A friend's cat has traveled the rainbow bridge

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I have an elderly women who is a very close friend of mine. She's in her 70's but to talk to her you'd think she was still a teen. She's as young as they get. About 12 years ago one of her trusted furry friends, at the time, had to travel rainbow bridge. Her family vet took care of everything for her. At that time she said that she was done and didn't want another cat. She said that about 6 weeks later her vet called and told her that he had a semi-feral cat that he wanted her to come and look at. You got it. She was suckered in and adopted Lily. I met Nancy and Lily about 8 years ago. Lily had come a long way from what Nancy had told me, but she cautioned me to very cautious around Lily because she was known to bite you. She was declawed, but still had her claws and the worst that she ever did to me was rake her paws across my shoes all the while purring about it. Nancy was the only one that Lily allowed to be picked up by. I could pet her in what we called a "duck by petting" I would put my had down at floor level, just high enough for her to walk under. She would see my hand, get in her attack mode, wiggle her little butt and take off like a bat out of hell and run under my hand as she arched her back to get a pet. I was the only one that she would let touch her and only in that way. After a few years and as Lily got use to me visiting with Nancy, I became Lily's nail clipper. Nancy would hold her in her lap. Lily had to wear a cat mask to keep her from biting me. I wasn't really happy to have Lily wearing that, but it made Nancy feel safer. The one lady that use to do Lily's nails, according to Nancy, was loud and rough with Lily and because of that Nancy was just afraid that Lily would take out her past experience on me. I'd talk to Lily gently and after every claw pet her nose, kiss her on her head and tell her that she was being "such a good girl". Lily was spoiled and pampered by Nancy. Nancy even went out and bought a cat stroller for her. They'd take walks around the building and on nice days sit out on the front porch of the building for fresh air. Well, last Tuesday Nancy called me in tears. She was sobbing so hard on the phone that I couldn't understand her. When she finally calmed down, she told me that Lily had been sick and not eating for the last couple of days. She was drinking water, but not as much as usually did. She asked me to call the vet for her. The same vet that had given Lily to Nancy. Nancy had told me that if there was anything that was seriously wrong with Lily she was going to have her put down. I told her not to make a rash decision just yet and to wait till the vet calls and comes to see her. He was now making house calls for the elderly and disabled. He came to see her the next day. Nancy said that after the initial exam he said that Lily had a mass in her stomach and it was probably cancer. Nancy told the Dr. to go ahead and put her down. Being Nancy and Lily had been a past member of the service that he had worked for, and that he was the one that matched them up, he wouldn't charge her to put Lily to sleep, but he would have to have the fee for the cremation. Nancy has gifted me with all Lily's belongings. I will now be the owner of the stroller. I do have a cat and I guess that I will try it out with my Mousie. The one thing that I found different in the way that Nancy handled all of this is that her resolve her in decision to have Lily put down before she really knew what was wrong with Lily. I do understand why for a lot of reasons. One being because I know that Nancy lives on a fixed budget and if someone that owns an animal and doesn't have the resources to any type of long term care, that is usually the decision. She just made it so quick. She has said that she doesn't want another cat, she's too old. I just have this sneaking suspicion that the vet may have other ideas.