I still struggle with the time I was forced to put Nicolai down and always think "when is it my place to decide this animal's life?" - I understand as a pet owner, they're forced to be completely dependent on us. But it feels so strange to be the decider in a life or death situation.
So we decided amputation was the best route.
It still sucks. It sucks that he didn't get to live a ton of his life before being shorted a portion of his mobility. It sucks that he won't leap the way he was able to. It sucks that nobody is ever going to comment how ridiculously fast he is anymore. It sucks not to have a whole cat.
But he's still adorable, and I hope he remains silly and fun. I know he'll adapt in a short time. And soon we'll forget that he hasn't always been that way. I love him to death and with all the crap I've been through lately, he's the one consistent thing that has brought me joy. I look forward to seeing him every day. Even when he's being an asshole, I can't stay mad at him. He purrs so loud and comforts me. He wakes me up at exactly 6am every day with snuggles and spoons me. He can still do all that with one less appendage.