Saying Goodbye to Jazz

On Monday night, I had to have Jazz put to sleep. As I prepared to take him to the emergency pet hospital, I was pretty sure he wouldn't be coming back home. I laid him on my bed while I got dressed and he fell asleep. I decided to take this one last picture of him. Mostly because my daughter, Alissa, couldn't be there. I wanted her to have something to mark his passing. She was the one who wanted a kitty all those years ago and the reason that Jazz came into our lives.

At the hospital, the x-rays confirmed what we suspected, congestive heart failure. The prognosis was grim and I made the decision not to let him suffer. He passed away quietly and peacefully as I rubbed his face and chin. He always liked that.

He was a great cat. He'll be greatly missed.

Other posts starring Jazz:
How to Give a Cat a Haircut
How to Give a Cat a Haircut - The Sequel

I also want to share with you a sweet card that Mindy's mom made for me. I don't know whether she wrote the poem herself or found it somewhere, but it was...
PUR-fect!

He will not go quietly,
the cat who shared your life.
In subtle ways he lets you know
his spirit still survives.
Your feet still go around the place
the food dish used to be,
And sometimes coming home at night,
you miss him terribly.
And although time may bring new friends
and a new food dish to fill,
That one place in your heart
belongs to him...
and always will.