This has easily been one of the worst weeks of my life. I’ve barely been able to function at all and I am beyond sad. All of this was due to my sick kitty, Encore.

He came to me 14 years ago, when a friend who raised miniature horses rescued him from a snow bank. Well, I took him in when he was about six weeks old and he was my best buddy from that point on. He was a scaredy cat, and none of my friends ever saw him, but when I was home he was always with me.

Last January he started to get sick and was eventually diagnosed as having inflammatory bowel disease. We went through a course of medication and changed to a special diet and the vet led me to believe it was under control.

Suddenly this August he looked terrible and was very dehydrated. I took him for emergency care, and then we started a weekly fluid IV at my regular vet. Once again I thought things were OK. Two weeks ago he had a bad night, was really sick, and I took him to the vet immediately.

Her first comment was, "So you're here to put him down?"

I was horrified. I told her that I was there for medication.

Her next comment: "oh you mean he's not on anything?"

She had been seeing him weekly for two months and DIDN'T KNOW THIS????? My heart sank. She put him on prednesone, and I thought he was rallying some.

But last Sunday when we woke up he was totally limp and not able to stand up. I rushed him to emergency care (at a different vet), but by the time I got there he was having seizures and it was too late to save him.

I was with him when he died and all I could do was sob ad tell him over and over again that I loved him and that I was so sorry.

I feel as if my heart is breaking.

It was bad enough to lose my father last May, but this is a pain I was totally unprepared for. I can't tell you how awful the silence of this apartment is, and how I keep hearing him and looking for him. He was always with me and slept with me every night. I haven't slept in a week, all I can do is cry.

So for all you cat lovers out there give your cat some extra love and BE SURE THAT YOUR VET IS COMPETENT AND PAYING ATTENTION. There was no need for Encore to die from this disease. If the vet had been really paying attention and had been vigilant about checking him and his record he could have lived many more years.

Thanks for letting me vent.