95 thoughts on “Sketch!”

1. Animals have a better sense of their environment than we do…which is why they make such great companions and comfort us when we are stressed or just not feeling up-to-par. Keep a smile in your heart (positive vibes work wonders), give lots of love and attention, and be dilligent about giving medication on time. Sketch is a beautiful kitty! I know he appreciates everything you are doing for him. I’m glad he is able to go home!

2. Yay! Sketch is coming home! Rock!
   Mojo production still in full effect. Get well soon, Sketch!

3. Sketch, you are so cute!!! I’m so glad you’re comming home. Still sending lots of MoJo your way!

4. Awww, I told my cat, Bizkit, and my cocker spaniel Baleigh about it… I don’t care how stupid that sounds! They’ll send Sketch some mojo… we know what it’s like to lose a friend.

5. Sketch is a very pretty kitty. I’m glad you go to go see him for a while. You guys are still in our thoughts and we’re wishing for the best.

6. Wil,
   Enjoy the time you have with sketch now as much as you can. I came home from work one day and out of the blue, found my dog coughing and breathing funny. I took him to the vet right away. The doctor diagnosed him with congestive heart failure. He gave him a shot of lasix and told me he’d be a new dog in a couple of hours. He gave me a regimine to follow to care for him. I drove my dog home feeling much better having feared the worse. I looked down at him as he looked soulfully up at me with his big brown eyes. I told him he’s was going to be o.k. now. After 15 minutes I arrived back home. After I brought my dog into the house, he started acting funny. He shook and seized then remained still. I looked him in the eyes and saw him drift away. He died that moment. My dog died 20 minutes after the vet said he’d be o.k. He was 10 years old and never had health problems all his life. My wife and I loved that dog. We sat silently in the living room, staring at his lifeless body for an hour or two, not believing what happened. We knew this day would come someday, but not so soon. I picked him up in his favorite blanket and buried him in a special spot in our backyard.

7. Thanks for the picture of sketch. I was looking for one to make a banner of him for my livejournal. I hope you don’t mind. Charlie and I are still sending our love and lots of mojo. I think the smells of home will comfort him, until he gets the chance to come home. He’s such a sweet looking cat. I have a feeling he’s gonna live his life to the fullest. He’s really lucky to have such a wonderful family.
   Morgan and Charlie_The_Cat

8. Thanks for the picture of Sketch. I’ve been wondering what he looks like. I’m glad to hear he’s doing better. Truly enjoy the time that you spend together. You’re all in my thoughts.

9. First time commenter! I’ve been reading your blog for several months now, but after reading about Sketch and then seeing his picture, I just had to let you know we’re thinking about you. (“We” = me, my tabby Frodo, and my tuxedo Gomez.) I asked them to send you good thoughts, and I like to pretend I know what they’re thinking, so they send kitty mojo.
   But seriously, I know what it’s like to worry about a pet’s health, especially one so dear to your family. Get well soon, Sketch! Your dad needs you!
   Best,
   Caro, Frodo, & Gomez

10. Big hugs and kitty mojo continuing to come all the way from Illinois. I’m glad to hear Sketch is coming home, Wil. However long Sketch has, enjoy the time you have together. Trust me, I know how hard this is for you. I lost two cats in the course of a few months last year.

11. Wil:
    Glad to hear that Sketch is getting better and better. Still sending positive vibes so that Sketch will continue to improve indefinitely! Blackie sends his purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect best to Sketch as well!
    Beautiful pic! I had never seen one of Sketch before.
    Break a leg, Wil! You too, Sketch!
    🙂
    Scott

12. Wil:
    Glad to hear that Sketch is getting better and better. Still sending positive vibes so that Sketch will continue to improve indefinitely! Blackie sends his purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect best to Sketch as well!
    Beautiful pic! I had never seen one of Sketch before.
    Break a leg, Wil! You too, Sketch!
    🙂
    Scott

13. Wil:
    Glad to hear that Sketch is getting better and better. Still sending positive vibes so that Sketch will continue to improve indefinitely! Blackie sends his purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect best to Sketch as well!
    Beautiful pic! I had never seen one of Sketch before.
    Break a leg, Wil! You too, Sketch!
    🙂
    Scott

14. Continued Mojo for your Guy!
    Glad to hear that he is doing better– I know he will continue to do well once he gets home–
    Remember you are not Average–so therefore you do not have Average Pets– I am sure Sketch will continue get better.
    I am sure he just wants be near Daddy and Mommy and the rest of the kids.
    Take Care and Bright Blesessing
    ~A

15. ~Wil
    PS– I don’t need to Tell you what a Handsome Cat you have– what a sweetie– give him a “Kitty head butt” for me– you know thats the universal love you nudge!
    ~A

16. Look at that face… much much longer to be sure.
    Glad he’s turned the corner towards normalcy.
    Way to go kitty!

