The Story of Toby

How He Came to Us

Long ago when I was doing volunteer work at a local clinic in effort to get into veterinary school, I encountered Toby. Toby was being brought in for euthanasia, a tad surprising for a 6 year old cat with no noticeable health issues of any kind. As it turns out, Toby had become the victim of poor circumstances. His owner had been an elderly man, who sadly for poor Toby had passed away, leaving him alone in the world. The relatives taking care of his former owner’s estate did not want Toby, but also did not want to place him in an animal shelter. They came to the difficult decision to have him put down, although they did not wish to. I could not stomach this. Poor orphan Toby was going to be put to death for the crime of being alone and unwanted. A thought occurred to me. My Grandmother had recently lost her cat which left a hole in her heart that needed a furry body to fill it, there had been discussions of possibly getting another. Toby looked up to the challenge. Either way, my heart went out to Toby, I couldn’t let him leave the clinic in a body bag. I spoke to my boss, my grandmother, and then to the owners, enquiring if it was all the same to them, would it be alright if I took him home? They were ecstatic! They had not wanted to euthanize him, but they could not think of another option. They even went so far as to provide us with his toys, crate, and food dishes and thanked me profusely.

A Perfect Pair

Toby and my grandmother proved to be a match made in heaven. At first she’d been hesitant about getting another cat, but after hearing Toby’s story she couldn’t say no. But as it turned out, each one was exactly what the other needed. My Grandmother’s mood improved noticeably, every conversation involved something new or cute that Toby did, his habits, the kind of grooming he liked. Toby too seemed quite contented. He strutted around her house and defended it from any unfortunate mouse that dared to visit her pantry or any daring tom-cat that ventured into her yard. He was quite possessive of her and got noticeably offended should anyone else try to monopolize her time. His dedication to her was made evident when two years ago, she experienced a fall. Having tripped at the landing, she’d fallen down 10 steps into the basement, hitting her head on the ground. Unable to call for help she lay there in the dark until the next morning when my uncle found her. Throughout the entire time she was down, Toby never once left her side. He stayed with her, and howled from the basement till someone heard him. The way my grandmother recalls it, he refused to leave her side right up until the paramedics came.

The Diagnosis

Toby was a faithful companion to my Grandmother for nearly 8 years. Staying with her in the worst of times, a friend to take away the loneliness. One day last year, she asked us to come over. Toby was nowhere to be found and she had thought he looked under the weather yesterday. We found him beneath her sofa. He was very unwell indeed. A quick palpation was all that was needed to determine he was most profoundly blocked. Her veterinarian wasn’t open on weekends, but thankfully the veterinary emergency clinic in her city agreed to see him. As it turned out poor Toby was not only severely blocked but his blood glucose was dangerously high. Had we found him any later he may not have made it. They drained his bladder, and he spent 2 days in the care of the emergency vets while they brought his sugars down. He had diabetes mellitus. It was a harrowing reality. My Grandmother, while capable of most tasks involving Toby, had lost significant mobility in her hands after her fall. She was not capable of giving Toby insulin injections. It was a heartbreaking separation, but Toby once again found himself living with me and my mother. He adjusted to life with us well, and quickly became part of the family. We sent Toby videos as often as we could to keep Grandma updated on his life. Due to the insulin requirements he went everywhere with us, including the family camping trips. But diabetes is a difficult condition to manage in cats. His blood glucose steadily crept higher and higher, as did his insulin dosage. Two weeks ago, he became very lethargic, and seemed to have difficulty breathing. The vet said there was fluid on his lungs and his kidneys weren’t looking good. He sent Toby home with some antibiotics in case it was due to pneumonia, upped his insulin, and warned us of possible heart complications from diabetes with instructions to follow up if he was no better. Regrettably, we never got the chance. Toby passed away in his sleep that night.

Remembering Toby

He was a good cat, that brought joy to everyone that knew him. His body was cremated and his ashes returned today. He will be missed. Toby’s story is one of love and loss. It’s also evidence for the need for ongoing research into management of feline diabetes. A disease which while controllable up to a point, remains incurable. It’s also a story of how dialogue between owners, veterinarians, and rescue programs is necessary.

Owners should be encouraged to include provisions for their animals in their wills, lest they end up homeless and unwanted. Euthanizing an animal that has nowhere to go but is otherwise healthy is a task most people are loath to do. Euthanizing a healthy animal feels like a violation of the oath one takes as a veterinarian, although it can be argued that death is not a welfare concern and euthanasia is humane. While it’s true that there are shelters that are poorly run, which euthanize older animals, this does not apply to all shelters. Cats such as Toby when he was given to us tend to be adoptable, and often a veterinarian may know of someone looking for an animal, have contacts with reputable shelters and foster programs, or may be able to suggest an alternative solution.

Some people balk at the idea of giving an animal to someone they don’t know, and feel they’d rather euthanize. But it is important to keep in mind that even though you love animals and care for them, you are never the only one. Your vet or shelter may be able to provide you with tips for adopting out an animal on your own, screening potential new homes. Rehoming is a scary decision but it can be successful. In our case, Toby lived a life full of attention and love in his new home. I would strongly encourage owners who think their animal is not a good fit for them, to exhaust every possible option before booking a euthanasia. Just because the animal doesn’t fit well into your life, doesn’t mean it can’t fit well into someone else’s. Because everyone deserves a second chance.