# In Memory of Mclovin (2008-2014)



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)

Last Thursday we lost our big baby McLovin. He was always a heavy cat but his build was big, big shoulders and solid neck, big paws, always hovering around 19 lbs. He was a perfect tuxedo with an all black face, sweet white feet, and a white bib. He even had a bowtie when he felt like dressing up. I never liked his name (my ex named him) but I loved that kitty with all my heart and still do. He was just one of those cats that lived to hang out with his humans. Waiting by the door for you if he heard your car, he'd come running if I said his name, but you have to say it like a question, "McLovin?" MEOW! Boom (him jumping) then he'd run up and jump into bed or onto the couch with you. If you held your hand above his head he would stand on his hind legs, grab your hand with his front paws, and rub his face all over it until he lost balance. 

He was never much of a playful cat past his first year. He would do a few impressive jumps and catch the toy, and after a few compliments like "ooh so manly, good job!!" he was content to sit back down and chill. As a kitten and into his "teen" growing years he was super playful, he'd even pant like a dog from all the jumps. He wasnt sweet or affectionate then, but once he became full grown he switched into a complete lovebug and preferred vigorous snuggles and pets over vigorous play.

He went through lots of what we called "phases" in his life, usually only lasting a week or two. The "sitting on the edges of tables with legs hanging off" phase, the "knocking water glasses off tables/counters" phase (smashed a whole set of ikea glasses haha), his "sleeping under the bed with just his feet showing" phase, etc. One phase that never left was his obsession for all things that crinkle. Listerine wrappers, nyquil wrappers, plastic bags. He would hang out pretending that he was just chilling, then when you left the room he'd dig things out of the trash and try to eat them. We'd have to come running to stop him. So silly. My boyfriend bought him a big crinkly toy snake that he loved. We covered it in catnip and he'd hold it in his front paws and rub it all over his face with a smile, then hug it like it was his baby and pass out.

In his life he had two cat buddies. The first was MooMoo my ex's cat. She was with him for about a year and she somewhat raised him from kitten into adult. She was very rough and kinda mean, but I cought them snoozing together and grooming each other. When Moo left he was really sad and clingly, he cried a lot and I let him sleep with me in my bed and generally gave him tons of sugar. Then my roomie got Megatron (meg for short) a little fuzzy gray kitten. He loved her and he became a papa. He watched her every move, snuggled her, and cleaned her daily. He would even puke up hairballs of HER fur, never his own. She was never a nice cat, and when my roomie moved out I kept her for McLovin's sake. She was his little baby and I didn't want to see him sad and lonely again. He loved the company of others and I didn't think he would be good all alone during the day while I worked.

On Sept 19th I brough him to the e-vet. He came out from under the couch after hiding all day and he was yowling. He had a routine that after breakfast he sleeps under the couch for hours digesting, then he emerges and started his day around 2. well that day i was home from work for some reason. He cried and cried and limped and dragged his rear right paw. Never ever a scratcher or a biter, more of a baby, he even hissed at me when I came near him. I called my vet and they said they couldn't see him since they were booked solid, so I had to wait for the e-vet to open to bring him in. He go x-rays and they saw nothing, just minor arthritis in his hips (they said possibly due to his size). they gave us some pain meds and said give him a few weeks see how he does.

He had ups and downs, while on pain meds he got what appeared to be "better" but really it wasn't. After about 2 weeks he declined and slept all day and was a crab. he'd hiss at people he loved and didn't want much sugar. He was still eating but a bit less. he even stopped cleaning his immaculate coat, something which he prided. I decided he must be depressed and gave him extra love and affection. then he had a second coming, he started to walk a lot more, ate more, and became social again. i babied him, carried him to the couch or bed since he couldn't jump, talked to him incessantly (he loved my voice, he would stare with his giant yellow eyes and his ankles would shake with happiness, always made us laugh). he did good for a couple weeks and we were optimistic. Then two Mondays ago we noticed his hip was protruding a little. i rubbed it and moved his joints and he just purred and looked at me. His movements were good so i thought maybe he created an imbalance from his limp.

That Friday we noticed the bump was much bigger. By Sunday he had gotten poo on himself and threw up his food. Monday I brought him to the vet for blood work and she noticed he was constipated. Weds he went in for x-rays and an enema and they found that he had a huge bone tumor on his hip. I was told this was almost certainly the end for my lil bud which i did NOT expect, i thought he maybe needed anti inflammatories or meds. the tumor was blocking his colon as well. I brought him to an oncologist thurs and there they found he also had tumors in his lungs that were all over. Thursday he was not himself, his eyes stayed open with tears even has he slept. he purred non-stop and loved our touch but he wasnt strong enough to do much besides nuzzle us or rest a paw on our hand. we decided then and there that it was his time. No more suffering for our baby boy. it all happened so fast and up until wednesday he was running around on that lame leg, eating from three different food dishes, rubbing himself in catnip, and acting like he always did.