17. Wil, Just wanted to let you know our dog German Shepherd was 2 when he was diagnosed with a canine form of MS. The vet said he would be surprised if he lasted a year. He was put on steroids and vitamins. There was other medacation that was supposed to damage his kidneys. That was 5 years ago. He made it till till past summer at the age of 7. He made it 4 years longer than they said he would. His kidneys never were damaged as far as we know, his hips just got so bad he had to be “sent on ahead of us”. So I just wanted to let you know that, even with all of the meds if an animal gets TLC and is monitored that can outlive that diagnosis very easily.

18. Wil he is so beautiful!!!! But then again I have never met a kitty that isn’t:) Try to remain positive. My 20 year old Pouffy , we thought we were going to lose her boxing day of 2003. She wasn’t eating and we suspected her kidneys were failing. As it turns out she had a bladder infection. The doctor didn’t know how much longer we had with her. Well today I fed her three bowls of breakfast:)
    My point is, try not to worry too much or think about the inevitable, every kitty is different and based on what you have said Sketch is just not the “average” type of cat:) Look forward to his return home and love each day you spend with him. I know you have lots of them left:)

19. Don’t think of it as six months or a year. That number is practically meaningless anyways. Enjoy every day with Sketch and your other pets and kids and wife and family and friends. You never know how long you have — could be tomorrow or could be forever. Don’t spend your time being sad, worrying about how much you have! Instead be happy and enjoy every moment.
    Chewey sends his cat best wishes to Sketch. Chewey was diagnosed with a thyroid problem and was about to have radiation treatment when one last test showed his levels were fine — that was years ago and he has been fine ever since, aside from some dental work.
    Harry

20. I have a cat who stopped eating after her breast cancer surgery and I was VERY freaked out. My vet prescribed an appetite stimulant – she started eating again and now she is healthy and happy. For some reason none of my other doctors have ever prescribed this when I’ve had sick cats – weird because, as you know, once they stop eating they can go downhill fast, and loss of appetite nearly always comes with illness. So, if your doctor hasn’t hooked you up with an appetite stimulant, perhaps you should ask for one. (Sorry for unsolicted advice – I just never knew this existed before my kitty got sick and I am convinced this saved her life.)

21. I just wanted to back up what AT said about animals not eating when they’re in strange or stressful situations. I work in grooming at a petsmart, and most dogs will not take treats from us or their parents while in the shop. This is true even for regularly groomed dogs who are normally pigs at home. And of course cats are even more likely to be stressed out because they almost never leave their home area. Hope that helps a little.

22. I hope that Sketch lives for many more years to come…sorry to hear that he’s been sick.

23. What a handsome fella!
    One of my cats went into a funk after we moved and stopped eating for three days. I took her to the vet and they explained that it’s common for cats (dogs too) to get stressed and stop eating. Once she became comfortable and realized that her humans and buddies were there, she went back to her old self and started eating again.
    Sending lots of mojo and a belly rub for good measure….

24. Hey Wil,
    Thanks for the picture. Vets always are over cautious when giving an estimate of how long they have left, as they genuinely dont know. Our vet only gave our dog 6months to a year when he was diagnosed with diabetes, but he actually lived for 3 years. I wouldn’t get too down over the vet saying what he did, he’s just trying to cover himself. I think he’l be healthy for a long time if hes taking care of proper with medication etc. By the way I put up a picture of my cat and dog on buzznet too.
    http://noelburke.buzznet.com
    Laterz,
    Noel

25. Sketch is a very beautiful cat. I hope he will get well soon and will be a good friend to you for many years to come.
    Best wishes to Sketch and you from me and my two cats. cu Chris

26. Wil,
    Sketch looks just like my childhood cat, Max, who lived to the ripe old age of 15 before passing away peacefully in his sleep. When he was 10, he was diagnosed with diabetes and soon developed cataracts in both eyes. Despite the grim prognosis, he lived happily as an outdoor kitty for another 5 years. I’m convinced love and affection are the greatest medications for a sick pet.
    *sends good wishes*

27. Awesome happy kitty vibes are going out to Sketch from me and my 3 furbabies!!! So glad to hear he gets to go home.

28. Major {{{hugs}}} for Sketch, you, and your family from us and our 3 kitties. Hope he gets to feeling much better soon!!

29. Wil….
    Sketch has such a sweet little face. Please don’t lose hope, no matter what the vet says. Once he’s home among the chaos, he will start eating again. Still keeping up the prayers/kitty mojo.
    Wendy

30. Wil, he is a wonderfully lucky kitty. I know how you must feel, and I am sending all of my mojo (So is Chandler, he’s my 20lb Mainecoon, aka. Fat-Boy). Hang in there!

31. I’m glad to see you know just who’s bed it is…
    Seriously, I understand the anguish of a loved sick kitty. I had to get my kitty of 14 years put down last year. Oh the tears flowed freely that day.
    No matter how much time, it is never enough.

