Lightning's tale
Well, I caught Lightning this morning, finally, and I was all ready to post a happy account of taking him in for neutering... but the vet just called to tell me he is FIV positive and unless I can provide him an indoor home, we have to put him down. Since I can't bring him in with my healthy cats, I just authorized euthanasia and I feel terrible, but I know it was the best thing to do.
This process of rescue has been difficult. I'm sad that it didn't have a good outcome for Lightning, but FIV positive cats have a lifetime of health problems and a shortened lifespan as it is, so there's no way he would have had an easy life in the alley. I'll miss that little guy showing up for meals, and I'm sorry I had to be the one to order his death when he trusted me so much, but that's the problem with caring... sometimes it hurts.
This process of rescue has been difficult. I'm sad that it didn't have a good outcome for Lightning, but FIV positive cats have a lifetime of health problems and a shortened lifespan as it is, so there's no way he would have had an easy life in the alley. I'll miss that little guy showing up for meals, and I'm sorry I had to be the one to order his death when he trusted me so much, but that's the problem with caring... sometimes it hurts.