Kimba was put to sleep on Friday evening, the 29th of December 2006.
Initially we were trying to stop an infection with antibiotics. It turns out that the infection she had was due to a rupture in her gut which was caused by either a tumor or an abcess. In either event it was inoperable for several reasons, not the least of which was that she was so anaemic and unfit that she wouldn't have survived an operation.
So, given the above info and that she was weak, not enjoying life, no longer had an interest in food, which had to be force fed daily via a syringe (those who knew Kimba will know how telling this is), and no interest in water, which was being administered via subcutaneous injection daily, the vet and I came to the conclusion that it was time to let her go.
She was quite a unique cat: very vocal, never wandered outside our fence line unless she was chasing off another cat, and for a lot of her life she took to following me around like a dog might. She was very affectionate and was far more interested in getting pats and time on my lap than chasing toys. Often, when I'd try to entice her to play, she'd look at me as if to say: "You must be joking". Those times when she was inspired to play, it'd often end with her pausing as she realised I was watching, then trying to make it look like she was just cleaning her paws, or just stretching, or that she was engaged in some other sensible pursuit.
Kimba was friendly to other cats when she was a kitten and as young cat, but a after a few bad experiences she would readily attack any other cat (or dog) who came onto our property. She was still tolerant of animals that she had seen me accept, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She suffered family dog Chan, a little Shih Tzu that loved her dearly and wanted to play with her all the time, and never hurt Ebony, a sensitive domestic shorthair cat that belonged to my sister.
At this stage I don't know if I could own another cat. No time soon at least. People say that getting another cat helps you to get over it. I think that getting another cat would be unfair to the other cat given that I'd only be wishing for Kimba back.
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