Thumper (1994-2012)

This morning I lost my best friend, Thumper -- my buddy for the past 18 years. He was a cute, lovable, playful, gray and white tabby cat. I will miss him as long as I live....

In recent weeks, Thumper hadn't been feeling well. My roommate, Cleta, and I took him to The Cat Practice in Marina del Rey, not far from our home. Veterinarian Beth Hagenlocker, DVM, gave him a number of tests and determined that his bladder was weak. She prescribed two medications, which seemed to help for a week or so. Then Thumper grew weaker and didn't eat very much. He lost weight. We took him to see Dr. Beth for a couple of follow-up visits.

Thumper liked to sleep on an old, folded Afghan my mother knitted years ago that we had placed underneath a giant Teddy Bear on our love seat in our living room. In recent weeks, as he grew sicker, I would sleep next to him on the love seat, often petting him during the night.

Last night, he slept unusually well, falling asleep about 10 PM. I dozed on and off, petting him whenever I awoke. About 4 AM, he jumped off the love seat and walked into the kitchen for a snack. A few minutes later, he returned, jumping back onto the love seat but falling down on his first try. He made it on his second try. Thumper and I stayed there until around 9 AM, when I phoned Dr. Beth. She said to bring him in at 10:30 and we did. She checked him out, noticing he had lost another pound in the past week, now weighing only a little over six pounds, almost four pounds less than he weighed a month ago. After I told her how little he had been eating and how much trouble he was having going to the bathroom, Dr. Beth politely suggested that it might be time to end his misery. I reluctantly agreed, realizing it was for his own good.

I signed a cremation form, authoring his ashes to be tossed over the Pacific Ocean, not far from my home. I hope he will be happy in his next life. I will think of Thumper often, especially whenever I ride along the Blue Pacific....

George Spink
Los Angeles
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