Saying Goodbye (Patreon)

Yesterday we had to put down our 18-year-old cat, Hannah.

Some of you might remember this post from last December when I wrote about Hannah not feeling well. She was diagnosed with advanced kidney disease and, over the past few months, she had a good quality of life and was pretty much her usual self, with just a bit less energy.

She still did her usual routine: demanding fresh tap water from the bathroom sink, strutting around the house like a boss, jumping up on the counter for treats, and smacking Dobby in the face if he got too close. (Unlike Max, Hannah never became buddies with Dobby. She treated him like an annoying little brother.)

Over the past several days, Hannah had a drop in energy, lost interest in food, and stopped making her usual rounds throughout the house. By Monday afternoon, she could barely walk. If Dobby tried to engage with her, she didn’t care. The usual “Hannah swagger” was gone. 

She went downhill fast. By the end of the Memorial Day weekend, she wasn’t eating at all, only drinking water. I took her to the vet on Tuesday and we made the decision to put her down. It was time.

Like any cat, Hannah had her idiosyncrasies. She didn’t like to be held—hated it, actually—but she enjoyed being near her humans. When she was young, she would often lick the side of the computer monitor while I drew comics. Hannah was sweet to everyone in our house (at least the humans), but she clearly preferred my daughter. Hannah slept with her every night from the time she was about five years old (she turns 15 next week). 

I asked my daughter if she wanted to be there for the euthanasia procedure and she said yes. I’m glad she was there because she was Hannah’s favorite. She held Hannah until she was gone.

Here are photos of Hannah, along with some cartoons inspired by her. I’m sure some funny memories of Hannah will continue to inspire cartoons. She was a great cat and we will miss her.