Yesterday, Tuesday, May 20th, we had to let our beloved Nero go. He had suffered from non-regenerative feline anemia for over 7 months now, and after many improvements and relapses, on Monday his blood count hit the lowest point since it had all started. We could have went though more treatments and blood transfusions, but knowing Nero's loving and adventurous spirit, we knew he would not want to live a life consisting of weekly trips to the vet and all of the poking and prodding that would come with it.
We took him home Monday and let him roam free in the yard that night and Tuesday morning.
He laid in the cool green grass while watching the birds and taking in all the joys of nature.
He slept on me Monday night, which meant so much to me, and then Tuesday right before it was time to leave for the hospital, he let me hold him as long as I wanted. Whether it was because he was too weak to want to move, or he simply wanted to be on my shoulder, I'll never know, but I like to think it was his way of giving me comfort.
Tuesday, in the early afternoon, we took him in to the Vet Hospital. We sat on a couch in a private room while I held Nero close in my lap as he peacefully went to sleep and took his final nap.
I don't think anyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting Nero, didn't love him. Even the students at the MU Vet Hospital became attached despite the short amount of time that they spent with him.
He was a special part of our family and we don't feel complete without him. He had a unique spirit and was always doing something to make sure he lived up to the destructive and eccentric Roman Emperor for whom he was named.
Nero, we will miss you and you will never be forgotten.
