A year and a half ago, we realized that if we were going to fulfill our dream of traveling fulltime, we needed to get on with it. And at age 18, Spotty was coming with us.
We were astounded at how readily she adapted to life on the road. She loved looking out the window of the truck, and then settled down with her head in my lap as we traveled. She quickly staked out her favorite place in the trailer—the window seat behind the dinette—where she had a great view of the outdoors.
Spotty did not travel lightly. She had a big thick leopard blanket on the window seat, a heated pet bed, a litter box, food and water bowls, litter, and at least a month’s supply of cat food. We wanted to make sure that she always had her preferred brand, Spot’s Stew. The stinkiest seafood variety, of course. It took us all a couple of months to settle into living together in close quarters, but we figured it out, and we were amazed at her adaptability and resilience.
Spotty loved going outside to explore when we arrived at a new location. Despite her advanced years and creaky joints, she cruised around our campsites in the desert, on the beach, and in the forest. Given that she couldn’t move quickly, we found we didn’t need a leash. Most of the time, of course, she spent sleeping. But she always greeted us with an enthusiastic “Ma-row!” when we walked in the door and she turned on her purr motor at every opportunity. Having Spotty with us made our trailer feel like home.
Not long into our travels, Spotty began to need daily injections of subcutaneous fluids because her kidneys weren’t functioning well (a typical malady of older cats). A few months ago, we added EPO injections to boost her red blood cell count. And then added antibiotic shots every 10 days to combat the tooth infections that also often plague older cats.
It was a lot of care. It was hard at times, especially traveling and living in such a small space. And it was worth it. Despite her decreasing abilities to get around, Spotty continued to have a good quality of life. As our vet told us, “If Spotty could talk, she would tell you how grateful she is.” Just seeing the spark of light in her eyes, hearing her purr, and having her reach out with her paw to draw us close was enough.
On Wednesday we knew that she was failing, and that there was no hope of recovery this time. She stopped eating and drinking, and all of her body systems were shutting down. Our vet came to us and we held her gently while he administered the sedative and anesthetic that helped her leave this life at age 19-and-a-half. We wrapped her in her favorite blanket and had a little ceremony by candlelight where through many tears, we talked of all that we loved and appreciated about her. We buried her next to the pond on the land of our dear friends Ted and Katherine, close to where we park our trailer and with a beautiful view of the mountains.
We keep reminding ourselves that Spotty lived a long and adventurous life. But there’s a big empty space in our trailer and in our hearts that was occupied by that little black kitty with the beautiful green eyes and the big personality. We miss her terribly.[portfolio_slideshow]
Oh my. My heart is breaking for you. I know how hard it is to say good bye even at 19 years. How lucky she was to have such a great adventure in her old age. And how lucky you were to have her so long. Lovely pictures and memories. The sense of absence never goes away, but it does get easier with time. Dear Spotty has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge where all happy kitties and doggies go to play together. Take care.
Thank you, Jo, for your loving thoughts. I know you recently experienced the loss of your kitty. I like the idea of the Rainbow Bridge, imagining Spotty playing there without limitation. She especially loved batting around a ping pong ball. :-)
Being a cat person, this was a tough post for me to read. Spotty Kitty certainly had a wonderful long life. Sounds like you made the right decision for her. My thoughts go out to you:)
Pam, I never knew I was a cat person until I met and lived with Spotty. :-) Thank you for your kind thoughts.
oh no. of course I am crying with you, having just gone through such a similar experience. So very sorry for your great loss, Laurel. Something I have discovered, if a cat lives into the late teens, there is something wonderful that happens. They become very nearly human, they mature into something that can’t be found in a young cat. Even our Jeremy matured with his age into something even better than he was at ten. I am so glad you got to experience this with your Spot. There is nothing quite like the empty space left behind, however, and as we both know, only time will heal it a bit.
Sue, you put into words exactly what we experienced — Spotty was fiercely independent as a young cat, but as she grew older, our relationship evolved into a bond that was transcendent. I know you understand.
Awwww, I didn’t know that the Spotster had vacated … Sounds like a good life journey and noble passage – may it be so for all of us!
amor
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Well said, Nancy — we definitely hope for a continued good life journey and noble passage. Remember all of the parties at our house with Spotty right in the big middle of the event? She was such a character.
Laurel and Eric, My heart and thoughts are with you. I am so glad I had the honor of Spot’s acquaintance. Be gentle with yourselves, knowing you gave her the best life, and were able to share some of the retired travels with her. May you both, and Spot ‘Walk in Beauty’.
