On this ‪#‎FeralFriday‬, we remember Onyx, a member of HPC’s original feral colony. Little Onyx was trapped and spayed in September 2008 and was a regular from that point on. She was always small, and over the years had various health issues. For years, she suffered from vestibular syndrome which gave her a permanent head tilt and unsteady gait. And last summer, she had to be treated for a severe URI. Throughout it all, she showed her toughness and will to live, and it wasn’t until this past December that we knew she wouldn’t survive another winter outside, so she was taken inside.

Bringing feral cats inside is not something that we do lightly. These cats have never been inside and haven’t had close human contact. Thus, the experience of being confined can be very overwhelming and upsetting. And, if feral cats are inside for too long, especially in the winter, it is nearly impossible to put them back out with their family. But with Onyx, there wasn’t a choice. She was no longer able to eat the dry food because of severe dental disease, and she was wasting away. She lived inside for two months, never really approaching me or enjoying being touched, but gradually gracefully adjusting to her situation to the point where she would purr when I sat beside her. Even as she grew weaker and weaker, she wolfed down her wet food until the day in early February when she died, weighing only slightly more than 3 pounds.

As hard as it was to lose her, it was comforting to know that at the end, she was safe and warm. She certainly was loved. Thanks to @Hyde Park Animal Hospital for their compassionate care of Onyx.
http://hydeparkcats.blogspot.com/2008/09/onyx.html