loved and he took that with him over the bridge. Make no apologies for loving your kitties like your kids, to many of us they are. We know he will be missed.
Please know you are in our prayers (and purrs) during this difficult time.
Hendrix & Amy

Sissy Willis said...

Hearbreaking, but he gave you and you gave him a lifetime of joyous moments. Precious pictures. I know you don't believe in god. Neither do I, but even so, god bless.

Blueberry said...

Thanks again to all for your comments and thoughts.