Mancat Monday - Angel Ringo

Our friend, Ringo, crossed the Bridge last week. We are sad that he is gone, but we are happy that he enjoyed the last few years with a lovely lady named Sue. Mom and we met Sue through a kitty message board. That was almost 15 years ago when I was just a baby cat. Sue had an orange kitty named Gizmo at that time. When Gizmo crossed the Bridge, she adopted a senior kitty, another orange & white boy, named Casey. A few weeks after Casey crossed the Bridge, Sue decided she wanted to adopt another senior kitty. That's when Ringo joined her.

We don't know a lot about Ringo's life prior to joining Sue. We do know that he was about 8 years old and that he was FeLV positive. He had a "cauliflower ear", when means one ear was curled up and was more than likely caused by a bad infection early in his life.

Sue always said Ringo didn't know a stranger. He loved the workman who would come into his house. He loved the home health people who came in to help Sue. Ringo was a good boy for sure.

Sue has had some major health issues over the past few years. She has been in and out of the hospital and rehab. But she was always able to come home and stay with Ringo. Until this last time. Sue went into the hospital for a procedure that required her to be under. She started having a reaction to the anesthesia. She survived, but it caused some problems with her. She is also on kidney dialysis 3 days a week. Someone was able to check on Ringo and take care of him while she was in the hospital and then rehab. She was released and went home for one night. We don't know exactly what happened, but she ended up back in the rehab center the next day. She has been there since.

While she has been in rehab friends and family had been taking care of Ringo. But as weeks passed he started failing. Last week, Sue and Ringo's vet decided the best thing for Ringo would be to help him cross the Bridge. Sadly, Sue was not able to be with him to say goodbye. Sue's sister did go and be with him in her place so he was with family.

Our hearts are heavy for Sue. She has lost her dear friend and companion, and the chances of her returning to her home are very slim. She and her family had been looking for an assisted living center that would have allowed her take Ringo with her. That's how much she loved him. We are also sad because we know that Ringo will be the last kitty that Sue will have.

Godspeed, Ringo. And God bless Sue.