32. Looks just like my kitty.
    That is just so sad. My heart is breaking.
    My cats turn 10 this month and every time they limp or breath hard or act more lethargic then usual I am reminded that I don’t have much time left with them. I’ve known them since they day they were born!

33. Glad to hear Sketch Is doing better.That’s a Cool Pic of sketch.

34. Oh, yay! Home. Home is good.

35. About 4 years ago, my wife and I went to Vegas for our 5th wedding anniversary. My cat had been sick (throwing up whenever he tried to go to the bathroom) so I dropped him off at the vet and left instructions for our cat-sitter to pick him up.
    My wife and I get to the airport and are waiting for our plane when my cell phone rings. It’s the doctor. He tells us that Pudge’s kidneys had shut down and he would need to be put to sleep.
    My last words to Pudge were “See you later Kitty.” My wife never got to say goodbye. Needless to say, our vacation was bittersweet.

36. What a sweetie kitty! I’ve got the “eat soon, Sketch, and before you get home so your humans don’t have to worry about you” mojo going right now. So glad he can go home now. I hope he still has many years ahead of him.

37. I’m pleased to hear that everything’s as well as can be expected with Sketch. I do send mojo when you ask for it, so hopefully it helped a touch.
    This is dreadfully off-topic, but did you know that LA mayoral candidate Bob Hertzberg links to WWdN on his official site? Granted, it’s in a big list of blogs that includes The Drudge Report, but still. It made me say “hmm.”

38. You have such a precious kitty. I find myself thinking of when my Nessa (my chubby princess, what can I say she takes after her mom, anyway) had to stay at the vet’s she wouldnt eat there, but I tell ya when she got home, it was food for the taking. Glad to hear he is coming home, I know it will mean the world to him. I am glad to hear I am not the only one that leaves clothing with their animals, but I mean they become part of the family. Sending tons of Kitty Mojo to the cute guy, My son has his fingers crossed for a full recovery. I hope everything turns out good.

39. Aww. I’m brand-new here, checking out your site as I’m starting Just a Geek (Christmas present). Your updates about Sketch got me thinking about the three cats I grew up with, and I wound up doing some journal-writing about them. Thanks for inspiring that, and send my best wishes to Sketch. He looks like a brave little guy with all the right people rooting for him.

40. Hey Wil. My heart goes out to you and Anne as you wait to bring Sketch home. Sending lots of mojo to help you all along.

41. Aww…what a cute little face! Here’s hoping that he beats the odds and enjoys a long time to come with you and the family…and that, no matter what time he’s given, he spends it as a happy cat.Sketch: You start eating for Daddy and Mommy now, you hear?

42. First time commenter here, Wil, though I’ve been reading off and on for a couple years now.
    He’a a very handsome cat, as everyone has said, and my heart goes out to you. I’m glad he’ll be able to come home.
    I lost a cat to CHF last summer, and I know that terrifying trip to the vet all too well. But Sketch is doing well and through his crisis, and you know what’s wrong. Remember that the statistics are skewed a bit by cats who don’t have the kind of love and care you’re willing to give him.
    I also have a cat with chronic renal failure/hypertension and one with hyperthyroidism right now (getting several young cats means that they are geriatric together!), and all of those can be related to or cause congestive heart failure. Make sure your vet is thinking about those, so that you can manage the cause of the heart failure to help keep Sketch feeling well.
    My gang of cats will be thinking about you and Sketch. Cat-mojo times four cats is on its way.

43. A friend of mine had a cat diagnosed with all kinds of bad mojo. She was told kitty only had a few WEEKS to live. My friend told them “give me medicine for the pain and whatever else and I’m taking this cat home with me and if fate intervenes, so be it.”
    The thing is? This was back in 1998 and kitty is still going strong. I have seen this happen to people with cancer as well. I think if you make an animal happy and give it all the love it could ever need and take care of it, you’ll be suprised at how much longer you can extend their life.
    Were I in your shoes, I would just make sure kitty got lovin every day, so much lovin that you’re spoiling ’em beyond belief! Make it count. The happiness your cat experiences with you may extend this for even longer! The power of positive thinking and a good dose of love. 🙂 Not sure I can think of a better way for anyone to spend their last months, years, decades.

44. Well, I’m so far down the comments that I doubt anyone will read this — but I wanted to give all you cat lovers food for thought — which is to have in place what would happen to your beloved kitties if you pass on before they do. A couple of summers ago I inherited my older brother’s two cats after promising him I would take them — but not expecting that commitment to happen for years, if not decades. Life happens, though. Every time I pet his cats, its like I have a bit of my brother still with me.
    And life with four cats is not twice as interesting as with two cats — it’s about sixteen times more interesting.
    Mojo to Sketch.

45. having to watch a loved one, even a pet, deterierate is always hard. I’m having a simillar battle with my border collie, Haylee, its rough. chin up, hang in there and *insert other uplifting comment here*
    I don’t know what else to say so thats a good place to end off…

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