The End of Night

The End of Night, originally uploaded by Hotash.

Mr. Peeps getting his daily Subcutaneous fluids

I have moved downstairs to be closer to him-he chooses to sleep in our spare bedroom on the foot of the twin bed.

Peeps has not eaten a single thing for at least 6 days.
He goes out every day and comes back each night.
We see him in his hunting grounds, patiently waiting- we could only hope that he was successful. But as his body thins we know he is not eating well enough.

Some of you may remember that a few days back Bramble brought in a mouse (fresh dead) - at this point it had been a number of days since I had been successful in feeding Mr. Peeps. I decided to offer him her mouse (she doesn't eat them yet) - he ravenously attacked and ate the mouse!!!

I was amazed to be honest...as he has a tooth that is in bad shape on his right side, but this is not why he is not eating. He is dying from kidney failure.

He has lost all the weight he put on back in September - He is down to around 4-5 lbs. He is still walking, jumping, drinking and coming and going on his own. He is still using the cat box but is sometimes missing now....

I have been giving him IV fluids everyday now to ease the effects of dehydration. I continue to offer many different foods...from dry to disgusting canned food, he will take nothing...except that mouse from Bramble.

So....I made a decision to go buy him some mice. I had to think long and hard about this- but I made my decision in the end. Chris went with me and we drove to a neighboring town

to the only decent pet store we have in our county. We were met with honest help and suggestions. We left with 6 'feeder' mice
.

I'm sorry if this offends you...but it is the most natural way for a cat to eat and I'm tired of Mr. Peeps not eating. Starving to death is no way to die.

When brought into the bathroom with the mice in the same room he became very animated - amazing as he is so poorly right now....he lunged at the box. I put one mouse out and he attacked swiftly, the little mouse life ended and Peeps ate-not on his good teeth side but on the right side!!!

Two days and three mice later he is having bowel movements again and has perked up rather well. I don't have any false ideas of what is happening here-but I do hope that his final days are happier - and I thank the mice and they are well cared for until the end of night.

Mr. Peeps is aged: 13-18yrs or nearly 90 in his years
He deserves care.

He is living a humble life, without the indignities of our human mis-conceptions of care and exaggerated ideas of a drawn out life by masking symptoms with pills or surgeries.

He is comfortable.