March 5th, two years ago, was one of the hardest days we’ve ever had. It was the day we had to say goodbye to Khali, our beloved cat and my muse, and even now, the memory is still fresh.
The day before, just one day after his 17th birthday, we noticed something wasn’t right. He was weak, constantly thirsty, and unusually quiet—nothing like his usual vocal self. Worried, we took him to the vet, hoping it was something treatable.
When the vet told us he needed to be hospitalized for tests, our hearts sank. We knew he wasn’t well, but we weren’t expecting to leave him there overnight. Still, we had no choice but to let the experts take care of him and hope for the best.
The Diagnosis No Pet Owner Wants to Hear
The next morning, at around 10:30, we got a call from a lovely vet named Emily. Her voice was gentle, but the news wasn’t good. Khali’s excessive thirst was due to dangerously high sodium levels, and there were two possible causes:
- A rare form of diabetes, which they might be able to manage.
- Cancer, which would mean there was nothing they could do.
The only way to confirm diabetes was to try and bring his sodium levels down with fluids. If he responded, there was hope. If not, they would need to do a scan for tumors. Deep down, I think we already knew what the outcome would be. Diabetes in cats is rare—but cancer, unfortunately, is not.
That afternoon, Emily called again, and our fears were confirmed. The scan showed tumors on his kidneys and what looked like metastases on his liver. There was nothing they could do.
The Hardest Decision
Emily gave us an option: we could bring him home for one last night and return the next day to say goodbye, or we could let him stay at the clinic, surrounded by caring hands, until it was time.
We so badly wanted to have one more night with him, but at the same time, we didn’t want to put him through any more discomfort. After much soul-searching, we made the heartbreaking decision to leave him in the care of the vet team. Emily reassured us that he was being pampered with cuddles—a small comfort in such a painful moment.
Not long after, Emily called again. Khali was deteriorating quickly. Keeping him overnight wouldn’t have been fair. It was time to let him go.
A Peaceful Farewell
At around 6 PM, we agreed that the kindest thing we could do for Khali was to let him go peacefully. The vet gave him a gentle injection—just like falling asleep. An hour later, we received an email letting us know he had passed peacefully.
It’s been two years, and we still miss him every single day. Losing a pet is never easy—they are more than just animals; they are family. But we take comfort in knowing that Khali lived a long, happy life, filled with love, warmth, plenty of cuddles and plenty of home-cooked fish.
To anyone who has had to say goodbye to a beloved pet, we know how hard it is. But in the end, the love we share with them is always worth the heartbreak.
Rest easy, Khali. 💙🐾