WARNING: VERY SAD POST; READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.



  Last night, we brought Goliath inside because it was getting cold. He very slowly walked over to the side of the love-seat. When I looked over at him, he was using the bathroom on the carpet, something he had never done before. Dad told him no and took him to the garage.
  This morning, Mom went to check on him and found him curled up on the mat at the bottom of the steps-with a puddle next to him. When she opened the garage door for him, Goliath just sat there. She came inside and said that there was something wrong with him. I called one of our neighbors and asked her which vet she used for her pets. After I talked to her, I called the vet and set up an appointment for Goliath that afternoon. 
  After breakfast, I went to Wal-mart and got a pet carrier for us to take Goliath in. When Mom and I got to the vet, he took Goliath to the back and did a few tests. The vet came back and told us that Goliath's liver was severely enlarged and he was dehydrated. The options were: putting him on fluids for a week, which would cost about $800; or putting him to sleep. 
  I sat there, for a while, thinking about the options. I didn't have the money to pay for the fluids, but I hated to have him put to sleep. A few years ago, we had to put our dog, Megan, to sleep because her liver failed; I didn't want to go through the pain all over again. Mom told that we couldn't be selfish and let him suffer. At last, I whispered, "I guess it would be best to put him out of his misery." The vet took us to a back room where we could say good-bye to him. I held him and cried and told him I was sorry and wished it could have turned out differently. If I had a million dollars, I would have payed for his treatment right then and there. We stayed long enough to pay the bill and get an ornament with Goliath's paw print on it.
  I loved that cat so much; I sometimes felt like he was my cat and no one else's-they just helped me take care of him. We had him for a year and a half. He was such a funny kitten. Everything was a game to him, from throwing a ball to a piece of string on the floor.

   
I miss you, Goliath.


Katelyn