Thank you, dear Sheila. I’m so happy you and Bruce met Spotty during our stay on Lopez, too. We did our best to give her a really good life, and she repaid us with so much kitty love.
So sad. Whenever anyone loses a beloved pet it takes me right back to those I’ve loved and lost and the tears run down my face just like they are now. I am so sorry for your sorrow. I am amazed at how many wonderful years you had with her. That’s an unusually long life for a cat and a testament to how much she loved being with you two. Your care of her was exemplary. It takes a while to get over losing a member of one’s family and it’s an experience you never forget. My heart goes out to you both.
Sherry, we feel so fortunate to have had so many years with Spotty. I know it’s kind of unusual for a kitty to live so long. We think she wanted to travel the country with us. :-) Thank you for your kind and loving words.
Oh, my heart goes out to you. I know that hurts. We have SUCH fond memories of both of our traveling cats. Your description of Spotty reminded me so much of Tucker, our 18 year old tabby; he left us in Buena Vista, Colorado one beautiful summer, also with old age kidney failure. He loved to travel, and we are so happy we took him along. It is such a blessing when the pain of loss recedes, leaving just the smiles of happy memories.
Thank you, Laurie. Spotty’s passing reminded me of when you lost Luna; I didn’t realize that you had another beloved kitty that traveled with you, too. It’s just heartbreaking to lose them. We’re so happy that Spotty accompanied us on this journey — we have so many more memories stored away now.
We just returned from a trip up the Oregon Coast with our 14 year old kitty, Simon. He had been failing for a couple of years and it was finally time to let him go. We were parked at a friend’s house in Portland and her wonderful vet helped end Simon’s life. It took Simon several trips to get comfortable in our rig, but he was finally at home riding down the road and lying in the front window in the sun. He had a wonderful last trip with us and we were all very close in the rig. After he was gone I swear I would see his little spirit hanging out in his normal spots. It made me miss him even more. Your post brought it all back for me and the tears are flowing. I am sorry for your loss and know exactly how you feel.
Oh Rochelle, I’m so sorry for your loss of Simon. He sounds like a really special kitty, too. How wonderful that he got to travel with you! I keep seeing and feeling Spotty’s presence in our trailer, just as you see Simon. I think they’re letting us know that they’ll always be with us.
That must have been a difficult post to write…and it brought tears to my eyes. Spotty sure had a wonderful life with you and got to enjoy such variety during her final phase on the road. Pets are such an important piece of our lives.
It was so painful to write this, Lisa. In a way writing about our loss helps, but it also makes it even more final. We console ourselves with knowing that we had so much time with Spotty this past year and a half.
My sincere condolences for your loss. What a beautifully written post. I still miss my dog… these four-legged family members do steal a piece of our hearts. May the fond memories give you comfort!
Yes, our animal companions definitely occupy a big place in our hearts. Their love is so unconditional. Thank you, Ingrid.
My heart aches for you both right now. You described it all so beautifully, and I’m touched by the care you all gave to her in her last years. May you continue to feel her spirit with you as you journey on. Namaste.
Thank you so much, Leslie. Spotty gave us her best, and we felt that she deserved the best possible care from us. I hope she’ll continue with us in spirit in our journeys.
OH, I am in tears thinking of you both having to say good-bye. I am so sorry. Thank you for giving Spotty such a wonderful life. Thinking of you as you grieve the loss of little ole Kitty.
Thank you so much, Janet. It means so much to have the love and support of our friends.
What a beautiful tribute to your precious kitty. May your memories provide you comfort, our hearts go out to you both!
Thank you, Janna. Your kindness helps to ease our sorrow.
This post made me cry. I am so sorry for your loss. We had to put our dog Izzy (16yrs) down in April. It sure does hurt. What a wonderful adventure Spotty had with you both. It’s painful now but the memories will live on.
Brenda, I’m so sorry for your loss of Izzy. It’s always difficult to lose a pet, but when they’ve been a member of the family for such a long time, it’s hard to really grasp that they’re gone. We are grateful for the many wonderful adventures we shared with Spotty.
I’m so very, very sorry you had to say goodbye. Spotty had a long and wonderful life for a kitty, but her time on earth seems so short for us humans. Hugs to you both. Spotty is watching over you now, and I do believe you’ll be reunited one day.
Nina
Thank you, Nina. You’re so right, even though Spotty had a long life in kitty years, it wasn’t anywhere near long enough for us. I like to think that we’ll be reunited one day.
What a wonderful tribute to such a wonderful being! I love the pictures. The one of her and me should be titled “When they were both kittens” :)
That would have been a great title, Amanda. You two were so little together. You did a good job choosing Spotty with your dad. :-)
Oh, I choked as I read your tribute for I had a pleasure of meeting Spotty. I think you poured your heart out to ease the pain, Laurel.
