RIP, Halala Pala...

RIP, Halala Pala...  Debbie took Halala into see the cancer specialist today, after he had rather a bad week.  Halala didn't want to eat, and didn't want to be out with Debbie or the other cats – definitely not a good sign for him.  Longtime readers will know that we've been helping him fight cancer for close to three years now, and most of that time he was in remission.  Just the last couple of months he's had a relapse, and the chemo wasn't working.  When his oncologist (the wonderful Dr. Geist at VCA in Kearney Mesa) examined him today, he told Debbie there really wasn't anything left to be done.  He was clearly suffering and there was no realistic chance of recovery, so poor Debbie made the call by herself (as I'm up in Utah) to put him to sleep.  She held him as he went down.

Halala Pala has been a special cat in our household for almost ten years.  We're pretty certain he was a Maine Coon, either purebred or close to it.  He had all the classic Maine Coon attributes: fat, fuzzy, affectionate, and tiny voice more suited to a mouse than to a cat of his portly magnificence.  He loved to chase a laser pointer or feather on a string.  Oh, and he loved to eat :)

He was one of the cutest kittens I've ever seen (first picture below).  Not just his appearance, but his behavior as well.  You'd never guess that such a cute little kitten would, two years later, attain the level of magnificence you see in the second photo – but he did.  The rest of the photos were taken recently, when he was still in remission.  I've written about him several times before.

We'll miss you, Halala Pala.  We rescued you, and we're grateful for the the years of affection and companionship you gave us...