We have no regrets for how we treated him in life, nor that we had to put him out of his suffering before it went past that awful day. We just miss having him around. he was the center of our universe and he touched all of us deeply. What an amazing sweet cat. Only 6 years on the planet and he helped us through so many hard times and made us laugh and smile daily. Miss you buddy, you were my heart cat.:blackcat


----------



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)




----------



## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Awww, what a sweet beautiful boy. I am so very sorry for your loss. Not only was it as shock to lose someone so young but the swiftness of his decline must have taken your breath away. Hugs to you, I know this is tough.


----------



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)

Thank you Marcia, you are so kind. I always feared his time coming and didn't know how I'd live without my monkey, but I thought we had 10 more years with him since he always had a gorgeous coat, bright eyes, and he ate the best canned foods and had regular vet visits. He was never sick, always so lively. 

I asked the vet if we found his cancer sooner if there was anything we could've done, she said probably not. There were some options such as amputation and a month of daily chemo treatments in-office, but she said they would need to remove so much of his pelvis and that even with chemo he would most likely have more spreading. I didn't want him to suffer the loss of a limb and all that treatment just to add a few more months, so we were already leaning towards letting him go peacefully. Once we heard about the lung cancer it took any doubt or guilt from our minds about trying to save him. 

It happened so quickly it's been hard to adjust. On Friday Meg sniffed around looking for him and was being more sweet than usual. Saturday she was a mopey ball of fur, she didnt want any contact with us and just looked like a sad pile of fur with a face. Sunday on shes been super sweet and needy, which she has never been. We always pet her and played with her but she would get tired of us so fast, now she cant get enough love. My boyfriend's nephews and niece made her a house out of a cardboard box and drew on it, they drew the whole family including mclovin. Kids are so sweet. They visit and play with her everyday which she loves. Also for the first time in the history of Meg's existence, she took a nap with me yesterday for a whole hour! Shes turning into a little snuggle monkey, I hope this lasts but I'll love her either way. She can be so fresh lol.


----------



## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

I'm so sorry for your loss. What a beautiful boy he was. My daughter's tuxie looks just like him.


----------



## jking (Feb 22, 2014)

I am so sorry for your loss. He was beautiful. I know how hard it is to lose your heart cat and I am sending you thoughts and prayers.

Judy


----------



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)

howsefrau & judy, thank you for your supportive words. I've always had a weakness for black kitties and tuxedos. judy the baby in your avatar is so cute, he has that same look as mine did. when he was a baby i thought it was somewhat aloof or expressionless, but over time it became apparent that that look is their way of saying "what now mom?"


----------



## dt8thd (Jan 7, 2013)

Oh Kim, I'm so very sorry!!  To lose him so early to cancer seems really unfair. It sounds like you did everything you could for Mclovin, up to and including making the decision to end his suffering. I'm sure he's grateful to you and your family for everything! *hugs*


----------



## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

BTW, I adore his name!


----------



## Mochas Mommy (Dec 9, 2013)

I am so sorry for your loss. Losing them suddenly is very hard; he knew how much you all loved him and I am sure he continues to look down on you with love.


----------



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)

It did happen so fast. Last Wednesday night I picked him up at 6 and looked at the x-rays and found out about his cancer, and by 5pm Thursday he was gone. Even after bringing him home Wednesday night to wait for the oncologist visit Thursday he went from being a happy kitty to just laying there, pretty much overnight. 

He was like a little bull sometimes, he'd push his head into you so hard. Sometimes he almost knocked me over, and he was always in the way. His favorite places to hang out were always high traffic areas like the hallway or a doorway. I remember waking up early and opening the bedroom door and he pushed his face in so hard i couldnt even stop him. he wanted to jump into our bed and wake up my boyfriend with snuggles. He loved my bf so much, he would sit and watch him wash dishes every night, so my bf bought him a special bed to lay in that was in our kitchen so he didnt have to sit on cold tile.

Everyone here has beautiful cat faces in their avatars btw. Each kitty is so cute.


----------



## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Kim,
What a beautiful remembrance of, and to McLovin...
Such a Handsome Boy!
Cancer is so **** sneaky....I lost two cats to cancer...
My heart goes out to you, as you deal with the rollercoaster of emotions...
Meg is missing and grieving him too...so I'm glad you have each other...
(((HUGS))) and Prayers, 
Sharon


----------



## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

I am so sorry for your loss. Cancer is such a dirty word for humans and animals. He was so handsome and what a beautiful tribute you wrote to his wonderful personality.


