Brandy

We lost our beloved little Brandy today. She was diagnosed with kidney failure last week and had spent 3 days at the vets getting treatment and was sent home with special food and some medication - we had to take her back this past Monday for more tests to see if things were helping and it wasn't good news but the hope was that if we gave her fluids with an IV bag under her skin that it would help her levels. We went back on Tuesday and the vet showed us how to do it and gave her a fair amount of fluid. She seemed better on Tuesday but by Wednesday afternoon and evening she seemed to be deteriorating. We had to make the difficult decision to take her in today - the vets at Baker Animal Clinic are just wonderful. They are so helpful and so compassionate - our regular vet that we like so much wasn't in today but one of the other vets spoke to me on the phone extensively this morning and she was very familiar with Brandy's case and what had been done to date. She was so sympathetic and understanding and supportive - we couldn't have asked for better treatment for me and for Brandy.

Brandy was 16 years old and had a good life. Wes had rescued her from a tree stump when her brother Max had wandered up to the farm house one day - Wes followed him back to where the litter was and there were already a number of kittens who had died - Brandy, Max and another one were still living but not by much. Wes had thought on a number of occasions that he was going to loose Brandy - she had a chronic stuffy nose and was so tiny that everyone thought she was just a little kitten and not a 16 year old cat. Anyone who had picked up Brandy knows how affectionate she is and how she holds onto you with her nails - she has plucked a number of sweaters in her day. She always came to the door to great you and company and would always spend evenings sitting on you or on the arm of the chair beside you. She was a funny girl and did have some odd sleeping styles.

Even our vet said she was just not a typical cat and more of a dog. She was also so good with Sarah - Sarah would poke her in the nose and eyes and try and pick her up squeezing her - considering that she did have her claws she never said a word or tried to scratch or bit her - although she would have been justified on a number of occasions.

Brandy we love you, we will miss you and we will never forget you.