RIP Eeyore

Andy went downstairs to make Melina a bottle around 5 this morning and saw a cat laying in front of the stairs. He really didn't think much of it...just thought it was a weird spot for one of them to lay. He got up later for work and came downstairs again around 6:30 and the cat was still laying there. Little Eeyore didn't really move much and he noticed she was breathing really hard. He came up to tell me that he thought something was wrong with the cat and I came downstairs with Melina. Eeyore just laid there. When I sat down to pet her and talk to her she didn't move, but tried to wag her tail...just little motions. I knew something was wrong. Andy is swamped at work right now, but Melina is sick and I knew I couldn't try to take all the kids and the sick kitty into the vet. So, he said he'd take the cat to the vet. We loved on Eeyore for awhile and when Melina cried, E got up and tried to walk, but she didn't go but a few steps and she just laid down again. I felt so horrible and we had not a clue of what was wrong. The vet across from our house opens at 7:30, but it isn't our regular vet. I gave Eeyore one last pet and a kiss on the head and I had Andy try to take her in there, but they were too swamped to try and see her. So, he waited until 8 and took her to our regular vet and they fit them in. The examination found that she was full of fluid and had contracted the FIV virus when she was a kitten and it must have laid dormant all this time. She would have turned 8 on the 4th of July. Anyway, the vet said there really wasn't much he could do for her and he felt it was best to put her to sleep as she was really sick. So, Andy was with her as they put her to sleep. He called me around 8:30 and Melina was screaming so he said he'd call me back. I thought that was an awful quick vet visit and I asked if everything was ok. Andy said "no, we had to put her down" and he started sobbing. Deidra woke up after that and I had to tell her what happened and I started to cry. This was our first pet that we've ever had this happen to and it wasn't easy. Andy got home a few minutes later and we explained to everyone what had happened. The littles really didn't understand, but Deidra was pretty quiet and then went up to her room. I took the littles to Mother's Day Out and while I was gone, Deidra and Andy buried Eeyore in the backyard. When I got home, he was putting a little cross (made out of rocks) over where she was buried. This all came on so suddenly...yesterday she was resting on our bed and playing with the other kitties. We're going to miss you, Eeyore. RIP! We love you!