I’m glad you got to meet Spotty, MonaLiza. Too bad she didn’t get to go birding with us on Dauphin Island. She loved to watch the birds. :-)
I am so sorry for your loss Laurel. The loss of a pet rivals the passing of any of our loved ones I believe; their love is so unconditional. This was such an achingly heartfelt tribute.
Thank you, LuAnn. Our pets definitely are wonderful teachers in the art of unconditional love. We miss Spotty so much.
Dear Laurel and Eric, we are sorry to hear about Spotty. I know she brought a lot of joy into your lives, she was fortunate to have you and Eric in hers!
You are always in our thoughts.
Love, Rick and Karren
Rick and Karren, thank you so much for your loving thoughts. I’m glad you got to meet Spotty in the Keys. She even had an overnight at your house! I hope your Ms. Kitty is doing well. They become such an important part of our lives. Love to you both, we hope to see you sometime soon.
Aww, Laurel, my heart goes out to you guys. We lost our sweet dog last May, and I still miss her every day. It is good to share the memory this way, though, and to allow others to help you grieve and remember. Blessings!
Gretchen, thank you so much. I’m so sorry that you lost your beloved dog; I feel like we’re also going to be missing Spotty for a very long time. It does help to have the love and support of family and friends.
I am so sorry about Spotty. I know the loss you feel and the emptiness it leaves, as I am living the same thing with the loss of Roxbury. I am so glad I had the pleasure of being around Spotty at Mom and Dad’s. Sleep well Spotty, and enjoy Rainbow Bridge until you one day are reunited with the parents you so well raised :) Don’t be surprised if they round the corner through the clouds with Big Foot, to continue your travels one day. Until then, rest easy and pain free.
Oh, that is so sweet! And it made me smile through my sadness. Spotty did raise us well, and I love the idea of picking her up again someday to continue our travels together. Love you, sis.
Laurel, We are sorry to read about Kitty. You guys gave her a good life.
Thank you, Loretta. We did our best — Spotty deserved a good life. :-) Hope you guys are doing well — how are the plans for full timing going?
Hey Laurel & Eric
Sorry to hear about your kitty. I had to put down my Katrina last month so I know what you’re going through, I miss her.
We are finally getting closer to hitting the road. My last day at work is December 31st! Right now we have plans to be in Florida from mid January to mid February. YAY!!
Henry, we’re so sad to hear about Katrina. I was so happy when I heard that she traveled well and would be accompanying you on your journeys. I hope your sweet memories will bring you comfort. We miss Spotty so much but it helps that we have so many years of good memories.
On a happier note, congratulations on your upcoming retirement and embarking on your dream! We’re so excited for you, and can’t wait to meet up with you in our travels. Yay is right!!!
You were blessed to have such a loving and beautiful member of your family.
Thank you, Debra. We do feel so blessed to have had Spotty for so long.
So very sorry for your human loss, as Spotty has crossed over to The Rainbow Bridge. Though we’ve not met, having learned about you after we’d all left Cedar Key last winter, I love your blog and photos, and we do have a shared friend out there in nomad-land through Nina, Paul, & Polly. The loss of our fur children is so painful, but the wonderful years, especially the senior years, are such a blessing. Spotty will live in your heart forever, until she greets you at The Bridge.
You’re so right, Karen, Spotty’s senior years were especially wonderful — we’re so happy she was able to accompany us on such a big adventure. Thank you for your kind thoughts. Wish we had known we were all in Cedar Key at the same time last year — it would be fun to meet up.
nice tribute to a good friend you two
Thanks, Kyle. She was a good friend.
It’s wonderful how someone with four little paws can have such a great big heart – filled with a seemingly unlimited capacity for loving us. I’ve said my sad good-byes to several companions over the years and although it is always so hard, I would not have missed all those wonderful years just to avoid the parting. Spotty had a great life and while her place by the water is lovely, I’m sure there will still be nose prints on the trailer window and the occasional kitty hair in your nose :-)
Thank you, Jodee, you expressed so well what I’ve often thought about love and loss. We miss Spotty every day, but our memories of all of the wonderful years we shared with her are helping to ease our sadness. She did have a good life. :-)
Loss of our sweet companions is always so difficult.
Spotty-Kitty was a beautiful girl, and she had a very long life and loving parents. What a gift.
Thank you for your kind thoughts, Brenda. We miss her everyday, but are grateful that we had her for such a long time. I know you understand.