----------



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)

To those who have lost kitties to cancer, did it happen so fast? I asked the vet if they knew what caused it, they didn't have any answers. He always ate good canned foods like Wellness and Weruva, he had no taste for human foods, and whatever he ate my other kitty ate and she doesn't have cancer. His momma was a rescue while she was pregnant so i have no idea her origins or health history.

One more silly story to share: he was never a fighter and he would only wrestle and play to appease Meg, and his efforts were only enough until she would let up. Sometimes it was just a smack and he'd whine and she would take off, or sometimes she was persistent and he'd have to whoop some butt (with great regret and sadness, he was a lover not a fighter). He was twice her size mind you. The only time he got agressive was when it was time for her haircuts or a bath. She acted so nasty and fresh and it made him agitated. He would sit there and watch the whole process. After every haircut or bath he would whip her a little bit for being so naughty. One time she tried to escape us during a haircut, he actually caught her with his big front paws and held her there for us!! I guess he was a model for good behavior (and cleanliness!) so he was trying to teach her a lesson.

Thanks again for all the kind words and well wishes.


----------



## Mandy and Ellie (Oct 22, 2013)

Ugh, Kim... I am so, so terribly sorry for the loss of your McLovin. He was BEYOND gorgeous... what a handsome cat! He was always dressed to impress with his tuxedo!

I have never had a cat have cancer, but my family dog, Max, had cancer. He was only 7 years old, and suddenly one day he began to lose movement in his back left leg and was shaking with pain. Our vet at the time was an idiot and thought it was his ACL. Quickly he began losing movement and muscle mass, as well as his behavior changing. A week later we took him to the e-vet who was going to perform his ACL surgery. Instantly he diagnosed it as a rare spinal cancer, affecting the nerves to that leg. We were floored and absolutely devastated. He had been SUCH a healthy dog his entire life, and his family (our aunt bred them and has his parents and sister, and my grandma has his sister) all were healthy... and are still alive to this day at almost 11 years old, and his parents are about 13.

We took him to OSU veterinary clinic and long story short... we were told they could take his leg, and go into his spine/more areas, then super expensive chemo, just to hopefully buy a few more months... if that. We decided to give him pain meds and let him go when it was time. Sadly, "time" came so much quicker than we thought.

Cancer is so ugly... it takes them at any age, even the healthiest ones aren't safe.  After my dog, Max, I'm terrified of my pets getting it young as well. It's weird, because you always assume they'll have long lives... but cancer decides differently.  It's not anyone's fault, it's just a genetic issue that leads to cancer...

The worst part is, cats and dogs are _so_ good at hiding pain. By the time you find it, it's usually too late or they're nearing the end. I've noticed this in my aunt's cats (two have passed away from different cancers) as well.

Sorry for typing a book, I thought I'd share my experience... I know the shock, and the pain, and the confusion of "why" when they were so young and healthy all too well. I'm so sorry your McLovin was taken from you way too young like this...  He definitely knows how loved he was, and got to pass away peacefully before the cancer hurt him anymore.


----------



## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

I am sorry for your loss. He was a very handsome boy.


----------



## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

Deepest sympathies.

Last year we lost our Oz (the tabby in the picture on the left) to cancer at only 18 months.


----------



## KiraKat23 (Nov 10, 2014)

From all I've read and looking at Mclovin's pictures on this thread he was truly a gentlemen of a feline and truly snazzy dresser with that bow tie. Bowties are cool after all. Also, despite his perhaps kind of silly name he really seemed to rise above it. I am really very sorry for your loss and I wish you peace and healing. Lots of happy memories as well.


----------



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)

Mandy & Ellie, thank you for taking the time to write about your doggie. That sounds very similar to what happened to my baby. There was some lameness and muscle loss that came on, and the e-vet said he hurt his knee or soft tissue since the x-ray showed nothing. Our regular vet did blood work and didn't find anything alarming. Something in the blood showing muscle stress which we thought was soft tissue injury, and his red blood cells were a bit low but she said nothing out of ordinary. When it got bad it got bad so fast. Please know you made the right choice for your pup, amputation and chemo only to live a few months was the same option for our baby before we found the lung cancer, and that is no way to spend your last months on this earth. I don't think that most humans would have chosen that path, let alone chosen it for their pet.

And yes they do hide pain so well. They play, purr, walk around quickly albeit with a limp, and look happy and lively until its so close to the end. My guess is that even if you found Max's cancer sooner there was nothing you could have done. My sympathies. 7 is just too young...


----------



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)

Jetlaya, he was super handsome thanks for the compliment. He liked to be told so as well so he would've appreciated the compliment.

