Farewell Gryphon

Gryphon passed away last night.

We arrived home after the holidays to find him listless - sleeping all of the time, but occassionally moving location. I was able to get him in to see the vet yesterday, but it seems it was too late. He was severely dehydrated and cold (the vet tech thought her thermometer must be broken). He had also lost 10 oz. His internal systems were already shutting down. We hoped we might save him. I had spent the afternoon cuddling with him while I waited for the appointment, and left him with the vet overnight for further testing and IV fluids. X-rays revealed his lung tissue was full of fluid which needed to be cleared for him to breath. So, despite being dehydrated, he needed to be on a diaretic to clear out the fluid. He was put on warmers to try and raise his temperature too. The vet called this morning to say Gryphon had not made it through the night. We spoke with the vet to see if any more had been learned about the cause of death, but there were few answers. It wasn't cancer or FIP. It may have been a slow-developing allergic reaction to something. It is very unlikely to have been something contagious that Monkey or Fenwick could have, which was one of my concerns.

It was all so sudden - just as when we came home summer 2006 to find Jenny unable to move because of a slipped disc in her spine. Gryphon was even in that same spot when we first found him. And I think I knew then that he was leaving us.

At 5 years young, I wasn't expecting this. I thought he would be the baby's companion for many years to come. Gryphon was, by far, the greatest cat in the house.

Now Robin is the only male in a household of females.

I don't foresee us getting another cat in the near future. We never really intended to have 3 in the first place. Usually when one passes I feel that there is an opportunity to rescue another. However, with a baby on the way, now is certainly not the time to adopt a new cat.