I came home from work this evening (morning) and Critter was dying. He has come down with a bad upper respiratory infection over the last three days and he crashed tonight. Having FIV and being over 14 years old we had hoped he would go in his sleep. There was no hope of him recovering. No medicine in the world can make immune systems reappear.
Cody came home shortly after me and we both agreed that he was suffering so we loaded him up with his sleepy blanket and took him over to Alameda East. They are the closest 24 hour facility. Neither of us have cried yet but we did stop for comfort food. I got a cheeseburger and a Coke and Cody got two chocolate sundaes. I'm sure the tears are coming. We have both been really close several times.
We are glad he didn't suffer long. He went quickly and we couldn't have expected anything less than him fighting death the end. No going quietly in his sleep for that ol' tough cat. The dogs were terrified right to the end and even last night he was torturing the mice. He was Cody's sleeping buddy for 14 years. We are going to miss him considerably. 