Arianwen, wow Oz was pretty and so young... 18 months. Life can be so unfair. Be it 18 months or 20 years it is never enough time, but c'mon... Such young healthy kitties don't deserve this. Ugh this sucks....

Kirakat, thank you for the cute compliments as well. He as very into grooming and would spend hours a day making sure his whites were vibrant and his blacks were smooth. He never minded the bowtie, he would rock it all day if you left it on. Such a easygoing guy.

The sadness comes and goes. Yesterday was my first day being somewhat OK but towards the end of the night we felt so sad missing him and remembering him. Last night I had a dream we were at a party and he was there. He always sat in the middle of our family parties and watched, let the kids play with him, and just hung out. This thanksgiving will suck and xmas too without our buddy. It's like a physical ache missing him. I can still remember how his fur felt, his purrs, his little feet, and how he wanted to cuddle 24/7. Cooking and washing dishes is hard since he'd always keep us company in the kitchen (even though he didnt want food). 

Missing you so much my lil man. You were the best cat and we were lucky to have you.


----------



## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

KimV, I'm so sorry about McLovin. What a stunning kitty, even without the bowtie! And his personality comes right through in your tribute. The image of him grabbing your hand in his paws and rubbing it over his face is too precious for words, and his different phases made me smile. 

It really seems so unfair - only 6 years old.  

Lots of hugs to you. I hope you find some comfort in being able to share some of your memories here.


----------



## olywhizz (Mar 25, 2014)

Im very sorry for your loss


----------



## radtech (Sep 20, 2014)

Gorgeous baby cat! I'm so sorry for your loss. You were a great mom to him. I can only imagine how you must be feeling. Lots of (((hugs))) to you!


----------



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)

Thanks so much everyone for your kind words about him. He really was very special to us and we miss him everyday. It's been 11 days now and I haven't gone even one day without crying about him. I always feel a sad ache but everyday at some point out of nowhere I break down. He was such a big part of my life that theres pretty much no time in the day where something doesn't remind me of him. Like weekend mornings he would jump into our bed and snuggle us, cooking he would keep me company, watching tv he would sit next to us and hang out, every time we open the door he was there waiting, feeding time he'd cry and cry for 10 minutes (early) before the food it the floor and he ate it so loud while purring. Sometimes in the dark i see a dark hoodie and I think it's him laying there. Everything with him happened so fast I still feel in shock. When we found out about the cancer to when the oncologist told us there was no hope for him was less than 24 hrs.

I've started to go back to a normal routine, like getting groceries and eating normal meals, went back to work of course and started back at the gym. I even went on a job interview last week (trying to find something closer to home, I have an awful commute now) and I just felt numb. The job looked great and I hope I get an offer, it would give me more time by lessening my commute but still McLovin isn't here with me to spend that time. Even as I write this, I miss him sitting next to me while I have my coffee and breakfast. It's almost like I don't want to stop missing him and remembering him, I feel guilty thinking of someday getting a new kitty or having better days. He was so sweet and innocent.

Thanks again everyone for the support. I know I'm not the only one who has felt this way, those cats really steal our hearts.


----------



## Saly (Jun 3, 2012)

I am so sorry for your loss, he sounds like a very beautiful kitty!!


----------



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)

Still missing my big baby. Thanksgiving was hard, having all those days off at home with him gone. We consolidated all the pictures we had of him into one folder today which gave us a chance to sit and relive some of those old times. So many memories, he really made us laugh and smile every single day. I really think he was the perfect pet in every way possible. Seeing his pictures reminded me how happy he was and how good his life was. If only we had more time with him.


----------



## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh I know, it's so hard, especially when it's still so recent.  

Those pics all make me smile too. What a sweetheart! Who does he have in the bear hug in the first pic? The expression on his face in the third pic is just priceless. 

Thanks for sharing them. They bring your written description to life even more. Hugs to you.


----------



## KimV (Nov 11, 2014)

spirite said:


> Oh I know, it's so hard, especially when it's still so recent.
> 
> Those pics all make me smile too. What a sweetheart! Who does he have in the bear hug in the first pic? The expression on his face in the third pic is just priceless.
> 
> Thanks for sharing them. They bring your written description to life even more. Hugs to you.


Thank you spirite. The first pic is of him and his best friend Meg. He was always bear hugging her during naps and grooming. I found them sleeping like that on my dinner table. I think she misses his warmth, her new thing is sleeping under the comforter in our bed. We bought her a cave style cat bed that shes starting to use. They were very bonded, if you shut the door with one cat in the room, the other would cry or paw the door to be let in.


----------



## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

That's right. You did mention Meg, and I forgot. Aw, it's just heartbreaking for her too.  She may miss his warmth, but she's also probably cuddling with you because she feels a little lost and needs some reassurance. Give her some hugs from me!


----------

