Spirit dies of cancer

Spirit died at 10.25am on 25 February 2008.

I only thought I was taking him back to the vets to get his medication changed after his back legs stopped working again with a change of treatment.

We got there. He was strangely quiet. I took him into see the vet and she looked him over but instead of saying that we'd put him back onto the same medication from last week she told me it was time to put him to sleep. She said she couldn't do it without my consent and saying yes to having the one creature in the world who trusts me implicitly put to death was the worst thing I've ever had to do in my life.

I told him I loved him and that he'd been the best cat anyone could ever have had. He died in my arms while looking into my eyes. I was the last thing Spirit saw before he died. At least it was very quick.

I had forgotten what it feels like to truly feel your heart break. It happened to me at 10.25am on 25 February 2008. I can't believe I love him so much.