Zlatan is gone

It’s with deep regret that I announce the sudden and totally unexpected passing of my beautiful Zlatan. He was corpulent, playful and apparently healthy until last night when I found him just laying on one of the shelves that have been placed in all cats’ rooms. When I picked him up he was completely listless, he seemed unable to move, he was breathing but just let his head and legs go limp. He died silently in his carrier this morning, on our way to the vet.

Zlatan hasn’t had a happy life. He has already been on the verge of death twice but managed to survive. Three years ago he was horribly injured and it took him more than a month to heal but he did, eventually. A few months later he got trapped somewhere and I couldn’t find him for weeks. He finally appeared dehydrated and emaciated, nothing but skin and bones. Both times I did everything that could be done, took him to the vet innumerable times and nursed him back to health. This time, I couldn’t do anything at all.

Undoubtedly, the biggest sorrow of his life was the passing of his sweetheart Pukilence who died suddenly last year and I think he never got over the loss. They were inseparable and so close to each other that he couldn’t overcome losing her. He spent months grieving over her death and although he seemed to have recovered he was never the same. I guess he simply couldn’t bear to live without her.

May he run free now with Pukilence, his eternal love. Rest in peace, golden boy.